Seasons Of The Soul
We explored psalms that mirror so many human conditions, including lament and anger. Retreatants wrote their own psalms. They walked the pilgrim posts or the dunes and listened to the different bird songs. 'What is the song I am waiting to sing?' they asked themselves. One psalm writer wrote afterwards 'I could feel new green shoots inside me at long last'.
One old Voyager in our Community of Aidan and Hilda told how she had been in a season of release and blessing to others. She intuited that this would be her farewell visit to The Open Gate. We explored how the season of dying can be fruitful if we fully live each season that precedes it. And we read poems such as this by George Herbert: 'Death, thou wast once an uncouth. hideous thing... But since our Saviour's death did put some blood into thy face; Thou art grown fair and full of grace.' We anointed this dear lady. She said she felt deep contentment.