A Week of Silence & Solitude

 I have just returned from a week of silence and solitude on top of East Haven Mt. in northern Vermont about 28 miles from the Canadian Border. When I got to the cabin at the beginning of the week the outside temperature was 5 and the inside 20 degrees. Needless to say it took awhile or the wood stove to heat things up but once going it kept me warm.  The cabin is actually very cozy and its far from roughing it. The stove keeps it warm, there is propane gas for cooking, limited solar electrical power for lights at night and lots of snow to melt for water. "The Cabin" is a ministry of Shiloh Retreat Center.
My goal for this week was for this to be my "going to the desert" experience to be with God. Like Jesus began his ministry going to the wilderness, like the 4th century "desert fathers" went to the wildness this was my going. I wanted to see if I could actually be a week without talking to people. I had arranged to text Debra & Ben first thing in the morning and posted an OK on my SPOT every evening. Debra didn't get her text on Sunday due to my mistake but finally reached Ben to know I was OK.  In a world of so much talking and noise I wanted to really listen to God, let God search me out and see if I could actually be with just myself for a week.   I put all the clocks away in order to structure my day around prayer. Morning prayers at sunrise, evening prayers at sunset and night prayers at bedtime. During these prayer times I would also read Psalm's slowly out loud as part of my prayers. Try it sometime, its very profound.

Sunset to the West

The Chickadees provided company

Sunrise from the East

This past week I concluding reading the Torah in the Old Testament finishing Numbers & Deuteronomy and concluding reading the NT. It was very special the last day reading John's vision of Revelation in one sitting from the top of the mountain. My other reading this week included.
The Wisdom of The Desert: Thomas Merton: excerpts of the Desert Fathers & Mothers
The Little Flowers of Saint Francis: stories of his and the friers life
Early Christian Fathers:  2nd Century writings of Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp, Didache & Justin Martyr
Walden: Henry David Thoreau : His 2 year experience living in the woods at Walden pond in 1845
The Solace of Fierce Landscapes: Exploring Desert & Mountain Spirituality: Belden C. Lane
 This last book was by far the most profound for me as Lane explored the his own wilderness of his mom's death by cancer and compared this to the Biblical desert experiences. The two words that he used that were profound for me were "attentiveness" and "indifference" that give birth to love.  Learning to pay attention to what is most important and to ignore what dosen't matter. You'll have to read the book to get the whole meaning

Mt. Washington in NH viewed from Cabin deck.

 Every afternoon I would take a 2 -4 mile snowshoe hike on some of the surrounding trails. It was very beautiful and good exercice. Ever evening after dark I enjoyed reading the Chronicle of Narnia that were at the Cabin.   It was wonderful to be free from time and sleep when I was tired, get up when I was awake, eat when I was hungry, etc.

  It was wonderful to be free from time and sleep when I was tired, get up when I was awake, eat when I was hungry, etc. Although I cannot say that like the man the Apostle Paul mentions I went to the "7th heaven" God met me there. Much like Elijah on the mountain the Lord was there in a "still small voice".  God's word to me from the Psalm's was "be still and know that I am God." There is so much more to tell but I'll leave it at the Lord can have the last word. :)  Please continue to keep me in your prayers as I do you.