What is a retreat in a monastery? Our participants didn’t exactly know that either. Yet they found it a fun and exciting idea to come along. And so on a cold Friday at the beginning of the new year we left for the beautiful Dominican Monastery of Huissen.

We were invited by Huis van Dominicus to spend 24 hours at the convent. With a beautiful group of women from everywhere and of all ages. They went to prayer together, they walked together, they drew each other to get to know each other better and they had beautiful conversations about faith and the differences in different religions, about life, about family, about living in the Netherlands.

So nice to be together and be able to support each other. They also did a workshop with singing bowls. These fit your soul and by making them sound something happens to you. All the women found their “own” singing bowl that best fit them and also they all wanted to lie on the ground surrounded by the bowls to experience what would happen. And a lot was happening. These women all experienced a lot.

This is what the women themselves said about it:

“It’s so beautiful here!”

“I am so happy that I get to have a room to myself.”

“I prayed for Iran and I hope that one day Iran will also be just as free, that people can go to church there too.”

“What struck me during prayer is that we started and ended with singing and that completes the circle, which is such a beautiful experience.”

“I always thought that being in seclusion for your faith was only for Muslims. Now I understand better why that has to happen and that it happens in other faiths as well. And how beautiful that is.”

“I want a singing bowl at home too! It makes me very relaxed!”

Many thanks Hermen van Dorp and Josien Folbert of Huis van Dominicus for giving such a beautiful gift to these women!

The group will continue to meet. To be continued!