Details:
- author: Kirsten MacLeod
- full title: In Praise of Retreat - Finding Santuary in a Modern World
- narrator: Lynn Bradford
- genre: nonfiction, health
- topics: #retreat, #nature, #silence, #hermits, #pilgrims
- publisher: OrangeSky Audio
- publish date: 13.04.2021
- timing: 10:52:29
My Rating of the Audiobook:
- content: 💙💙💙💙💙
- narration: 💙💙💙💙💙
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| Goodreads |
Exerpt from the Book:
I’m sitting on the old footbridge that leads to my cabin in the woods.
Beaver Creek passes silently below. Ducks fly overhead. Ferns, cardinal
flowers and moss grow amid grey rocks at the water’s edge. Spiders
wander over my notebooks, which are spread out on the bridge’s rough
planks, pages held open by stones. This is the place that inspired this
book. By the creek and in the forest, I discovered a rich inner
dimension I didn't know existed. Far from my city life and work-obsessed
routines, I began to know what gives my life meaning. And to recognize
the value of protecting a divine spark, though I’m not religious, and of
amplifying the extraordinary―nature, spirit, art, creative thinking―in
impoverished times. A retreat means removing yourself from society, to a
quiet place where moments are strung like pearls, and after long days
apart in inspiring surroundings, you return home refreshed and with a
new sense of what you want to do with your life. In the fraught modern
era, you’d think our timeless human desire to retreat would feel more
urgent than ever. Yet taking a step back has become an act of 21st
century rebellion when disengaging, even briefly, is seen by many as
self-indulgent, unproductive and anti-social. But to retreat is as basic
a human need as being social. To withdraw from the everyday is about
making breathing space for what illuminates a life.
My Thoughts:
This audiobook is something that I needed. I am all into a retreat right now. Out from the city in nature, to eliminate city sounds and only listen to sounds of nature, that's my goal.The beginning felt a bit slow, but then I fell in love with this audiobook. The whole book is way more interesting than its beginning. It is a mix of personal stories with facts and history about retreats and retreaters, hermits, monks, pilgrimage, and more. The author mentions a lot of real people and places. I wanted to keep notes, but unfortunately, I didn't write them all down. I will listen to it again to research more about all the interesting people, places, and various facts.
The narrator is great, and her calm and soothing voice is appropriate for this kind of book. I listened to this audiobook in the evenings or before sleep. I rarely do that. For me - because of its calming content and narration - it was perfect for this time of the day.
In Praise of Retreat was a very informative and also calming experience for me. I would recommend it to all who are interested in retreats, pilgrimage, and calming activities.
About the Author:
Kirsteen MacLeod is a writer and yoga teacher. Her debut collection of
short stories, The Animal Game, was published in 2016. Her fiction,
poetry, and creative non-fiction have appeared in prominent literary
journals, including The New Quarterly and The Malahat Review; scores of
her articles have been featured in leading Canadian magazines; and her
work has been a finalist for the CBC Literary Award in creative
non-fiction, among other awards. She divides her time between Kingston,
Ontario, and a riverside cabin in the woods near Bancroft.
