Retreat-Holidays
Programme: The 39 steps!
Retreat leader:
Dr Stephanie Rybak
Director of Retreat-Holidays
La Baume is a delight, but it is built on a hillside, so there are a lot of steps (39 from entrance to bedrooms if you take the lift, more if you don’t). The house will provide porterage for luggage, but we'll still have to climb the steps ourselves.
La baume (baumo in Provençal) means “the cave”. There is a local tradition that Mary Magdalen came to convert Provence and lived in a cave in the Sainte-Baume mountain range. The baume therefore came to symbolise a holy place, a place of prayer. In our retreat-holiday, we're going to think of the 39 steps as standing for our difficulties with getting into prayer. The main aim of this retreat-holiday is to help people to pray - in whatever way works for them. We shall be drawing on the book The God You Already Know, edited by Henry Morgan and Roy Gregory and published by the SPCK in 2009.
The provisional programme looks like this:
Wednesday 13 October: Travel
Thursday 14 October: Relaxing into being with God
Rest day and chance to explore the lovely and extensive grounds of la Baume.
Friday 15 October: Finding God in human endeavour
Into the centre of Aix (about 15 minutes by bus). We shall be travelling into town by public bus from the foot of the road, so that people will know how to do so by themselves on a free day.
Saturday 16 October: Finding God in hustle and bustle
Marseille by private coach/minibus, including the Old Port and Notre Dame de la Garde (the basilica which dominates the city).
Sunday 17 October: Finding God in community and solitude
Sunday Eucharist at la Baume for those who wish; otherwise free day. Opportunity to go into Aix by bus independently for those who wish.
Monday 18 October -
Finding God in creation and recreation
By private coach/minibus to the charming seaside village/town of Cassis, with views of the Sainte-Baume mountain range and the Montagne Sainte-Victoire on the way.
Opportunity for those who wish to take a boat trip round some of the calanques (mini-fjords) - this is an optional extra as it won't appeal to anyone who is a poor sailor!
Tuesday 19 October: Letting the retreat come together
Free day.
Opportunity to go into Aix by bus independently for those who wish.
Wednesday 20 October: Travel
Dates prices flights and trains