Saturday, October 17th 2026
The Wisdom of the Desert
The feeling is so human: a restlessness that pulls us toward the next scroll, the next distraction. We often want to be anywhere but here. The early Christian contemplatives felt it too. They called it acedia, "the noonday demon," the listless ache that struck monks in the midday heat and made the hours crawl.
The Desert Mothers and Fathers, who withdrew into the wilderness of Egypt, Palestine, and Syria starting in the third century, laid the foundation for Christian meditative practice. These women and men embraced extraordinary hardship to encounter the Real, and in the process they mapped the terrain of the restless heart with remarkable precision.
In this month's practitioners' retreat, we honor their lineage by focusing on their battle with acedia. Drawing on desert wisdom texts and the teachings they left us, we'll train our eye on what the monk Evagrius promised lies on the other side of the struggle: "deep peace and inexpressible joy." Through dedicated practice and the support of community, we'll discover a freedom that remains elusive when we sit alone.
This 1/2 day of retreat (via Zoom) will move in a soulful rhythm of formal meditation, movement, reading of sacred text, as well as Q&A for support as you reach new depths in your practice.
We invite you to join in this practice and to offer your blessings and light for the benefit of all.
COST:
Practitioners: $30/month (annual membership) or $40/month (month-to-month membership) *See BECOME A PRACTITIONER section below for more info*
Drop-in rate: $55*
*A note about drop-in registration: When you select “Add to Cart” below, a small cart will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen with a #1 above it. You will need to click on the cart to move through the payment portal and secure your registration. Once the order has been processed and you arrive at the Order Status screen, click the “Download Item” button. This will download a pdf that includes the zoom link and passcode that will allow you to access the retreat. Registration must be completed by 7 PM MST the evening prior to the retreat.
BECOME A PRACTITIONER:
Becoming a practitioner, in essence, is an increased commitment to come to know yourself at the deepest level. Next, it is an intention to share your freedom and compassion with the world in the way that only you can. Practitioners enjoy a number of benefits at Lower Lights: This monthly retreat, meditation instruction and developmental coaching, priority registration for events, and discounts on our offerings.
*NOTE: upon signing up to become a practitioner, we will send you an email with info on how to join our monthly retreats, no prior registration necessary.
—
AUDIO RECORDINGS:
If you are not able to attend the live practice session, audio and video recordings will be available upon request. If you are in need of the recordings, please reach out to info@lowerlightswisdom.org.
Image credit: pexels-sergio-geller
Saturday, October 17th 2026
The Wisdom of the Desert
The feeling is so human: a restlessness that pulls us toward the next scroll, the next distraction. We often want to be anywhere but here. The early Christian contemplatives felt it too. They called it acedia, "the noonday demon," the listless ache that struck monks in the midday heat and made the hours crawl.
The Desert Mothers and Fathers, who withdrew into the wilderness of Egypt, Palestine, and Syria starting in the third century, laid the foundation for Christian meditative practice. These women and men embraced extraordinary hardship to encounter the Real, and in the process they mapped the terrain of the restless heart with remarkable precision.
In this month's practitioners' retreat, we honor their lineage by focusing on their battle with acedia. Drawing on desert wisdom texts and the teachings they left us, we'll train our eye on what the monk Evagrius promised lies on the other side of the struggle: "deep peace and inexpressible joy." Through dedicated practice and the support of community, we'll discover a freedom that remains elusive when we sit alone.
This 1/2 day of retreat (via Zoom) will move in a soulful rhythm of formal meditation, movement, reading of sacred text, as well as Q&A for support as you reach new depths in your practice.
We invite you to join in this practice and to offer your blessings and light for the benefit of all.
COST:
Practitioners: $30/month (annual membership) or $40/month (month-to-month membership) *See BECOME A PRACTITIONER section below for more info*
Drop-in rate: $55*
*A note about drop-in registration: When you select “Add to Cart” below, a small cart will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen with a #1 above it. You will need to click on the cart to move through the payment portal and secure your registration. Once the order has been processed and you arrive at the Order Status screen, click the “Download Item” button. This will download a pdf that includes the zoom link and passcode that will allow you to access the retreat. Registration must be completed by 7 PM MST the evening prior to the retreat.
BECOME A PRACTITIONER:
Becoming a practitioner, in essence, is an increased commitment to come to know yourself at the deepest level. Next, it is an intention to share your freedom and compassion with the world in the way that only you can. Practitioners enjoy a number of benefits at Lower Lights: This monthly retreat, meditation instruction and developmental coaching, priority registration for events, and discounts on our offerings.
*NOTE: upon signing up to become a practitioner, we will send you an email with info on how to join our monthly retreats, no prior registration necessary.
—
AUDIO RECORDINGS:
If you are not able to attend the live practice session, audio and video recordings will be available upon request. If you are in need of the recordings, please reach out to info@lowerlightswisdom.org.
Image credit: pexels-sergio-geller
