In December 1998, William McGowan of The Wall Street Journal embarked on a five-day silent retreat at the Linwood Spiritual Center in Rhinebeck, N.Y., seeking relief from personal stress and a transformative spiritual experience. The center, located 90 miles north of New York City on a majestic promontory overlooking the Hudson River, follows the precepts of Ignatian Spirituality, which emphasizes periods of silence for achieving mystical recognition of divine presence.
McGowan initially hoped for a profound epiphany that would confirm a divine plan for his life. However, he gradually realized the unreality of this expectation. Instead of a blinding light, the retreat provided a "fortifying certainty of heart" and a foundation to build upon. He concluded that the experience was worthwhile, even without a dramatic "nonepiphany."
Breaking the silence after five days, McGowan found it to be a slight let-down. He humorously recounted a groundskeeper's story about an albino deer, which he initially dismissed as a hazing ritual but still found himself searching for on the grounds. The article suggests that the retreat, while not delivering the dramatic spiritual breakthrough he envisioned, still offered significant personal insights and a sense of renewed perspective on his life.
