RECENT RETREATS AND REVIEWS
FOR A CURRENT SCHEDULE OF ONLINE EVENTS I AM LEADING, SEE THE HOMEPAGE ON THIS WEBSITE.
I have been leading spiritual-life retreats over the span of my career. For several decades, I led week-long retreats on Bernard of Clairvaux and early Cistercian spirituality at a Benedictine Abbey near Boston (Glastonbury Abbey), where I am a lay oblate. Mystics and poets, artists and prophets have been my companions of the heart and mind, and they remain the foundation of my retreat work. This draws on a long commitment of scholarship, writing, and teaching on the sacred intersection of the arts and spirituality, with a special focus on poetry and what I have come to call the "poetics of the soul" (mysticism).
My interest in the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke began in my college years and has deepened over the years since. This eventually led to my publishing a new translation of his early work - the first part of The Book of Hours - which I entitled, following Rilke's lead, Prayers of a Young Poet (2013/2016). I am currently completing work on a new translation of his late work, The Sonnets to Orpheus. These poems have been the focus of recent retreats I've been leading as well as a forthcoming book on Rilke and the spiritual journey, tentatively entitled Heartwork: Rainer Maria Rilke and the Lure of Beauty.
Among the mystics who have been the focus of my attention, much of my work over the last five years has focused on Meister Eckhart, which has thus far led to the publication of two books of meditative poems inspired by his writings (together with my friend and colleague Jon Sweeney): Meister Eckhart's Book of the Heart (2017) and Meister Eckhart's Book of Secrets (2019), both published by Hampton Roads. I have also worked extensively, and intensively, on Julian of Norwich and HIldegard, among other women mystics, and regularly offer retreats and lectures on their work.
A listing of forthcoming retreats is posted on my homepage.
Past retreats, offered in a variety of formats (i.e., as day, weekend, or week-long retreats) and in different venues, currently via the Zoom platform, include the following:
A SAMPLE OF RECENT RETREATS
- The Sense of Wonder: How the “sixth sense” might save your life
Wonder: the word itself conjures a sense of mystery. It gestures toward what it means to open ourselves—mind and heart—to the world around and within us. As a verb, wonder suggests the energies of the imagination: when we wonder, we ready ourselves for what we do not yet know, and dare to imagine that beauty might lure us toward a more creative and faithful life. We will explore the work of poets and theologians, mystics and artists, some of whose works shaped the heart of the Christian tradition while others gave their witness at the boundaries. All were joined in Socrates’ conviction that wonder is the beginning of wisdom, the impulse that opens our lives to the “more” that is always present among us. All knew in their ways that mystery shimmers in the ordinary, in the midst of where we are. Wonder at all of this holds the seeds of hope so needed in times like these.
- Ripening in Wisdom: A Harvest of Poems to Change Your Life
“Maybe there's a land where you have to sing/ to explain anything.” William Stafford
This retreat offers participants a deep reading of the "late poems" of key modern poets, writings that often have a depth and urgency not found in their earlier work. They come from "ripening" and invite us to do the same in our lives. Sessions will invite a lingering with such poems, savoring their poignant voice and tasting a wisdom that has come the distance. Poets to be explored together include: W. S. Merwin, Denise Levertov, Stanley Kunitz, and Clive James, among others.
- Saving Beauty: Recovering the heart of an abundance that can save us
Beauty is an abundance in the midst of want, a glimpse of wholeness among the fragments. It is that sense of fullness we sometimes glimpse that meets us in our longings. Together we’ll explore Dostoevsky’s bold claim that “beauty alone will save us” – because it has the power to awaken us to the depth of the “ordinary” in our lives, precisely in the midst of the struggles and disappointments we face. For beauty has the capacity to restore us to a way of seeing things “whole” and living into that wholeness in ways that might inspire and encourage us to lead more authentic and centered lives.
- Solitude and Communion: Renewing the depths of our lives in a time of pandemic
What does it mean to speak of “solitude” in positive terms, particularly in a time of pandemic where we seem to be struggling under the pressures of lockdowns, physical distancing and social isolation? How can we find an inner balance that unleashes the Spirit’s power to “make all things new,” even us in the midst of our daily lives? We will explore the invitation that solitude holds, inviting us into a deeper communion with the divine—in ourselves, in each other, and in the “natural” world. Poets, artists and visionaries will guide us, with special attention to the visual arts and their power to awaken within us new ways of seeing and being in our lives.
- Poetic Justice: An engaged spirituality revisioning our public life
This retreat invites us to “revise” the ways we understand our spirituality as an engaging of community—in ways we might not have imagined, even in times like these of social distancing and the fear of physical contact with others. How might we see this “season” of pandemic as a means of discovering the diversity of life surrounding us, and even within us? What might it be to find ourselves invited to discover the “other,” and experience the abundant variety of this life with others? We will listen to poets from various cultures inviting us to drink more deeply of the wellspring of culture, and experience the Spirit’s rich variety in the ways we embrace our lives in this world—and our world in this life.
- Reframing: Meister Eckhart’s Wisdom and the Contemplative Integration of our Lives
“The eye with which I see God is exactly the same eye with which God sees me. My eye and God’s eye are one eye, one seeing, one knowledge, one love.” Meister Eckhart
Claims like this, found throughout Eckhart’s writings, draw us to the heart of paradox, and the reframing they suggest are the wellsprings of an integrated life. This retreat offers an opportunity to drink deeply from the source of this wisdom, engaging it through focused readings from Eckhart accompanied by meditative poems inspired by these texts. Bold, courageous and at times outrageous, Eckhart’s writings continue to be a beacon of light to those seeking to live with greater freedom and authenticity. This retreat, led by Eckhart scholar and poet Mark S. Burrows, explores this wisdom through the lens of two recent books that “translate” Eckhart’s thought in ways described by a recent critic as “brimming with passion, originality, and depth”. Come for an immersion in startlement and wonder.
- Heart-Work and the Art of Loving: Journeying deeply with Rainer Maria Rilke
This retreat invites participants into the poetic vision of Rainer Maria Rilke, one of the most cherished spiritual writers of our time. During our day together, we will explore poems included in one of his last works, The Sonnets to Orpheus (1922). Rilke coined the word “heart-work” during this period in order to speak of the heart’s transformative power in shaping the deep ground of our life. He understood his vocation, as a poet, as that of a spiritual guide, and his poetry invites us to engage in a kind of “soul-work,” offering us a means of attending to the heart’s healing power. The sessions of this retreat probe three dimensions of Rilke’s writings: “Beauty calling”; “Silence speaking”; and, “Ever singing.”
- “I have room for a second life”: Journeying by Heart with the poet Rainer Maria Rilke
Rilke once wrote that“You’re the miracle that happened in the desert/ for those who’d passed through.” Such a claim as this alerts us to the vital embers that glow within the language and imagery of Rilke’s “prayers.” They often draw, as we see in these lines, from ancient stories and traditions—in this case, the account of the exodus from the Hebrew Scriptures. Or is his reference to something closer to us, an experience we know in our own lives? Image, gesture, memory: these all take us to the depths of the “self,” where history and legend meet us in our own experience as of the “unconscious.” Rilke and poets like him speak from that place, and toward that place in their readers. Here, the poet calls us to attend to the miracle waiting for us in the dark veil of those “desert” places we know in our lives. Such poetry witnesses to this journey through that place to a land of promise. It presumes that following in the path of such an exodus leaves something important lingering within us: thirst and eyes to see in the dark; loneliness and a sense of belonging—to others, to God, and to ourselves in this journey. Where else, we wonder, is this to happen but in our own experience of “passing through” the desert?
- Simplifying Matters: Engaging the transforming wisdom of the mystics
This is a retreat meant for those longing to find again the simplifying rhythm of their lives. In a time of pandemic, of prolonged “lockdowns” and curtailments of our social lives, the day offers a time to taste the wisdom that “less is more,” and find our way back into that spacious and fecund “emptiness” where the simplifying promise of the divine awaits us. We will explore this path with the help of poetic thinkers who faced the essential wildness of life with fierce courage and tenacity of mind. Our guides, Meister Eckhart and Julian of Norwich, were medieval seers whose vision took shape in times of uncertainty and anxiety. We will encounter their heartful wisdom in conversation with several modern poets, all of whom knew the risks and rewards of journeying into the Simple Center of the real. Come ready to be startled and encouraged, provoked and consoled, as together we reach into deep reaches of the divine mystery within and all about us.
- Life-Changers: The Gospel According to Hildegard and Julian of Norwich
The English writer G. K. Chesterton once commented that the saint each age most needs is the one who contradicts it most. Hildegard and Julian of Norwich were such persons. Each gave voice to a vision of church and society that challenged stifling ideas and opened windows to encounter God and the self differently. Each discovered insights into the “good news” that have enduring power to reframe life—in their day and ours. Each was a faithful prophet who gave voice to the gospel which “makes all things new.” Across the centuries their witness resounds with power and courage. This retreat day will be guided by the insights these women discovered and the visions that inspired them. Through the music and art of Hildegard and the “revelations of love” of Julian, our day will immerse us in the gift of these visionary women, life-changers for an unsettled age like ours.
- Between Nothing and Everything: The Gospel of Love according to Julian of Norwich
Every age finds the saint it most needs, one who speaks the word of life and gives form to the witness of compassion required to find the path of hope. Julian of Norwich, a woman who lived in relative obscurity alongside a small parish in late-medieval England, is one of those voices in our times. She received sixteen “showings” as a middle-aged woman, and spent the rest of her life meditating on them, eventually producing a wise book in which she shared what she discovered these to mean—which was, in a word, love. Simple enough. But what lies behind this is a remarkable vision of the immensity and particularity of God, a vision rooted in St. Paul’s conviction that nothing can separate us from divine love, and in Jesus’ radical notion that everything finds a place in God’s keeping.
- The Search for Radiance: The call of mysticism for ordinary folk
This talk explores what it means that the world all around us is a theater of the mystical. Three voices associated with the mystical tradition in Christianity—Hildegard of Bingen, Meister Eckhart, and Julian of Norwich—will guide us in finding immediate and practical ways to open our lives to God’s presence in the ordinary. A poem by the Polish-American writer Adam Zagajewski will guide our way with his suggestion that “We seek radiance in a gray hour, at noon or in the chimneys of the dawn, even on a bus, in November, while an old priest nods beside us.”
TESTIMONIALS ABOUT MARK'S RETREATS
Mark is a poet and a mystic with a wide open heart bursting full of years’ worth of study, knowledge and wisdom which he imparts gently and deeply. The seeds he sows in his teaching have the potential to allow for exponential growth in the life of the receiver. Mark has given numerous retreats at The Meditatio Centre, London and his popularity has grown with each one. Truly, his retreats are life changing. Some words about Mark’s teaching from our supporters: “Outstanding! Mark expresses the truth that I knew and didn’t have the ability to express myself. Mark has a wonderful gift. Mark has amazing insight. He is inspiring & enlightening. The day was rich and worthwhile”.
—Kate Coombs, Centre Manager of the Meditatio Centre, London (World Christian Contemplative Movement)
I was riveted by Mark's leadership of Heart-Work and the Art of Loving. Rilke's poems were made deeply understandable in their original context and the fabric of my life. Having been encouraged to delight in their form and meanings I went to sit outside during the mid-retreat break, and let the beauty of deep calls of Rilke's words wash over me. Mark's invitations to understand and value the relevance of commitment to all of my life resonated as the wind blew, the flowers opened, and the cedar trees grew. At the end of event I felt renewed, inspired and more curious than ever.
—Rev. Jill K. H. Geoffrion, Ph.D., retreat-leader, scholar, and author, most recently, of Visions of Mary: Art, Devotion, and Beauty at Chartres Cathedral
“Mark Burrows is an inspiring and engaging poet, teacher and retreat leader, with a passion for helping people explore the relationship between spirituality and the arts. Over the years of leading groups at our retreat centre in the Sierra Nevada mountains (Spain), Mark brought poetry to life for our retreatants in a gentle, wise and inclusive manner. He has a special gift at drawing people into a poem, and encouraging them to draw from their own inner wells and experiences, in order both to transcend and to go deeper into the poem—and their own soul. Mark’s vast knowledge and academic rigour are balanced with a warm personality, a contagious joy for life, and a relaxed and accessible teaching style.”
—Rev. Dr. Daniel Muñoz Triviño, lecturer at the Protestant Faculty of Theology in Madrid and Los Olivos Retreats Programme Director
"Mark Burrows draws from the deep well of poets and mystics as guides for retreat. His translations and insights expose subtle meanings, opening the writings to fresh insight and allowing each to engage the text with the heart. He is wise retreat leader unfolding the path for thoughtful reflection and compassionate knowing and living. His kind and generous presence welcomes and invites."
—Debra Weir, Associate Director Spirituality and Lifelong Learning, Columbia Theological Seminary (Decatur, GA)
“Being on a retreat led by Mark Burrows is being in the company of a close friend. One who seems to instinctively know both what you have to offer and what you need to learn. It’s an opportunity to explore deep subjects in safety and with the strong support of someone who has travelled this way before, perhaps gone far beyond but is still beside you all the way. You are encouraged in every way to be part of a group who will learn as you adventure, both from each other and from Mark’s rich, deep and rare insight into his subject. His gift is to gain as much from those he teaches as he gives to those in his company and care. And that is how it feels; that as he draws from us our stories, he relates them in everyday language to his subject; somehow lifting us to a clearer longer view of all our experience. A gifted and most generous teacher and friend.”
—Deborah Arrowsmith, Manager of the Oxford (UK) Meetinghouse
“Mark S. Burrows is a uniquely gifted teacher and retreat leader in his ability to engage our curiosity and imagination while speaking to our deep heart longings. Mark’s broad knowledge of mystical literature, poetry and Christian spirituality are joined by a profound understanding of the human desire for God. Mark is a retreat master – who has travelled and understands the spiritual journey. His presentations are long remembered for their clear presentation of weighty questions, vital spiritual imagery and participant’s engagement of their own prayer and soul care.”
—Rev. Carol Mullikin, Spiritual Director and former director of The Magnificat Center for Reconciliation and Unity (Wichita, Kansas)
"Mark Burrows' use of language is truly engaging. His poetic eloquence and breadth of literary knowledge makes for perceptive, if not prophetic readings of human reality. He teaches with a warmth and consistently displays the ability to connect with his audience at depth, most particularly in the realms of renewed imagination."
—Rev. Dr. Sean M. Gilbert, Lecturer in Ministry Practice, Adelaide College of Divinity (Australia)
TESTIMONIALS FROM RECENT RETREATANTS
"Mark is an outstanding presenter! His commitment to the [retreat] was evident not only in his preparation and presentations, but also in his genuine warmth and availability for discussion and conversation. His knowledge and passion for poetry was inspiring. Each of his many sessions was so enjoyable. I appreciated. . .his thorough and thoughtful preparation, with both the poetry and the morning and evening prayer sessions he designed and led. This was a wonderful experience, one I will continue to treasure. Mark's generosity of spirit created a beautiful, trusting space in which we were able to get to know ourselves and one another better." --Donna D. (June, 2022)
"Mark was a GREAT presenter and caring facilitator. He was able to form a diverse group of participants into a true community." --Joan H. (June, 2022)
"Mark was outstanding as a presenter. He has a unique way of recognizing who we are and cares about us. This retreat helped me to become calmer." --Lisa F. (June, 2022)
"In the Spirit of that Divine Word whose play started it all, those gathered for this retreat poemed and prayed, listened and spoke, knowing we were our very selves divined and heard." --Joan M. (June, 2022)
"Mark was a wonderful program leader--not only sharing marvelous poems but encouraging thoughtful discussions. He responded to questions with thoughtfulness and sensitivity. His [worship] services also blended prayer, music, and silence well. I am still processing how I will share my experience when I return to home and to my work. The poems [we explored] themselves were meaningful. But Mark's insights and the discussion were wonderful, adding more layers of meaning. The topic was a great way to share spirituality and understand the many ways it can be shared and become part of my spiritual journey--and also reflect the reality of our world and living in it." --Lisa E. (June, 2022)
"Mark was outstanding as a presenter and person. Excellent as a teacher--always prepared and more. He spent so much time preparing meaningful prayer service with music and readings. I loved how each session was focused on one poet, with background offered on her/his life, a video of them speaking or answering questions about their work, and then a variety of their poems to delve into their work deeply. This was the best retreat of this kind that I've ever taken; I have used poetry as prayer for many eyars and feel now more empowered and inspired to use many of the poems we explored together during the week. I'm leaving with such a feeling of deep peace and joy. So much was given to us by Mark that I look forward to going home to digest all I can, then share with friends who were unable to attend." --Elaine O. (June, 2022)
"The retreat facilitator, Mark, was the most meaningful part of this week. The title of the retreat--Poetry as Prayer--is what moved me to sign up. But the experience of having Mark Burrows (whom I did not know) as facilitator was beyond outstanding--excellent beyond what I hoped for or expected! This marvelous experience was so far beyond any of my previous 'retreat' experiences. In fact, it was beyond marvelous." --Sarah B. (June, 2022)