Our Spring Noble Silence Meditation Retreat Weekend

Enjoy scenes and dialogue from our Spring Noble Silence Meditation Retreat (SNSMR). Dialogue you say? When silence was the supposed subject matter? Yes. An exchange of ideas and channel of communication flowing with hope, joy, renewal and healing from our closing Talking Circle and beyond. All this after having spent a relatively short time period — Friday dinner to Sunday lunch — coupling time spent abiding on a special stretch of nature while working simultaneously at a spiritual practice birthed by nature itself, and practiced by people who relied on nature for their survival. We’re humbled by the power of the extraordinary form of Mindfulness and Spiritual Purification taught here, granting us the ability to ground and help people heal emotionally just where they need to be grounded and healed — within. And deeply.

“Beautiful place. Beautiful purpose. Beautiful people (and dogs!)” reported Lynne. “What a beautiful place, beautiful people and beautiful experience,” echoed Anna. “This retreat is so unique, personal, inclusive and welcoming. I am glad to be a part of it!” “So Much Peace. Thank you for this wonderful experience. The beauty of the property enhances the tranquility one finds here. Thank You!” “Many thanks! Very Healing Experience and a Wonderful Space.”

And finally Margaret with some thoughtful feedback that again both humbled and blew us away: “I just returned from a Noble Silence Retreat Weekend at The Higher Haven Retreat Center. I had an intention set for the weekend but little did I know that I would exceed that intention ten-fold. The meditations were deep and meaningful. The environment could not have been better. The garden, the pathways, the river, the woods were all perfect and beautiful. By the end of the weekend I felt completely transformed on a very deep spiritual level. I have a level of euphoria that has not left me. Paul is incredible. You can read his beautiful heart in his eyes. He shared so much about his experiences with indigenous people, Ceremonies and songs. He has ignited a desire in me to learn more about Native culture and traditions. He is a wonderful and motivating teacher. Many deep friendships were also forged over the weekend. I feel like I will be in touch with everyone from the retreat for a very long time. Whether you have been meditating for a long time or you are just starting out on your journey, The Higher Haven Retreat Center is the place to grow, learn and deepen your practice.”

On that note, after a busy Spring Retreat Season, we’ve had a few openings in this coming weekend’s Ceremonial overnight, while the latter half of June offers our breezy but informative Meditation + Mindfulness 101 Saturday June 25th class, as well as some openings for private lessons that can be simply scheduled by Contacting Us. We’ll be filling in the summer schedule and even setting dates into the Fall with some new offerings so stay tuned, stay strong, Until Then, Toksha.

Our First Comprehensive Spiritual Development Retreat

There’s our happy, connected crew from our weekend retreat, an overwhelmingly successful three-day transformational happening made up of four standout classes. Starting with Meditation and Mindfulness 101, elevating a Saturday evening circle focused on Indigenous Purification Practices, ending with Spiritual Development Class 1101 — containing cosmic truths laid down by the mighty John Ashbrook — and a lovely Yin Yoga session infused with the light of Teacher Rebecca Ufkes. Who needs Mary Oliver when Rebecca, formerly known as the artist Rachel, provided her own poetic take on Time. “Time has a place for sure Running a race, baking a pie, departure of a flight to sunshine - today, this moment, time has no place, As, I watch the red bird gather delight, as the birch trees dance with the morning dew, with coffee in hand, and the touch of golden fur on my skin, Time, who is wonderful in his time, Has no place, today, in this space.”

As to time in an aware, healing space, it seemed well-spent by all, in Alissa’s words, “a restorative and relaxing weekend, so fulfilling and absolutely what I needed and wanted.” “This is a beautiful space,” reported Kelsey Cz from central Illinois. “Thank you so much for hosting and providing a transformational experience.” And finally Mary’s take, a Fenville local and new Higher Haven fan. “This weekend I attended a spiritual retreat at Higher Haven in South Haven Michigan, needing to reset, relax, and rejuvenate. I'm at a point in my journey of life where I'm seeking TRUTH and spirituality. The universe connected me to Paul at Higher Haven, and the weekend retreat was everything I had hoped for and more. I've returned to my 'regular ' life with a new, rejuvenated view of the world, and have felt peace and tranquility while evaluating where life is headed. Thank you for providing such a beautiful space and program for those of us seeking TRUTH, peace and tranquility in this wild world of ours.”

Thank you Mary. And Alissa. And Kelsey. And John, Rebecca, and all. We’re onto the next with a several great, overflowing offerings for June, and will fill out the late summer schedule by the end of May, Hokahey, what a boon see you all soon.

On Finding Your Way Both To And Around The Higher Haven

This is one of those (meditation) bells and (eagle bone) whistles we’ve had blipping away at the edge of our radar screen for oh, years now. And it’s one of many works in progress that eventually will make a visit to The Higher Haven more fun and even more fulfilling. The ‘quick and dirty’ in the parlance of my Teacher Shinzen is that for the last six summers, our twenty wooded acres have needed a solid representation on a plane surface of our little region of earth, otherwise known as a map. And I say 20 wooded acres but am always fond of pointing out that it’s technically five acres of wetland, five acres of grassland, and ten acres of pristine, Midwest American deciduous forest. It’s all there roughly in this first pass above — the Black River boardwalk, the Great Blue Heron Rookery overlook, the Massassauga Trail - our signature walk that now snakes through the backwoods for almost a kilometer and a half, and our walk around the bucolic block, or Country Mile, actually 2.3., if you feel like checking out the rural neighborhood. More playful pontification on the lay of the land to come.

As to Happenings, I’m happy to say Hokahey that we are full and overflowing for May’s Way of the Contrary Weekend, June is a boon with only a few grassy, Lodge seats remaining, and at last count there are just a few openings left to join our Spring Comprehensive Spiritual Development Retreat with John Ashbrook Friday, May 20th - Sunday May 22nd. John will deliver a Sunday afternoon talk on the Fundamentals of a True Spiritual Life, open for anyone to register and join us for Spiritual Development Class 1101. Word on 63rd street is that some of the topics will include 21st Century Principles, Five Stages of Love, Measuring Spiritual Growth, Three Critical Spiritual Laws, Self-Esteem and Peace, The Source of All Pain and The Triangle of Balance. John is the Real Deal, as I’m not a big fan of folks tossing around the word “Master”, unless the title is well deserved. You certainly don’t want to miss an opportunity to cross paths with one of Michigan’s and maybe the world’s more capable, high-caliber counselors. But if you do, don’t worry, because he’ll be back. And you’ll only find him here, at The Higher Haven.