In early September, members of the Bonnevaux Meditation Group—from Argentina to Asia—gathered at Bonnevaux for what would become a profound retreat of meditation, community, and shared presence. For many, this was the first opportunity to meet face-to-face after five years of online connection. What unfolded was not simply a program of talks and practices, but a journey of discovery, renewal, and deep spiritual encounter.
Beginnings of a Community
On Thursday, 4th September 2025, participants began to arrive, each carrying their own story of travel and anticipation. By the afternoon, the gathering had grown to twenty-one. At four o’clock, Fabrice Desmarescaux officially welcomed us and opened the retreat. The first session invited every participant to introduce themselves, speaking for five minutes about their origins, joys, struggles, and the questions they carried with them. Laughter and humor mingled with depth and vulnerability, revealing the humanity of the group. After years of meeting through screens, the circle of presence allowed us to encounter one another in richer, more embodied ways.
The evening set the tone for what lay ahead. Mass with Fr. Peter, followed by meditation, created a sacred rhythm. Dinner brought a joyous roar of conversation, voices overlapping in a glorious din of discovery and connection. The sharing continued late into the night. Already, it was clear that what was emerging was not just a retreat, but the weaving together of a community.
The Spirit of Retreat
Friday 5th September, began with meditation, breakfast, and a talk by Fr. Laurence on the spirit of retreat. He reminded us that meditation is more than an individual practice—it creates community. Technology, though valuable, cannot replace the depth of presence that arises when people gather to meditate in person. He spoke about the ego, the fruits of contemplation, and the transmission of wisdom, illustrating his reflections with images of bubbles, labyrinths, and spirals—symbols of impermanence and of the inner journey. His call was clear: contemplative practice is not something to do occasionally but a way of being.
The retreat was enriched by music. Ricardo Maffeo, a gifted guitarist, offered his artistry throughout the weekend, weaving beauty and rhythm into our days. Silence, too, became a companion. Midday meditation, embraced as a daily heartbeat, deepened the stillness shared among us.
In the afternoon, Werner Hein offered a talk entitled The World as a Field Hospital. His words invited us to see every person as carrying dignity and worth. Meditation, he reminded us, is not passive—it allows grace to manifest, awakening us to notice others with attentiveness. Without purpose, meditation risks becoming empty. His challenge was practical and spiritual at once: to consider how our group might move the needle, and how we could share our gifts with the world.
Later, Gregory Robison guided us into Lectio Divina, the contemplative reading of scripture through the stages of lectio, meditatio, oratio, contemplatio, and actio. Scripture, he explained, is not static but living—a text that engages heart and mind, allowing divine wisdom to grow in both. His teaching opened new pathways for experiencing scripture beyond intellectual comprehension, as a dialogue between reader and word.
The Barn, where talks were held, overlooked the vast quiet grounds, offering a view that framed our listening with simplicity. Shared meals brought warmth, conversation, and lighthearted acts of service, even in something as simple as clearing tables together.
Friday evening closed with Compline in the chapel. The beauty of the music filled the space and seemed to fill us as well. Later, some walked the labyrinth in silence, circling inward as their bodies moved forward. The day, rich and full, ended in stillness and song.
Chairman of WCCM Board of Trustees
Depth and Creativity
Saturday deepened the journey. Again, Fr. Laurence spoke, this time focusing on the fruits of meditation. Drawing from Ramana Maharshi and Buddhist wisdom, he invited us to reflect on levels of consciousness: non-dreaming sleep, dream, waking attention, and turiya, the transcendent state. True joy, he reminded us, does not arise from achievement or possession but from consciousness itself. He left us with Rothko’s luminous paintings—fields of color that seemed to embody silence.
The afternoon opened space for creativity and learning. In the Abbey Refectory, Gregory led a drawing exercise, reminding us of the value of play in contemplative life. Later, some joined a guided walk to Thomas Litzler’ permaculture farm, where we encountered another form of meditation: the attentive care of the land. Observing, listening, and learning together deepened our appreciation for creation and its interconnection with spiritual practice.
That evening, celebration unfolded in the form of a musical soirée. Voices and instruments blended in song, with laughter, theatrical performances, and wine adding to the joy. The simple act of making music together revealed the unifying power of art. The evening closed with lightness, belonging, and gratitude for one another’s gifts.
Closing Circles
By Sunday, the final day, the retreat was drawing to its close. In the morning, we gathered once more in a rounding circle led by Inge Relph and Fabrice. Each participant shared reflections on their experience—the talks that moved them, the music and silence that nourished them, and the joy of meeting in person after years of online connection. Gratitude filled the space, along with a shared hope to hold such a retreat again. What emerged was more than reflection: it was a collective affirmation of the importance of gathering, of presence, and of continuing this path together.
The retreat concluded with Sunday Mass, celebrated by Fr. Laurence in the Barn. A final song closed the celebration in prayer and harmony. Soon after came goodbyes—joyful yet tinged with sadness. Photos were taken, laughter lingered, and promises of future reunions were made.
Seeds of Presence
As the retreat ended, what remained was not only the talks, music, and meditations but the intangible gift of presence. The retreat revealed that presence is not merely a practice but a way of living—a gift to carry into daily life. Stillness, laughter, song, and conversation became seeds of peace and connection, waiting to blossom in the ordinary rhythms of our days.
The Bonnevaux retreat affirmed that meditation can be practiced anywhere, but its true power emerges in community. Walking the labyrinth, singing in the chapel, sharing meals, and even washing dishes together infused the retreat with depth and humanity. Technology had sustained us for years, but embodied presence offered something irreplaceable.
As participants returned to their ordinary lives, the invitation was clear: to live contemplatively not as an occasional exercise but as a way of being. To nurture attentiveness, to ground joy in consciousness itself, and to let presence shape the flow of daily life.
In the quiet of Bonnevaux—amidst laughter, music, and silence—we rediscovered the transformative power of community and the enduring gift of presence.
What is the Bonnevaux Meditation Group?
Since May 2020, the Bonnevaux Meditation Group (BMG) has gathered online over Zoom every Friday at 12PM Bonnevaux time, creating a shared pause in the midst of a busy, often chaotic world. Born during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the group offers leaders and seekers alike a space for stillness, reflection and quiet support.
Our members come from across the globe—South and North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia—bringing together diverse voices in a single, shared practice. In September 2025, 21 of us met for the first time in person at Bonnevaux, experiencing the deep connection that emerges when shared silence is held together.
Five years on, BMG continues to offer a steady rhythm of meditation and presence—a reminder that even across continents and challenges, we can pause together, breathe together, and reconnect with the quiet within.
