by Mariko Takahashi

Halfway into the hills of Montecito, the newer Casa de Maria commands the view of the mountains as well as the ocean. I always sense magic in the air when I come to the Santa Barbara area, a feeling that escapes me living in the metropolis. The birds wake you up in the morning, the stars seem so much closer, the mountains give the air of what Hartshorn often calls a thin place between this world and the next.

We met in a cozy, comfortable room with a dramatic view of the mountains. There, Judy Peace led us in prayer centering on the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman. We heard the story, visualized it, internalized it, meditated on it. As we delved more deeply, the spirit touched me in unexpected ways. I found myself experiencing a whole range of emotions, from fatigue to anger to vulnerability. I brought all these before God in prayer and before my fellow travelers. And then, something surprising happened. As we listened to each other, quiet hope pervaded, even in the face of these demons.

Well, I don't know about you, but hope or no, facing one's demons is not something I like to make a habit of doing, so I was very happy to break for lunch. The afternoon was private time which I spent getting a massage, talking to friends, even getting some work done. By the end of the day, I felt so calm and relaxed. I couldn't remember the last time I had spent such a satisfying day.

Even Jesus who led a life in the midst of the world went into retreat from time to time. Sometimes we need to remove ourselves from the world to recollect. Our short time together ended all too quickly, but whereas in the past I was positively unhappy about going home, this time I came away, no doubt a little sad that our all too short weekend was over, but also ready and calm to return to the mission field. Jesus came down from the mountain after his Transfiguration, ready to work in the world. And we who follow him must do the same.

But it would sure be nice if we could do this a little more often!

by Heidi Williams

This years women's retreat was held at the Casa de Maria in beautiful Montecito just south of Santa Barbara - but the location of the retreat doesn't really matter, it's the company. I always look forward to a weekend of camaraderie, quiet, rest and getting away from the stress of everyday responsibilities (and TV!). This was my second women's retreat with St. A's and both centered on prayer. Judy Peace guided us in discovering 3 different ways of praying. Having heard her speak on the women mystics during the Lenten dinner series last year, I was extremely excited. Judy has such a rich background with many spiritual experiences and a wealth of knowledge.

Judy's words were such that I could have pondered and meditated on every sentence she spoke. What was interesting for me was the discussion of what prayer really is - such as, a bridge to the other side, to the unseen. Prayer is being open to God and having an ongoing conversation with Him. Prayer is trust in the unknown. I believe it was Judy's father that said to her "God is closer than your next breath." And having practiced the various methods during the weekend, I definitely feel closer to God now.

In one of the wonderful books Judy brought along for us to peruse, I read something that I think sums it all up: "We do not have to be passive victims of a world that wants to distract us - we need to take conscious steps to safeguard that inner space where we can keep our eyes on the beauty of the Lord." Prayer is a conscious effort to choose and stay open to limitless horizons - a world of possibilities. Prayer is a desire to be Holy (wholly) and a desire to be free. Prayer is openings in God's infinite love and fear is driven out by perfect love. Prayer is getting in contact with our being and tapping into the Devine.

Prayer is a feeling of healing.

We focused on the story of Jesus and the Samaritan at the well. As Pat read the story to us, we were told to focus on a word or phrase that popped out at us. This hit home for me as the story became the background and the connection became the focus. I unexpectedly experienced a kind of healing in the form of a release of grief I had recently experienced. It was such a moving experience and was clearly out of my control. It was very special to share each of our experiences as everyone had different connections from the same story.

As the weekend wound down, the message of the story became clear to all of us - The well is within us, drink and you will never thirst!