I have recently returned from a two week meditation retreat at the Tibetan Buddhist Society here in Perth, Australia, where it’s my privilege to have been a member for the past fourteen years. While I was up the hill, I heard a story which made me think of ‘retreats’ in a completely different way.
One of my fellow retreatants had been explaining to her elderly father that he wouldn’t see her for two weeks because she was going away. I have never met her father, but in my mind’s eye he is very much of the old school – tough and conservative. When she told him where she was going his reaction was emphatic: ‘Retreat? I would never retreat!’
Strangely, up until I heard that story, I had never thought about ‘retreating’ as the opposite of ‘advancing.’ But that seemed to be the old boy’s meaning. And once it was out there, it made me think.
Why do we withdraw to our centre for two weeks, forsaking all our normal activities, phone calls and Facebook updates, and focus instead for seven hours a day on meditating, if not to improve our concentration? To deepen our understanding of ideas, so that we understand not only the meaning of concepts, but experience their meaning? To attempt, step by step, to realize our own Buddha nature, ideally not just for our own sake, but for the sake of all living beings?
Even if our progress towards these lofty goals is modest, it is still progress. Still an advance. Which is why, from now on, I suggest that meditation ‘retreats’ should be banned. Let’s have meditation ‘advances’ instead!
David Michie 
Your suggestion is certainly an “advance” in thinking about meditation! Bravo!
Thanks so much, Susan, hope you enjoy the blog! I’m a newcomer to this and have only just discovered I can reply to comments!
Great Idea! I have never thought it either, the meaning of this word. We in Finland have other connotation of the word retreat as a religious and organized by church almost always and a lot more broader meaning of it in English isn´t clear for everybody. We should always do this thing which you did, stop, and consider those words we think we already “know” in a new way, maybe in a opposite way.
Yes, I continue to be fascinated by the derivation of meanings. I only recently discovered that suffer comes from Latin ‘to carry/bear’ – the implication being that pain is one thing, but suffering only happens when we continue to carry it …
Very interesting discovery! And it is true, is it not?
Hi David,
I found this post by way of the Buddhists in Business group on LinkedIn and the title intrigued me. As I have never been able to go on an “official” retreat but rather, have had to make my own in my own space.
Funny thing happened during one of my “retreats” – I realized that everything is a meditation and that I didn’t need to separate from the world in order to have insights and peace in my life.
I agree – why not call them advances and pursue them in everything we do – mindfully.
Cheers!!
Great observation, Dale. that we should aspire to live mindfully as much as possible.
I try to meditate every chance I get. Waiting in line at the bank, in traffic, on hold on the phone. I find that it helps me “advance” through my day. Great blog post, really made me think. I appreciate that.
Interesting post! How about “Meditation Awakenings” instead of “Retreats”? Or even better “Conscious Awakenings” or maybe “Consciousness Expansion (Discovery?) through Meditative Awakenings.” I love Words as much as I love learning Buddhism and Spirituality. (“A Writer’s mind erratically choreographs a silent dance of edits for every word, sentence and description read, heard, written or uttered, even while immersed in casual conversation.” This is my experience anyway 🙂 Just Sayin’…
Can’t wait to read your new book The Dalai Lama’s Cat”! Love & Light ❤ Namasté … Lisa