WHERE?

I will be following the waxing moon in mid-July to Cedars of Peace in a small town in central Kentucky – one hour south of Louisville to stay a year alone, in a 10’ x 15’ hermitage built in the 1970’s for contemplative Catholic nuns and recently refurbished. The seven huts on a secluded part of the Loretto property are now used by writers, artists and religious solitaries seeking retreat.

Cedars of  Peace is situated in a cedar forest on 780 acres of farm land managed by the Sisters of Loretto in the town of Loretto / Nerinx, just twelve miles from the Abbey of Gethsemani where theologian Thomas Merton wrote of solitude in the 1950's/60’s. I found Loretto, and this deeply spiritual valley of four monasteries, on-line under a website called TAT Foundation where this note pulled me in:

“Cedars of Peace is a cluster of seven cabins located in a wooded area about a half mile from the main Motherhouse buildings. Cabins are available for individuals wanting a place of deep quiet and solitude. Most retreatants stay for two-six nights, although some stay up to a year.” “Economical”

While some solitary offerings on this TAT site offered a “private room down a hall”, a cabin at 8500’ or a small secluded cabin with no running water, no electricity, and “bring your own food” for $55 a night (or $950 a month), Cedars of Peace seemed to fit my altitude and support needs -- and my pocketbook. The kind organizers will help me with weekly food drops from the nearest grocery store which is 16 miles away.

It is my first long retreat in the USA and my family and friends are delighted that there will be no visa worries and delivery of vitamins pills can be done to a post office box. I will have a secluded (though not isolated) hut with a screened porch to view bird and squirrel activity. The room is somewhat smaller than my New Zealand lodging since it includes a toilet and shower INSIDE,in addition to a small twin bed, little closet, small desk and one chair, as well as a woodstove, two gas-burner stove and even a small electric refrigerator this time. Its definitely not as rugged as my beloved Abaya Hut on that high precipice in New Zealand. I do have a forest labyrinth and small chapel house behind the hut also.

More than 100 nuns live at the Loretto Motherhouse, a ½ mile away but this Cedars area is quite secluded, and silence is observed on the roads and trails around three ponds and dense hay fields.

The little hermitage I have been given for my 365 days is significantly called Grace Hut or Adhisthana in Pali (the name of our Triratna centre in England)!! How auspicious.