Wilderness Time

Wilderness Time is a guide to taking retreats on your own. It rests on the idea that time in "the wilderness," meaning solitary meditation on simplicity, prayer and other disciplines of faith, follows the example of Jesus going apart to pray. The book presents this historical tradition as a source of spiritual renewal in contemporary Christian practice. It belongs to the Renovaré collection of spiritual resources.

Emilie Griffin helps readers plan self-guided retreats, whether for individuals or groups, offering plans, encouragement and suggestions drawn from her own experience. She also draws on the words of Christian writers such as Eugene Peterson, Luci Shaw and Virginia Stem Owens.

The book works as a primer on retreat. It defines the basics and gives practical tips on setting realistic expectations and on finding the relaxation and freedom the soul needs to become, in de Caussade's phrase, light as a feather. A detailed one-day retreat serves as a model for first-timers, and several other examples show that time in the wilderness can fit almost any schedule.