Finding the Destination Within

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com

I have mentioned Pico Iyer before, the travel writer of exotic and far-flung corners of the world, a man with a penchant for beauty and a soul inclined to mysticism. Somewhere inside his restless search to describe the little-known wonders of Tibet, Ethiopia, Cuba, North Korea, and more, is a desire not so much for the travelling at this point in his life, but for the destination. The destination within himself.  And so, Iyer regularly visits a Benedictine monastery in the Big Sur up the California coast, not too far from his American home. (He also has a home in Japan.) He refers to the monastery as “the single most important destination of my life.” He discovered the monastery after a fire destroyed his home and a book he had been writing on Cuba. He became homeless but, in some ways, “liberated,” he said in an interview for a profile by Anderson Tepper of The New York Times. The monks offered hospitality and since then Iyer has grown to know them, personally, learning about “companionship, compassion, (and) living with impermanence and even dying.” He found that staying there unleashed his creativity and he became more engaged with his surroundings. His editor, Jynne Dilling Martin wrote, “He’s always had a burning curiosity about the internal lives of others, and he’s always opening up more intimately about his own as well.” Iyer says he is finding that at this stage of his life, 67 years old, he sees that “the great adventure takes place at the desk.” By this he means writing about what he sees, hears and contemplates in the quiet world of a retreat.

To the discerning reader, Iyer seems to present a formidable metaphor describing what is happening in the California fires that are closing in on the lives and lifelong work of people, his own included, and what is happening in our spiritual lives faced with fires of a different kind. In 2008 his rebuilt home was destroyed, and he sought refuge in another monastery which was annihilated by fire a year later. Iyer has returned to his beloved Benedictine monastery Iyer thinking that, “The external world is so intense now that the internal gets drowned out,” so he is happy to have access to the monastery that has provided spiritual solace for him over so many years. He adds, “(it) is time to speak about going nowhere.” A gripping admission for a world-famous travel writer. 

What does that mean? “The external world,” says Iyer, “is so intense now, that the internal world almost gets drowned out.” His new book, Aflame: Learning from Silence,
  “is an examination of arrival—not departure–and the art of sitting still.” This is the key to his thinking and spirituality. It is the place where we have been called to listen, to submerge the external world where the internal gets drowned out. If God has called you to a retreat, you must respond. So much will stir your soul in an environment where the silence allows God to speak. You will experience inspirations and thoughts about your faith and spirituality you never had before. I encourage you to look around for places that offer an environment of stillness and spiritual retreats and register for times you can participate during this coming Lent. If you are not Christian, that does not matter to most Catholic and Christian retreat centers. You can see how the effects of such places become part of the soul of someone like Pico Iyer. 

Reflection

We are one week away from Lent. Time to prepare for it—like what might I do that’s special or different for the good of my spiritual life? What can I do to help myself think more deeply on the issues that confront my spirituality, my personhood, my faith? Father Richard Rohr advocates we even look to political issues that require a strong Christian support. You might ask: What can I do to help myself, along with others, to foster respect for democracy, to assist immigrants and others struggling to survive in this chaotic world. Going away to a place of reflection will provide some direction for you to apply your faith commitment to the Gospel or whatever religious text you follow. 

When I was an aspiring young teacher, I was introduced to a science writer whose influence held me spellbound for his insights and his outstanding ability to write beautifully about science, particularly his field of archaeology. His name was Loren Eiseley. Unfortunately, Eiseley died young, but I have the yellowed, tattered notes from his books which I had read in the 1960’s. Eiseley was deeply meditative and insightful; he often wandered the isolated landscapes of our country for research and for insight. He made frequent retreats, as many writers do, so that his mind and soul would be clear of distraction when he put pen to paper. One such quote fits today’s topic: the destination within. “It is commonplace of all religious thought, even the most primitive, that the man seeking visions and insights must go apart from his fellows and love for a time in the wilderness.” 

And, of course, there is Jesus. One observer indicated there are 6 recorded times for different purposes when Jesus sought the solitude of prayer.

1. Before a major task: Luke 4:1-2
2. Returning to ministry: Luke 4:14-15
3. When in grief: Matthew 14:1-13
4. Before a major decision: Luke 6:12-13
5. In distress: Luke 22:39-44
6. Prayer: Luke 5:16

Start thinking now where you might take some time to reflect this coming Lent. You will not regret it. Have you ever taken solace somewhere for growth in your spiritual life? How did you experience it?

My prayers are with all of you. Let me know if you need information on retreat centers or how to go about registering and what you might take with you. Most of all, be open. Be open to God calling you.

Quotes taken from Profile by Anderson Tepper, The New York Times Book Review, February 16, 2025, p.8. Loren Eiseley Quote Taken from Loren Eiseley Website.