Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2020

Publication Title

The Qualitative Report

Volume

25

Issue

6

Pages

1579-1598

Abstract

In this autoethnography I narrate the story of my retreat experiences and spiritual practices at the Well Retreat Center over a span of two decades. The Well is both a geographical place in the Isle of Wright County in Virginia, and a metaphor for a spiritual journey into the inner Well of our being. I chronicle an amalgam of 35 retreats in one 24-hour retreat, narrating stories about: leaving home and settling in, dreaming and awakening, sunrise and sunset, walking in nature and walking the narrow path, discovering life behind a cracked door, and uncovering the mystery that lies at the bottom of a Well. I punctuate each story with questions for the reader to contemplate, inviting them to go deeper into their own inner Well, to contact and connect with the life-giving waters that nourish our growth, sustain our hope, and orient our lives toward loving compassion. Finally, I address issues of validity, limitations, and future research.

Original Publication Citation

Baesler, E. J. (2020). Journeying into the well: An autoethnography of 35 retreats across two decades. The Qualitative Report, 25(6), 1579-1598. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol25/iss6/10/

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