The Jesuits in Thailand have come up with a novel form of retreat that combines three different activities or sources of inspiration: (1) Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, (2) Buddhist meditation, and (3) motorbike backpacking. Called, Retreat on the Way, this unique retreat has drawn many students from northern Thailand, regardless of their religious backgrounds.
The retreat spans two days and one night. Retreatants travel by motorbike from the Seven Fountains Jesuit Spirituality Center in Chiang Mai to St Joseph Church in Ban Den Hom in Samoeng, covering a distance of around 85 kilometres.
On 12 to 13 August, around 20 students from the Catholic Student Network in the North of Thailand, many of whom study in the universities in Chiang Mai, participated in the Retreat on the Way. During the journey, we made three stops, each marked as a prayer point, allowing for 20 minutes of silence or meditation.
Following these pauses, we resumed our motorbike journey, while opening ourselves to the presence of God in nature and the people around us. The main themes for each stop were (1) “letting go,” clearing our minds of thoughts and worries; (2) finding the Lord in nature and creation; and (3) engaging in self-reflection and thanksgiving.
At St Joseph Church, our designated overnight stop, we engaged in a Taize prayer and gathered around a campfire to share our experiences creatively through drama, singing, and dancing. We shared our joy with the villagers over a delightful barbecue dinner. The next day, we joined them for Sunday Mass.
On our return journey, we stopped at this one place for a sharing session. The students shared their feelings and the insights they gained from the retreat. They also shared their hopes for growing in their spiritual lives and in their studies.
One student shared: “This is the first time I have joined this kind of retreat. Initially, I was hesitant to come along, but now, I found that it is worthy to be here. Being alone is a good opportunity to slow down from the things that keep me busy. I also have a chance to make new friends. Through this trip, I realised that my life will be more meaningful if I have time to stop and reflect.”
In the context of Buddhist countries and modern technologies, it is not easy to keep young people, especially university students, away from their cell phones and the demands of society, even for a short retreat to enrich their spiritual lives. Thank God for this trip. It was a good opportunity for them to build their relationship with God, nature, and one another.
Although we have different religions, ranging from Christianity, Buddhism, and Animism, we can be one as members of the Catholic Student Network in the North of Thailand.
Pham Ngo Hoang Dung SJ, known to all as Dzung, is a young Vietnamese Jesuit priest who has committed himself to serving in Thailand. He is currently the university chaplain of the Catholic Student Network in the North of Thailand and director of the Seven Fountains Scholarship Fund (SFSF).