Days in the Castle of Bjärka Säby

For three days the week after Easter, I and other students from the theological seminary went to the Castle of Bjärka Säby (Bjärka Säby Slott), in Östergötland, Sweden. The castle was built 1799 and is now owned by a pentecostal church in Linköping, a city close to the castle. The man that owned the place before wanted it to be a place for prayer, so today the church is running a Bible school there and there's also a community where people who wants to seek God inspired by traditional churches can live a monastery-like life for one, two or three years. Here they also offer retreats - days in silence and prayer, and that was what we were going to take part in.

I have been on a retreat before and it has meant a lot to me to take a few days aside, away from the noices and business in my daily life, to be able to stop, wait and think about what's most important, what life I really want to live. For me, the most important thing is to live a life with God, that is what gives me meaning, peace, well, everything. A few days on a retreat gives a chance to start again, to take time for seeking God in the daily life at home, as well.

The retreat starts with a few words of guidance from the leader. You get a Bible text to meditate on during the time of silence, and then the silence begins. All meals are in silence, too, with a classical record that's played in the background. At first you might wonder what you're going to do, and be afraid that you'll get bored, but then you realize that you can relax and really think. I remember that I lied down in the grass, almost slept during listening to the birds singing, and I realized - "I never do this!" In a time like ours, when there are so many things to do, and so many sounds in our ears every day, it's more important than ever to take time for silence.





Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise...
_{From prayer by St Patrick}

---

Back to:
Easterling Photo Album