Our retreats are as transformative for civilians as they are for troops and veterans.
As we listen to the stories people bring back from war and military service, we are struck by the courage and humility that humans can show in the face of great danger, pain, and loss. We are moved that our simple listening is welcome to people who have dared and suffered and succeeded and failed in our name.
We call the people who attend our retreats to listen “sacred witnesses.” The sacred witnesses listen without judgement and with an open heart and mind. They accept shared responsibility for the actions and experiences of our warriors. They respect the stories of our warriors the same way they would respect a prayer. They respect the sacred space of the retreat the same way they would respect someone’s place of worship. They respect the privacy and confidentiality of each individual in order to keep a safe environment for sharing and trust. They use the warrior’s stories to inspire their future actions.
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Photo credit:
- “Listen” by Randy Adams, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
