Detoxing at a Trappist monastery

[francophone]

Hello, folks!

I just returned from a two-day stay at a Trappist monastery - this is my third AF day. Upon my return, I noticed that my MWO Starter Pack supplements had arrived - yeah!

I went there only with some essential supplements left from a recent BIO-RECOVERY purchase, i.e., multi-vitamin/mineral, Ester-C, Cal/Mag, GLA, Glutamine, Amino Acids and enzymes.

I have done these detoxes before at this monastery. I never tell them this, of course - I just tell them I want to do a retreat. Actually, It is a retreat in a way, because I usually spend a lot of time in the abbey church, all the while practicing a method of Christian prayer known as Centering Prayer. It has become popular with some of the AA groups.

I will start taking the MWO supplements tomorrow, as well as listening to the CDs.

wishing you all well,

francophone

[Palatia]

Detoxing at a Trappist monastery

:welcome:

Wow, what a unique and peaceful way to detox!! I always thought if I could go somewhere else, maybe to the wilderness for several days I could quit drinking And smoking!!

The prayer is key I think... getting in touch with whatever we perceive as our 'maker', 'creator' or God... for me... it's creator...

Wonderful franco!! Congrats on Day 3 and getting your supps...

I'm happy for you.... !!

:goodjob:

[KateH1]

Detoxing at a Trappist monastery

Welcome Francophone! Sounds like you have jumped right in with both feet and are working hard on your sobriety!!! The monestary sounds very interesting. I have thought that spending time in an Ashram would be amazing!

Best Wishes to You,
KateH

[CaptJBean]

Detoxing at a Trappist monastery

this is good... tell us more... this is something that I could do...

[Fresh Hope]

Detoxing at a Trappist monastery

This is my dream, only I would like to stay for 6 months. Rise with the dawn, sleep with the dark... simple...ahhh.... I like to think that this would be th first strong step to a new simpler life AF and purposeful.
FH

[francophone]

Detoxing at a Trappist monastery

Re: Detoxing at a Trappist monastery

CaptJBean;301421 wrote: this is good... tell us more... this is something that I could do...

Hello, CaptJBean and all!

One of the reasons why I like this monastery is the availability of hiking trails that branch out from the retreat house. There are over a thousand acres of forest that the monastery owns - they harvest some of it on occasion, employing sustainable forestry practices. One of these trails leads up to a viewpoint of Mt. Hood - that's quite a sight to behold, mesmerizing, actually.

Walking is very therapeutic for me, in terms of mental well-being. I walked four miles every day that I was there. Yesterday , I walked two of those miles at Multnomah Falls, near Portland, about 75 miles away from the monastery - I left there yesterday morning to return home, here in Yakima. I climbed to the top of the falls, whose crystal-clear waters tumble over 800 feet (I believe) to a lagoon-like pool below.

The food is good at the monastery. They serve vegetarian meals, for the most part - tuna fish salad was served once; however, the Trappists don't eat meat. I did treat myself to meal at La Rambla, an excellent Spanish Basque restaurant in the nearby town of McMinnville, where I lunched on tapas, i.e., Spanish appetizers. The first was Ensalada de Arugula con Peras, an organic arugula (good for bile flow) salad that included mandoline-thin slices of pear and manchego cheese, roasted walnuts rolled in salt, sugar and cinnamon, lightly tossed in a Jerez sherry vinaigrette. That was a cold tapa. The next three were warm. Titled Pisto Manchego con Huevo, this is a traditional vegetable stew that features red bell peppers, onions, roasted garlic cloves, tomatoes and a fried egg atop the mixture. That was a hearty stew, and a welcome contrast to the intermittent rain and hail showers falling from the leaden-gray skies outside - I sat at a windowfront table. Gambas al ajillo was served next, warm medium-sized shrimp in a minced garlic and pimiento olive oil base. I used the sliced baguette segment that accompanied this tapa to sop up most of the liquid. The bread, by the way, came from the nearby Grey Fox Bakery, and I have to say it rivals the baguettes my wife, Michele, and I ate at the local bistros in Paris, where we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. Last, but not least,
I ordered Pato con Pera, duck breast slices with sauteed pear slices in a wild cherry sauce. And all the while, for the 75 minutes I was there, I listened to flamenco music from Valencia.

As you can imagine, my withdrawal symptoms, from foregoing my usual daily intake of 10 bottles of German beer, were minimized after this kind of gustatory experience.

Francophone

[trixietrack]

Detoxing at a Trappist monastery

francophone this sounds like a great way to rid one self of toxins of the soul and the body. you are lucky mt hood is beautiful.

There is nothing better than meditation or prayer in fresh air.


Trix

[spottydingo]

Detoxing at a Trappist monastery

Hi Franc, your escape sounds wonderful!!! Whats the name of the Monastery? I didn't realize there were Trappist monks in the US ... I guess they don't make ales there. :H (My husband's favorite is Orval, from Belgium)

Also the Basque restaurant sounds wonderful (we LOVE Basque food). Guessing from your nice description you're sort of a foodie (or a food writer?). Us too, makes quitting drinking so much harder as our drinking habits were formed over many years of drinking wine while cooking dinners ... and wine and beers are so damn yummy! We'll be driving down the west coast in a few months and could possibly make a pit stop for dinner. Is it worth a detour?

We've always wanted to go on a retreat to the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center near Big Sur, California. Its a Buddhist Monastery that's really remote -- you need a jeep to get there and they have no electricity -- where you can choose as much of the monastery life / prayer as you want to participate in. But, they have miles of hiking trails also, and big communal (segregated by gender) hot spring pools. I've seen pictures and its a really beautiful place, with lots of gardens and pretty buildings. There are times when its silent too, I think at meals there's no talking. (I've always wondered what it would be like to go without talking for a period of time). Seems like it would be great for cleaning out body and mind.

Good luck to you, keep fighting the good fight!

Cheers,
Tedi

[lucky 2.0]

Detoxing at a Trappist monastery

Hi Franco,

Sounds absolutely wondeful except for the duck breasts!

I have wanted to do a silent retreat for years. There is a Passionists retreat house very near by that I have been to and liked, although I am a Franciscan @ heart. Thanks for the reminder. May look into it again. I am peaceful just reading about your experience.

Peace-

[francophone]

Detoxing at a Trappist monastery

spottydingo;301671 wrote: Hi Franc, your escape sounds wonderful!!! Whats the name of the Monastery? I didn't realize there were Trappist monks in the US ... I guess they don't make ales there. :H (My husband's favorite is Orval, from Belgium)

Also the Basque restaurant sounds wonderful (we LOVE Basque food). Guessing from your nice description you're sort of a foodie (or a food writer?). Us too, makes quitting drinking so much harder as our drinking habits were formed over many years of drinking wine while cooking dinners ... and wine and beers are so damn yummy! We'll be driving down the west coast in a few months and could possibly make a pit stop for dinner. Is it worth a detour?

We've always wanted to go on a retreat to the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center near Big Sur, California. Its a Buddhist Monastery that's really remote -- you need a jeep to get there and they have no electricity -- where you can choose as much of the monastery life / prayer as you want to participate in. But, they have miles of hiking trails also, and big communal (segregated by gender) hot spring pools. I've seen pictures and its a really beautiful place, with lots of gardens and pretty buildings. There are times when its silent too, I think at meals there's no talking. (I've always wondered what it would be like to go without talking for a period of time). Seems like it would be great for cleaning out body and mind.

Good luck to you, keep fighting the good fight!

Cheers,
Tedi

Hwllo, Tedi

Yes, I would recommend the detour off of I-5 to the La Rambla restaurant, in McMinnville. It takes about one hour from the Tualatin-Sherwood exit, which is approximately 10-15 miles south of Portland. After the restaurant meal, you and your husband can get back on I-5 again by meandering in a southeasterly direction toward the Salem area.

I have a fondness for the Tassajara Zen Center, which I believe was founded by Shunryu Suzuki (the monastery bookstore had his book, Zen Mind, Beginner Mind). I had always wanted to go there, and had the opportunity to do so, while stationed in California with the Air Force, during the late Seventies. Alas, it never happened. Isn't it near Mt. Tamalpais?

You are right about my being a foodie. Tedi.

take care,

Robert

[francophone]

Detoxing at a Trappist monastery

The name of the monastery

spottydingo;301671 wrote: Hi Franc, your escape sounds wonderful!!! Whats the name of the Monastery? I didn't realize there were Trappist monks in the US ... I guess they don't make ales there. :H (My husband's favorite is Orval, from Belgium)

Also the Basque restaurant sounds wonderful (we LOVE Basque food). Guessing from your nice description you're sort of a foodie (or a food writer?). Us too, makes quitting drinking so much harder as our drinking habits were formed over many years of drinking wine while cooking dinners ... and wine and beers are so damn yummy! We'll be driving down the west coast in a few months and could possibly make a pit stop for dinner. Is it worth a detour?

We've always wanted to go on a retreat to the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center near Big Sur, California. Its a Buddhist Monastery that's really remote -- you need a jeep to get there and they have no electricity -- where you can choose as much of the monastery life / prayer as you want to participate in. But, they have miles of hiking trails also, and big communal (segregated by gender) hot spring pools. I've seen pictures and its a really beautiful place, with lots of gardens and pretty buildings. There are times when its silent too, I think at meals there's no talking. (I've always wondered what it would be like to go without talking for a period of time). Seems like it would be great for cleaning out body and mind.

Good luck to you, keep fighting the good fight!

Cheers,
Tedi

Hello again, TedI

I forgot to tell you the name of the monastery - it's the Our Lady of Guadalupe Trappist Monastery, in Lafayette, Oregon.

Robert

[spottydingo]

Detoxing at a Trappist monastery

francophone;301927 wrote: Hwllo, Tedi

Yes, I would recommend the detour off of I-5 to the La Rambla restaurant, in McMinnville. It takes about one hour from the Tualatin-Sherwood exit, which is approximately 10-15 miles south of Portland. After the restaurant meal, you and your husband can get back on I-5 again by meandering in a southeasterly direction toward the Salem area.

I have a fondness for the Tassajara Zen Center, which I believe was founded by Shunryu Suzuki (the monastery bookstore had his book, Zen Mind, Beginner Mind). I had always wanted to go there, and had the opportunity to do so, while stationed in California with the Air Force, during the late Seventies. Alas, it never happened. Isn't it near Mt. Tamalpais?

You are right about my being a foodie. Tedi.

take care,

Robert

Thanks Robert! Told my husband about ithe Basque place and he's psyched. We've been living in the Vancouver area for the past year and have been really disappointed in the food scene. For all the hype, most of the places we've been that were supposed to be great were just mediocre. The best food here is definitely Asian: some world class Chinese (especially dim sum), Vietnamese, and some very good Japanese. We're moving back to the San Francisco Bay area (where we're from) this summer (hence the drive down the West Coast) and already have a list of our favorite restuarants to visit back home.

RE: Tassajara, its actually south of San Frnacisco about 3 hours near Big Sur (south of Monterey). You may be thinking of the Green Gulch Zen Center, which is in the Marin headlands at the foot of Mt. Tam. I think its also a monastery where you can take retreats but they're more known for their organic farm -- they own the Greens Restaurant in SF and all their produce comes from the farm.

Cheers, Tedi

[lorisunshine]

Detoxing at a Trappist monastery

Well, Robert, after reading your mouth watering account of the local cuisine, I might just bypass the retreat altogether and stay in that delicious basque ambience for a week. I am afraid that I am a foodie too.
Thanks for sharing.
Have a good day,
Lori