Welcome to St. Mary’s Sewanee: The Ayres Center for Spiritual Development
“In a world of noise, confusion and conflict, it is necessary that there be places of inner silence and peace, not just the peace of mere relaxation but the peace of inner clarity and love.”
Upcoming Retreats & Events
Recent News
St. Mary’s Sewanee Comes to You!
Maybe you cannot get to New Hope Bluff on retreat right now…. Perhaps you want just a nugget of inspiration or a daily dose of positivity…… No matter what your situation, we’ve got those things for you. Sign up here for First Light, a Monday-through-Friday email that is the briefest of morning inspirational messages. One beautiful photograph;… Read More »
Instagram Inspiration
Social media can be a drag, a time suck, an energy sap. St. Mary’s Sewanee wants to change that for you. Each weekday, we post a positive inspirational message to both Instagram and Facebook so that your news feed is filled with good words and good images. It won’t be like going on a retreat,… Read More »
Sampling a Forest Bath
“What is Forest Bathing?” “Do I get to keep my clothes on?” “Will we take a bath outside?” These were the first questions the staff asked when we learned that St. Mary’s Sewanee: The Ayres Center for Spiritual Development is sponsoring a retreat called Forest Bathing with Painting Response. Because we wanted to know more… Read More »
What’s a Retreat Like
“Walking a labyrinth for the first time taught me to trust the path” Read more of this first-person account of one woman’s life-changing experience while on retreat at St. Mary’s Sewanee. Tina Chambers’s essay, first published by Chapter 16, the website of Humanities Tennessee, can be found here. This retreat will be offered again in September…. Read More »
Non-Profit Resources & Accreditations
