Find Your Way to the Mountain
Every event we host is designed with intention, from the atmosphere we create to the way each session flows.
Your body is still moving, and your mind is racing even faster.
You don't need another vacation.
You need a place where you can step out of routine and choose your pace.
Somewhere you can step away from the noise, settle into stillness,
and remember who you are beneath the responsibilities.
People who spend their lives caring for others
deserve genuine care in return.
You've carried everyone and everything for so long that you've forgotten what it feels like to simply be.
You've carried everyone and everything for so long that you've forgotten what it feels like to simply be.
Your body is still moving, but something inside has gone quiet. You don't need another vacation. You need a place where no one needs anything from you. Somewhere you can step away from the noise, settle into stillness, and remember who you are beneath the responsibilities. People who spend their lives caring for others deserve genuine care in return.
Since 1888, St. Mary's Sewanee has welcomed people seeking a return to the essential practices of silence, community, and spiritual attention. Nestled on a bluff in Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau, this sacred place has become a sanctuary for caregivers, spiritual seekers, artists, clergy, leaders, people in recovery, and anyone longing to reconnect with themselves, with God, and with what matters most.
A place where silence speaks.
A place where silence speaks.
When you arrive, someone already knows your name. Your room is ready. Flowers are on the table. At St. Mary’s, hospitality isn’t just a service. It's a ministry of welcome that helps you feel held from the moment you arrive.
When you arrive, someone already knows your name.
Your room is ready. Flowers are on the table.
At St. Mary’s, hospitality isn’t just a service.
It's a ministry of welcome that helps you feel held
from the moment you arrive.
Renewal begins with one simple step.
Browse Retreats
Find the retreat that meets you
where you are today.
Reserve Your Place
Choose your retreat and register online.
Arrive, settle into stillness, and let us
care for the details while you focus on what
your soul needs most.
Come to the Mountain
Arrive, settle into stillness, and let us
care for the details while you focus on
what your soul needs most.
Arrive, settle into stillness, and let us care for the details while you focus on what your soul needs most.
Rest. Renewal. Reconnection.
People
You'll be welcomed into a community
that knows how to receive you
with warmth, care, and genuine
spiritual hospitality.
Place
Surrounded by forests, trails, gardens,
and sweeping views, you'll discover
a place where the beauty of creation helps
quiet the noise within.
Practice
Whether through Centering Prayer,
mindfulness, writing, creativity, worship, or
quiet reflection, you'll encounter practices
that help you carry this renewal home.
At St. Mary’s Sewanee, renewal is found in three things:
Imagine leaving with…
Rest that actually reached you.
Clarity that comes from stillness rather than striving.
A deeper connection to God, yourself, and others.
The feeling of having been genuinely cared for.
A reason to keep going that feels true.
Imagine leaving with…
Rest that actually reached you. Clarity that comes from stillness rather than striving. A deeper connection to God, yourself, and others. The feeling of having been genuinely cared for. A reason to keep going that feels true.
"St. Mary's is a place to go within, a place to tune out all the distractions of our modern life and focus on the inner life that might be hard to hear when you have the rest of the world constantly dividing your attention."
A sanctuary where the mountain teaches stillness.
A sanctuary where the mountain teaches stillness.
At St. Mary's Sewanee, people from many faith traditions come to become grounded, still, and alive. Here, silence is not the end of the journey;
it's where transformation begins.
The spiritual transformation of the world happens one person at a time, and that personal renewal creates ripple effects far beyond this mountain. People who find grounding and peace naturally bring healing to their families, workplaces, churches, and communities.
Theologian Thomas Merton described the mountain
as a place where noise falls away, and the heart
becomes simple, receptive, and free.
Theologian Thomas Merton described the mountain as a place where noise falls away, and the heart becomes simple, receptive, and free.
At St. Mary's Sewanee, people from many faith traditions come to become grounded, still, and alive. Here, silence is not the end of the journey;
it's where transformation begins.
The spiritual transformation of the world happens one person at a time, and that personal renewal creates ripple effects far beyond this mountain. People who find grounding and peace naturally bring healing to their families, workplaces, churches, and communities.
Come to the mountain, where silence speaks.
You don't have to keep carrying everything alone.
Find the retreat that's right for you and discover what's possible when you finally have space to rest, renew, and reconnect.
You don't have to keep carrying everything alone. Find the retreat that's right for you and discover what's possible when you finally have space to rest, renew, and reconnect.
Stay connected to the mountain.
New retreats, workshops, and opportunities for renewal appear throughout the year. Join our email list to receive retreat announcements, reflections, and inspiration delivered to your inbox.
New retreats, workshops, and opportunities for renewal appear throughout the year. Join our email list to receive retreat announcements, reflections, and inspiration delivered to your inbox.