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Sacred Rest
And Recreation
Card Deck
Guide Notes
ABOUT THE DECK
The Sacred Rest & Recreation deck holds 48 invitations —rooted in the specific landscape of Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Arundel, Wells and Biddeford. Each card names a place or type of place : Cape Porpoise, Gooch's Beach or any beach, the Rachel Carson Refuge, the Kennebunk Plains, etc. Each card holds a short outdoor practice, a reflection prompt, and tags for time and group suitability.
Cards are sorted into four types (shown below). You can click through until you find a card that fits the day. The practice takes 5–30 minutes, not including travel time.
Be Still
Explore
Connect and Deepen
Sacred Wonder
While there are cards in the that have quotes from Christian Scipturess, the deck can easily be adapted to any religious tradition. or ofr those without a religious background. "Sacred" is used in its widest sense — pointing to what is holy in the created world. Adapt the language freely for your context.
PHILOSOPHY
Rest is a practice, not a reward. The stillness at the salt marsh edge, the barefoot walk through morning dew, the silent ten minutes at a tidal pool — these are not breaks from the work. They are the work of deepening spirit, creating wonder and enjoying this life. The landscape is not a backdrop; it is a participant. Resist the impulse to explain or interpret it. Bring people to it and get out of the way.
“The Kennebunk River does not need your interpretation. It needs your presence.”
Both solo and group cards matter equally. Solo practices strengthen community; group practices do something solo practices cannot. Schedule both with the same seriousness.