Why retreat yourself?

Going on retreat gives you the opportunity to step back from your day to day life. The word Retreat comes from the latin verb “to pull back”. It’s an opportunity to rest, reconnect with yourself and find calm and clarity. Perhaps the clarity to assess your current life and what’s important to you or space to contemplate decisions to be made or life challenges. Many of us are living a hectic life that’s always “switched on”. Technology is amazing but it’s not without its stresses. Periods of rest are harder to find which is why getting away from it all and dedicating time to rest, reconnection and restorative practices are becoming increasingly important.

“Retreat is not an absence; rather it is the search for a true presence. “ Georges Gusdorf

Here are nine reasons to retreat yourself…

Rest

Many people are running at a rest deficit, pushing through and keeping on, sometimes fuelled by coffee and sugar. Nervous systems are frequently in fight or flight, which over the long term adversely affects our mental and physical health. On retreat you are free of your usual responsibilities. Your time is planned for you taking the “what will I do now” completely out of the equation. Your meals are cooked and rest and relaxation is built in.

A new perspective

When we step out of our everyday we have the opportunity to observe where we’ve been and where we’re going. Time to be, instead of do brings clarity and perspective and often a renewed enthusiasm for our life.

Health benefits

The health benefits of eating a nourishing and healthy diet, gently exercising, meditating and resting while having a break from responsibilities and spending time in nature are huge.

Learn new skills

Whether it’s a new yoga or meditation experience or learning practical tools and techniques to help navigate life’s ups and downs you will leave with a new toolkit for life.

Establish a new routine

How many times do we have the desire to make a lifestyle change? Perhaps meditate more, a new exercise regime or a new way of eating. It can be challenging making changes in the midst of a busy life and even more challenging to sustain the change. A retreat can be a great way to press the reset button and establish a new routine away from everyday life setting you up for success on your return home.

Detox

A detox is defined as “a period when you stop taking unhealthy or harmful foods, drinks or drugs into your body for a period of time in order to improve your health”. Retreats can offer varying levels of detox and may also include digital detoxing in the form of having a break from social media. You will leave the retreat feeling lighter, clearer, rested, refreshed, and more present.

Reconnect with who you are

Retreats offer an opportunity to take time out to rediscover what’s important to you, an opportunity to step away from day to day living and re-evaluate your life.

Connect with others

Spend time connecting with people with similar interests. Retreats can provide the opportunity to connect deeply with others away from the normal labels attached to our relationships such as wife, mother, sister etc. It’s time to be you.

Listen

Retreats are held in beautiful locations close to nature. The usual noises of the workplace, kids, traffic and the ping of social media are gone. What can you hear now? Sounds of nature, silence and perhaps the quiet deep within that emerges when we stop to listen.

Now who doesn’t want some of that!