Everyone Needs Retreat
Everyone occasionally feels a need for inner rejuvenation. Whether you need time to reclaim your inner peace in the midst of a hectic life, or do some soul searching over your life directions, or go deeper into your spiritual life – going on retreat can be a perfect solution.
Our mind can be like a glass of water that gets cloudy with sediment and debris. When we become quiet and still, the debris begins to settle out. As our “mental water glass” becomes clear and clean, we begin to see life as it really is; we find clarity, and attract inspiration and solutions.
More than a Vacation
A Personal Retreat can be much more than a vacation — it can be a time of deep relaxation and purposeful renewal, a time of awakened creativity, or a time of deepening your spiritual life. There can be as many reasons to take a retreat as there are people.
At Ananda Meditation Retreat, the tranquil forest setting, beautiful gardens, nature trails- and the deep peace brought about by decades of meditation – can help set the stage for a deeply renewing time.
You can craft your own Personal Retreat experience, but we also offer an option called Mentored Personal Retreat- where we help guests plan their time here, offering instruction and support for meditation, helpful resources to explore issues and areas of interest- and a compassionate sounding board.
New to taking a retreat? Here are some tips:
* Make a loose plan, but keep it flexible– and include variety. One suggestion is to use mornings for more concentrated activities: deeper meditation or prayer, journal-writing, or spiritual reading. Then in the afternoon go for walks, be in nature, or enjoy creative activities like drawing or creative writing. Evenings can be for listening to inspirational recording, or uplifting music, or for lighter uplifting reading.
* Start your retreat as soon as you leave home- Before you leave home, make an inner resolution to consciously leave your problems and worries behind. The relaxation and perspective you can gain from this time away will help you attract new ideas and solutions far better than continuing on the “hamster wheel” of worrying will!
* Consider a Digital Detox! Many of us are addicted to our devices. Take this opportunity to leave your devices behind- or put your phone on “Airplane Mode.” Rediscover the joy of walking, reading or observing nature.
* Bring books and other activities- but… don’t feel you need to use everything you bring. Your senes of time or interest may change during your retreat.
* Keep Perspective- It’s only natural to be concerned over whether you’re doing it “right.” But there’s no magic formula for a retreat. Just find a flow that works for you, and go with it. When on spiritual retreat, remember, what you do is not nearly as important as whether your inspiration and “joy level” are high.
* Don’t “over-retreat”- if you’re a first-timer, 2 – 4 days is plenty. Focus on enjoyment, rather than “should’s.” You don’t have to meditate all day long; few people can do that constructively. You don’t have to stay in silence or solitude, though many people find these beneficial.
* Relax and Enjoy Yourself- Rather than thinking of your retreat as a “boot camp” experience, give yourself space to rest, to spend time gazing at beautiful nature, or to sleep in a little.
* Take speedbumps in stride- You may find yourself restless at times, or have issues bubble up. Don’t be dismayed! Try taking a walk, doing some yoga postures or stretching, writing in your journal, or practicing an affirmation.
* Don’t put pressure on yourself to see immediate, dramatic results. When you go on retreat, you are planting a spiritual seed.
Reflections on retreat: what others have said:
“I remember when I first started visiting Ananda for weekend retreats. I began to notice how refreshed I felt when returning from these retreats. I entered back into my daily life feeling relaxed and renewed. When I would take off for a weekend to other nearby destinations like Lake Tahoe or San Francisco instead, I would return home feeling drained, even though I might have enjoyed myself while away. The visits to Ananda were quiet. Everything slowed down and I began to feel a calm, peaceful place within myself. If you haven’t ever taken a retreat, try an experiment: take a weekend away by yourself in nature and compare it to good times with friends. See if retreats are for you.” S.S
I take one week each year to just be on my own. I keep silence so that I can begin to hear that still small voice within. That voice lives in each one of us but the tumult in our lives drowns it out. When on retreat I try to listen, I try to inspire myself through beautiful music and uplifting books, I meditate to feel my connection to a greater reality, and I rest. N.S.
“At some point in our lives, most of us find ourselves a little overwhelmed by the swirl of outer events: financial setbacks, relationship difficulties, health issues, or just the intensity of everyday life. During these times, it can help to take a break and spend a few days getting reacquainted with your own inner sense of who you are. It will help to have a quiet place in nature where you can feel safe. If this description fits you, please consider giving yourself the gift of a retreat. You’ll have a chance to sort things out and find inner strength before going back to meet your challenges.” N.D.
“Most of the hours in one’s day are devoted to earning money or eating or sleeping to fulfill the needs of the body. Yet, it is the soul that enlivens all of our life. When we “come home” to the inner peace of our soul, we feel inspired and filled in a way that nothing else can touch. We have more energy, enthusiasm, and love to share in all aspects of our life.” A.C.
