A Retreat

A Retreat Occasionally, we need to pause - and step away from the
hustle and bustle of modern life. One way to do this is to get away
from our daily life and go on retreat. Far more than a vacation, a
retreat offers us time to ourselves to rest, heal, reflect, and
renew our spirit. It is a time to cocoon so that we may emerge
renewed, refreshed, and ready to return to our everyday lives with a
new perspective. A retreat gives us time for uninterrupted
meditation so that we may go deep within and spend time with
ourselves. A retreat may offer quiet, solitude, and sometimes even
silence. Retreats often take place in humble dwellings with simple
fare so that our senses may be reawakened to the beauty of unadorned
tastes and the sights and sounds of nature. When we spend days in
contemplation, we can more easily hear our heart when it speaks to
us. We also are able to really listen when a bird sings, deeply
breathe in the smell of flowers, grass, or earth, and delight in a
soft breeze blowing on our cheek. When we go on retreat we have time
to connect to the sacred geometry of a labyrinth, discover
epiphanies through asanas, or take a long, reflective walk through
the woods where we can give each step our full attention. Without
the pull of deadlines, relationships, the Internet, or other media,
we give ourselves time to go deep into our own solitude where we can
fully reflect on our joys, sorrows, and fears, owning and releasing
them as needed. We may even come to know and understand our life
path more deeply. Hopefully, when we return home, we can take a
little bit of this time alone back with us and create the space for
deep reflection on a daily basis. We also may come back to our life
renewed and ready to take on the world. The beauty of going on
retreat is that no matter where you go or how long you stay, you'll
always meet yourself when you get there.



Since we probably know ourselves better than anyone else does, then
we may very well be the best person to ask for advice when we are in
a quandary. One interesting exercise is to try asking for advice
from your past and future selves. There is the younger self that you
used to be and the older, more mature self that you will become. You
can gain a different perspective when you view present situations
through your younger self's eyes or your mature self's more
experienced point of view. Perhaps, your younger self would view a
current dilemma in a more innocent, less cynical way. Likewise, your
older, hopefully wiser, self may offer advice from a more
compassionate, experienced perspective. Think back to how you viewed
the world when you were younger. What were your thoughts on
happiness, love, and injustice? Think about how you would have
reacted to a dilemma you are currently facing. The perspective may
shed a different light on relationships, money matters, or life
decisions. Likewise, think about the person you will become. A more
mature version of you might mull a problem or conflict over
carefully before taking action right away... or perhaps not. Maybe
your older self would be more willing to take risks, care less about
what other people think, and want to enjoy life more. You can even
set up an advisory panel of your past, present, and future selves.
You might even want to try to have a written dialogue with your
selves to record the thoughts, feelings, and advice that your
younger and older selves might have for your present self regarding
a current situation. Your different selves can give you some
invaluable answers. After all, no one can know you better than your
selves. You are your wisest guide.