Thoughts…
Every year, usually the first weekend in March, I take a personal, quiet, pretty much silent, retreat.
For many years, I went to Kripalu.
However, for the past few years, I’ve taken the retreat at home because I could-it’s fairly quiet at my house…well, apart from the fact that my daughter often sings musical theatre songs at high decibels… okay, seemingly every hour, especially, oddly, when my husband and I are watching our shows on Netflix… but that’s beside the point.
My home is my retreat space so, for the most part, I structure it so that I can take my “go away” time right at home. I give my family a heads-up: just don’t talk to me as much as usual, or else…not exactly like that, but you get the idea.
Is it 100%?
No…but the intention is to take a few days to be quiet, to regroup, to recharge, to heal.
With the way the world is at the moment, you too may want to consider some recharge and healing time.
Using a previous model from my R&R time at Kripalu, here’s how I structure the weekend in case you’d like to try this at home:
Exercise first thing, followed by yoga.
Followed by hours of reading, journaling, goal setting, contemplation, creative time. (Creative ideas and projects have often come to me from taking this focused time to tap into what the Universe wants from me. Highly recommend it.)
Then, afternoon yoga and meditation.
All the while eating healthy, mostly vegetarian to clear the mind, though not exclusively.
Early to bed after journaling some more, after an epsom salt bath with lavender and oils and books and books and lemon water and healing sound music.
And that’s just Friday…
This dedicated time quiets my mind, my body, my spirit and helps me to step back from the daily routine and to step away into a different, welcoming space to reflect, think, dream and simply be.
So very, very good for the soul.
And though I take mini-retreats all.the.time. cause that’s what my mostly introverted constitution requires to do the things I want and feel compelled to do, having a weekend of it, of dedicated silence and self-care, is delicious.
I love when clients send me pictures from their time away, on the beach, in the woods, their own individual creative retreats. It’s often a game changer. To listen to what Spirit has to say, to open up to messages and ideas that we don’t always hear when we’re running around doing what is expected of us in our day to day routines.
If this speaks to you, maybe YOU take some time for yourself this early spring, even for a day or an afternoon, to sit and listen to your soul and what it needs.
All that is required is a journal, a pencil or pen, nature to commune with, and some good old-fashioned quiet.
Highly recommend.
Most of us could use some healing and recharging right about now.
Enjoy March and the new opportunities that each new month brings.
For comments on your own epiphanies from past time away or ideas for future retreats, head over to my new BLOG to post a comment.
All good things…
Jill Sylvester
