7 Reasons You Should Consider a Retreat

Retreats come in all shapes and sizes, and for every interest. There are spiritual retreats, craft retreats, wellness and yoga retreats and even business mastermind retreats. Retreats have much to offer a person, especially those who work and have family responsibilities and not much time for a nice break. Here are seven reasons you should consider a retreat.

1. Disconnect from the Everyday

Every day we fulfill our responsibilities, what the world expects us to do. And every day it seems like more and more responsibilities are put upon us. Housework, meal planning, errands, kids, caretaking, work, and other adulting. It can get overwhelming sometimes, especially if your job is high-pressure, (or if your family is high-pressure). It can be difficult to create or maintain a spiritual practice while trying to do ALL of the things. Taking a retreat allows us to disconnect from every day responsibilities. This allows us to come back to our Real Lives rested and ready to integrate what we learned at the retreat.

2. Connection with Spirit

No matter how you define spirit, a retreat is a great way to connect with spiritual energy. When you are distracted by everyday life, it’s easy to forget how important this is. At a retreat, you often can connect with the energy of the land, deity (god or goddess), the universe, the elements, animals, higher Self, however you see Spirit. Oftentimes, there are exercises focused solely on energetic connection with spirit.

3. Alone Time

How often are you actually alone with your thoughts? When was the last time you put your phone away, stepped away from the family and workmates and allowed yourself to just be? Some of us tend to overwork ourselves in many areas in our lives, and sometimes it’s even easy to forget who you actually are. Inside. How do you define yourself?

4. Getting Back to Nature

Most retreats are held somewhere in -or close to- nature. Personally, I feel that the separation of humans and nature have much to do with the rise of depression and anxiety in today’s society. Spend an entire day outdoors and see if you don’t feel a special type of tired, but refreshed. Being out in nature, allowing yourself to be immersed in a living ecosystem is a way to recharge from all the time we spend in concrete and metal boxes that confine us from the living world.

5. Experiencing Something New

Oftentimes, we choose a retreat because while we have a specific interest, we are looking for a new experience. This might be learning new skills, exploring our common interest in a new or exotic location, or just practicing our interest with new people. When we learn a new skill or hone a skill we already are familiar with, it can help to be around new teachers or people who can provide different perspectives. Even having a different environmental perspective can allow us to have a different experience when we are doing something like ritual or yoga or crafting.

6. Digital Detox

Distractions away, please! Most retreats have some sort of digital detox agreement in place. Does this mean that you are never allowed to check your phone? Well, that will depend on the retreat, but many retreats have some sort of restriction as to when you can and can’t use your phone. This isn’t because they don’t want you to be available in case of an emergency, but it is supposed to be a retreat. Make the decision to use your phone for specific reasons only and allow yourself to be in the moment, free of the distractions a phone might incur. You will be fully taking advantage of the experience you’re paying for.

7. Meeting and Bonding with Like-Minded People

This is one of the best parts of retreat, in my opinion. Meeting new people. Sitting in close quarters, allowing yourself to just be yourself with others. Listening to their stories, allowing them to support you and in turn supporting your sisters can be an amazing experience that brings you really close in a short amount of time. I went on a retreat a few years ago – it was an offsite retreat with about 30 women present and I could still name every one of them and tell you some of their stories (of course I wouldn’t). But it’s just a lovely way to connect with women who have no ulterior motives but to be there and be present with you. It’s magic.

These are just seven reasons why a retreat is a great idea. If you’ve been on a retreat, why did you go? What did you love about it?

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