Create Your Own
Personal Retreats
Listen to my BlogTalkRadio
show episode on this topic:
Create Your Own Transformational
Personal Retreats
Self-led personal retreats help to rejuvenate and re-balance body, mind, and spirit. Regular retreat time connects you to your inner wisdom and helps you gain clarity and peace.
Most of us underestimate the value and importance of time spent re-balancing ourselves and going within. But without regular retreat time, we can become overwhelmed, dissatisfied, burned-out, and depressed.
Your own personal retreats can take anywhere from one minute to a few hours to a whole weekend. I recommend that you regularly schedule retreats of different lengths into your life.
Here's a quick overview of the retreat process:
Step One:
Set An Intention
What do you want to have at the end of the retreat that you don't have now?For short retreats, your intention may be to rejuvenate, "ground" yourself, re-balance your energies, or get in touch with your inner guidance. Intentions for longer retreats might be to gain clarity or insight about an issue or problem in your life, to regain your perspective or focus, or to refresh your spirit.
Step Two:
Mindfully Begin Your Retreat
Formally separate your retreat time from the rest of your day by ringing a bell, lighting a candle, etc. If you are creating a one or two minute retreat on the go, you might begin by simply taking a deep breath while you focus on your intention.
Step Three:
The Retreat Itself
A short, one-minute retreat might consist of deep breathing and some positive visualizing. You can create a five-minute personal retreat by mindfully drinking a cup of tea, listening to or singing a song, stretching, or sitting outside. For longer retreats you can spend time writing in a special journal, drawing, connecting with nature, etc. Hold your intention in your heart and go deeply into each activity.
Step Four:
End The Way You Began
Complete your retreat the same way you began it, with a bell, candle, etc. Reflect on your retreat experience. You might want to use a special retreat journal to record your personal retreat outcomes and insights.Build regular retreats of varying lengths into your schedule, and take time for one or two minute mini-retreats when you fell yourself becoming overwhelmed or out of balance. Use your unique, personal retreats to remind yourself of who you are and to create a life that beautifully expresses all you are.
Recommended Reading
The Woman's Retreat Book
I love this book (in fact, I love all Jennifer Louden's books!) Full of ideas and best of all, permission to build retreats into your life.
20-Minute Retreats
"Food-for-thought" on personal retreats and life in general.
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