While it might look all super-luxe, I firmly believe that the ritual of retreat, taking time to pause, is not only essential for our well being and human evolution; it’s totally natural! We can see it through all of nature, the birds, bees, trees, tigers and I reckon if you asked your ancestors if you should go on retreat, they’d think you’re crazy not to!
Time. Kick that “time poor” mentality out of your sphere and give yourself specific time-out (or time-in?) Human culture has evolved around the cycles of nature, with festivals and ritual to honour the inward pull. At the time of winter solstice (late june/early july) it is a particularly rich time to set an intention to be still.
Space. Creating physical and internal space to just Be. Often times we need to get right out of our everyday surroundings to gain greater perspective and clarity. Taking a step back from the norm can be an inspirational and nourishing way to shake things up and see clearly what we want to do, who we want to be and where we want to go. Creating external space can open up the floodgates to internal spaciousness and peace.
Talalla Beach, Sri Lanka
Nature. Nothing beats recharging our little urban souls in the hugeness and simplicity of nature. Whether it’s a quick ocean dip or immersing in a tumbling waterfall, getting in touch with water, fresh air, sacred ground, solar and lunar currents is like a big hug from Mother Nature. Reconnecting to what’s real and bearing witness to the ever-changing cycles of nature is a real game-changer.
Sadhana. The Sanskrit word for self study. It may sound confronting or maybe enlightening, but all this time and space calls for a moment to have a little look inside. The ritual of retreat is to enjoy reflective yoga practice, reading, writing and meditation. Let’s do it.
Unplug. Think of this as your opportunity to do some energy conservation. This might mean a digital-dextox or that might mean conserving your personal energy supply. Living simply, with the rise and fall on the sun and eating locally is a wonderful way to minimize your impact on the planet as well as on You!
I often think, we’re never going to get more hours in the day, so we have to change our perception of it. Each day can be a ritual from sunrise to moonrise, I’ve found that incorporating pauses through the day, noticing the in-betweens slows down the flow and makes every moment way juicier.
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Talalla Beach, Sri Lanka