Why go on a yoga retreat?
I remember when I was hosting the first annual AcuYogini Retreat, I thought to myself, “everyone looks like they’re having such a good time.” My immediate next thought as I laughed to myself was, “I ought to go on a retreat sometime!” This year, as I prepare to host the second annual AcuYogini Retreat next month, I took my own advice and went on a personal retreat last weekend. I definitely had some pre-retreat jitters—thinking to myself— “do I really have time to do this right now?” but I’m so happy that I set the time aside for myself because I feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and inspired.
Which got me to thinking about what I want to share with you……why go on a retreat? During my personal retreat weekend, I found 5 reasons why anyone would benefit from taking some time off to go on a retreat:
Distraction free zone: Most of my days are spent on my phone or computer—teaching, getting back to people, writing, taking photos, making videos. My phone is making dinging sounds all day long. The first day of my retreat, I kept having this feeling: "shouldn’t I be checking something?” And…the answer is no. A retreat offers a time to take a break from work. You can put an automatic vacation responder on your email and let everyone know you’ll get back to them later. I’ve found that a few days without my phone helped me concentrate and focus. It also gave me time to stare at the sky and trees and relax!
A new way of seeing: I did a few meditative walks around my house during my retreat weekend. All the familiar sights, that I see everyday, looked so different. This is because I was slowing down. I wasn’t rushing to rake up pine needles in my back yard, I was walking slow to feel the crunch of the needles beneath my feet. Before preparing my meals, I said a prayer of intention to infuse my cooking. I took my time to see the slices of apples I was cutting and a pause to taste the sweetness. It was almost as if I could see more because I was bringing more attention into each moment.
Re-centering the important stuff: Taking this time to slow down, helped me see things more clearly. There is only so much time during the day. Taking the time for a retreat made me think about what do I want to center in my life? It reminded me of what is important to me, and how I can spend more of my time with my highest intentions.
Process: During my personal retreat, for the first time in these past two years, I gave myself permission to feel the effects of our world changes. Time to just sit and be with all that is. To sit with the uncertainty. To be ok with grief. To be ok confusion. To be ok with anxiety. I made a vision board and rather than leading me into a concrete vision, it lead me into holding the uncertainty of our world in courageous compassion.
Ritual: I believe that creating personal rituals can be healing and creative. During my personal retreat weekend, I marked the mornings by journaling about my dreams from the night before. This ritual helped me transition from the dream world into the waking world. I let myself stay in this contemplative space without having answers so that I could hold the questions and the possibilities.
Oh yes, and I did yoga during my personal retreat too! A retreat can give you the time to dive into your asana practice and discover new insights. Would you like to join us for the Heart Beat Day Retreat in Nevada City on Sat June 4th, 2022? During this retreat, I’ll be guiding you in yin yoga and acupressure sequence for the heart. In the afternoon, there is a drum circle and hike around the Woolman grounds. Just a few spots left to join us in this day of heart opening!