Spring is a reminder to begin again and make room for new growth. This past year I’ve taken myself on RETREAT several times. Each retreat is like a mini-vacation, a gift I give myself. My favorite place to escape to is Esalen in Big Sur. The first time my focus was yoga and meditation. I wanted to slow down my pace and listen to my inner voice. We talk about doing nothing, but doing nothing takes discipline. Staring at the ocean, listening to the calm of silence, walking with a slow mindful pace, and eating healthy food helped me transform into a Retreat-er fairly easily.
The 2nd time I went to Esalen I took an art class with Erin Gafill. Half of us were novices learning to play with paint fir the first time. The other half of the class actually knew what they were doing. I made a commitment to myself to be fearless and paint like no one was watching. The 3rd time I attended a class on relationships. We joked and called it Love School. Daphne Rose Kingma was the teacher. She’s written some amazing books on relationships and insights into why who we are.
For years I’ve gone to the gym to build muscles and strengthen my heart. Retreat-ing allows me to develop my inner muscles. I became aware of my breath and deliberately made slower movements. I’m building a new relationship with grace and dignity and balancing out my intensity with a new sense of peace.
I encourage you to plan time for yourself. Challenge yourself to go away on retreat. Getting grounded helps cement our professional foundation. It’s easier to face the chaos around us when we’re standing in our own mountain pose.