August is American Adventures Month, which celebrates vacationing. When most people think about vacations, images of theme parks or camping probably come to mind. Although that type of thrilling adventure is important to your well-being, it may not truly renew your spirit and build your sense of inner peace. As summer comes to a close, consider planning a spiritual retreat that is relaxing and beneficial for your physical and mental health.
Why Go on a Spiritual Retreat?
For many, a spiritual retreat is time spent alone with God or another higher power. Even if you aren’t religious, you can take a spiritual retreat to become more self-aware and to heal in nature and silence. Solitude, silence and stillness can be restorative and transformative. When your normal environment is busy and highly stimulative, the slower pace of a spiritual retreat can be stabilizing and help you find your inner peace.
How To Create Your Own Spiritual Retreat
Many places host spiritual retreats. A quick search will probably give you several planned vacation ideas in exotic locations around the world. You’ll also find a few spiritual retreats in your local community if you look. These planned retreats can be very relaxing and put you in a different environment, but you may also be locked into the religious beliefs of the organizers. Planning your own spiritual retreat can let you focus on what’s important to you.
Plan a Date for Your Retreat
Whether you can go on retreat for a week, a weekend or only a couple of hours, set a specific time for your retreat. Aim for a day when you won’t have any distractions. Treat this date like an appointment. Self-care is just as important as any doctor’s visit. Dedicate time to your well-being by making a commitment to keeping this date.
Select a Place for Your Retreat
Choosing the right location for your spiritual retreat is just as important as the date. You want a place where you feel safe and where you have minimal distractions. If you can get out of your home, a new location can be refreshing. Ideally, you want a place where you can do different activities. A balanced retreat combines physical, creative, reflective and connective activities.
Decide What You Want To Do on Your Retreat
There’s no right or wrong when planning activities for a spiritual retreat. You should think about what renews your spirit. It can be helpful to start with a general theme of what you want to focus on during your retreat. It could be your mental health, career goals or resetting your health. Don’t get too specific because you want room to explore a lot of ideas.
Choose a book that helps you ask yourself difficult questions about your general theme. Get a clean journal to record your thoughts on your retreat. Plan a few activities that will help restore your peace. A creative activity, such as drawing, crocheting or even coloring, frees your mind and opens you up to new possibilities. A physical activity, such as a walk in nature or taking a bath, is a good way to remember how your mind and body are connected to improve your physical sense of well-being. Plan a learning activity, like watching a documentary about a relevant topic or reading a spiritual text.
Immerse Yourself in Your Retreat
When you finally get to your retreat, don’t hurry through your activities. Take the time to work through the emotions you feel. Don’t judge yourself. If you want to switch your plans around, do what feels natural to you. The goal of a spiritual retreat is to reconnect with yourself and to nourish your soul. You can’t do that when you force yourself to stick to a schedule.