The benefits of retreating from our familiar surroundings and busy schedules and ‘pulling back’ are manifold. The word “retreat” comes from the Latin root meaning to ‘draw back’.
If you’re willing to honestly challenge yourself, a retreat can be a life-changing experience. Click to investigate. It allows you the space and time to contemplate life, reevaluate paradigms, and become better equipped to walk life’s Journey more consciously. On retreats, we have the opportunity to slow down our days and see ourselves and everything more clearly. A retreat is often a transformative experience that gives you time to restore, relax, reflect and re-awaken to health, happiness & wholeness. It’s a time to focus on you, go deeper into yourself, let go and open up to new possibilities.
Retreats afford us the opportunity to see accumulated habits of distraction and begin to soften them. In removing everything we do that is not supportive of living with freshness and wakefulness, practice retreats realign us with our deepest values, helping us discover ways to upgrade how we live our lives on a daily basis. Many of our unskillful choices stem from unconscious patterns of unaware living, shielding us from the inherent simple joy in ordinary moments. Removed from our daily activities and responsibilities, we learn to interrupt the habits of our conditioned patterns through compassionate attention, freeing us to live from a larger truth, an authentic clarity of being.
We are also encouraged to attend to that which is pulsing softly within us, under all the noise or numbness. Sufis call this primordial aspect our Hidden Essence, Taoists call it the tranquility at the center of all storms, the Tao, Hindus say the Self or Brahman, Buddhists refer to this as our Buddha nature, while others say inner spirit or God.
A retreat opens the door for you to do something great for yourself, and in the process do something great for everyone you touch in your life. In turn, you’ll also be better able to support the people in your life – at work, at home, and at play – and contribute to their wellbeing as you contribute to your own.
The Whole Being Retreats
We will explore hatha yoga, meditation, spiritual inspiration, connecting with nature and much more to renew our connection to our deeper self. These are wonderful tools for inner transformation helping us to deal with life in a more enlightened, integrated and joyful way. We will also explore yoga off the mat by experiencing local sights and natural beauty giving us an opportunity to expand our horizons. Retreat is your time to dive into the depths of your being and help you experience the stillness of the now, and learn how to access it at any time.
These retreats are intentionally small, a perfect setting for a more personalised experience. A space where you can fully express yourself amongst the nurturing support of an intimate group, create authentic connections and go into solitude when desired. This is your opportunity to boost your energy and calm your mind, improve flexibility and strength while having lots of fun and laughter with like minded guests. It is all about you!
Come as you are, with whatever is now, with your hopes, your challenges and your trust. No matter what your experience, level of yoga, meditation or fitness is, this retreat is open to everyone. My aim is to meet you wherever you are and gently guide you towards your personal next steps towards ease and relaxation within yourself, bringing you closer to your true self.
Silence
I always include a period of silence on my retreats. When faced with the idea of silence in a group for the first time people can often feel very apprehensive. However once they have tried it most people find silence can be a welcome relief. In silence we have the chance to allow our experience to be whatever it is. It helps us notice the world around us more clearly and rediscover the wonder of life. We move from silence into speaking again gently with the understanding that silent contemplation can be a powerful experience. Some people don’t want to give it up!
Investing in Yourself
Investing in your inner wellbeing and enhancement is the most important investment you’ll make in your life. There’s no other financial investment that will ever match because if you develop more competence, more skill, more ability, more capacity to take 100% responsibility for your life and become a joyful human being, the way you experience and express yourself and the world will change. Your activity will rise to a completely different level and you will become a catalyst for a more joyful, loving and inclusive world.
Please take some time to invest in yourself – retreat to replenish, renew, re-align and dive deep into your own inner journey. You’ll be glad you did!
~ Mita Shah