What do you do for "retreats"? [Archive]

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bae

9-24-12, 12:31am

Prompted by Zoe Girl's http://www.simplelivingforum.net/showthread.php?5989-getting-ready-for-retreat

Me, I usually go "walkabout", in some way - I grab some simple supplies and head into the wilderness somewhere, usually someplace "inhospitable". Sometimes my mother or father-in-law hook me up with some of their friends amongst the Native Americans, and I get to spend serious periods of time experiencing some of their spiritual traditions from the ground up. I spent several weeks in a lovely madrassa once. And a monastary. Now-and-then I simply head out to sea, or up the coast, by myself. Once I went rowing up the coast for a month. Doing some intensely physical work for weeks, like splitting a forest of downed trees, will sometimes suffice. A martial arts camp in some far-away place works well.

I'm pretty flexible actually.

What works for you?

Stacy

9-24-12, 12:42am

I've never actually gone, but I've been thinking about going to a retreat center about 50 miles from where I live. They have rustic cabins and lots of trails through the woods to walk on. I would bring a journal and do some drawing and writing. I was thinking that the height of the holiday shopping season might be a great time to get away, because both of my jobs get pretty crazy in November and December. I would only be able to spend a couple of nights, but that may be all I need.

ctg492

9-24-12, 6:46am

Never done anything like that, guess too cought up in daily family upkeep and life. This past year I have set goals for myself and have done what I set out to do. I have two new goals, one which falls into this topic. I am going to live 5 days alone without power/running water and NO cell/computer or news, biking, walking in the counrty and woods, eating fruits and veggies. Now this won't be ruffing by many peoples idea, I plan on just chilling up north in the travel trailer along the river on our property. It will be next spring that I will do this. I am ready to let the people that "I think" depend on me to go it alone :)
I cycle and feel that a few hours in the saddle is pretty mind clearing.

Gregg

9-24-12, 7:39am

Used to take long pack trips. Colorado trail, several other western trails. Don't have that option right now so usually just close the door and practice my guitar. Not the same thing, but sometimes you just have to adapt.

smellincoffee

9-24-12, 8:18am

As I began developing my own sense of spirituality a few years ago, one idea which I took seriously and incorporated was that of the Sabbath -- that is, setting aside a day for rest and resisting the tidal pull toward Busyness that so fills modern living. After having breakfast and conversation with friends, I return home and spend the day outside if possible, removed from the tv and computer and all other noisy distractions. I then wile away the afternoon gently swinging and reading, sometimes writing in my journal, sometimes napping. I may go for a walk around the neighborhood after a while.

Stella

9-24-12, 9:06am

I haven't been on retreat in years, but Zach and I were just saying that as part of the upcoming Year of Faith we'd both like to go on one this year. Zach would probably go to the Jesuit retreat center my Dad goes to each year for their silent retreat based on the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola. I know there is a women's retreat that my women's group has each year in the winter. I think I would go to that.

I have done day retreats in the past, usually at church. I love it. Even taking one day apart to focus on my spiritual growth really helps.

Float On

9-24-12, 11:30am

There is a thread around here somewhere about my retreat weekend last February for my 45th birthday. It was wonderful. I rented an old stone cottage on a big ranch in AR. Friday noon- Monday noon just by mysef. I want to do it again.

Gardenarian

9-24-12, 3:53pm

I have gone to an ashram many times. It is not a solitary retreat, but being with other people and living a completely different kind of life takes me away from myself entirely.

I bought a cabin earlier this year and up till now it has mainly been a work in progress, but it's in good shape now. I took a retreat weekend last week and felt completely revitalized. I sat by the small pond, went for long hikes (encountered a rattlesnake!), ate simply, meditated and prayed, practiced lots of yoga. It was wonderful.

For a shorter retreat, I have a sit spot in the woods near my home. It is nice to walk the dog there and just be. I like to lie on my deck at night and watch the stars. Take the kayak out on the bay.

Gardenarian

9-24-12, 4:51pm

decemberlov

9-24-12, 5:17pm

I use to do camping trips by myself at least once a year when I was really feeling overwhelmed with life.
Usually just an extended 3 or 4 day weekend was all it would take to center myself again.

herbgeek

9-24-12, 5:51pm

I'm not particularly religious, but I have done a couple of "retreats": one was staying in my brother's lake cabin for 3 days by myself and the other was at the Kripalu Center in Western Mass. The cabin one was more relaxing, only because I'd been there so many times (used to stay at this camp as a kid every year) and knew there was nothing to do, and therefore nothing to "miss". The Kripalu Center was new to me, and I felt I had to try everything out so it was busier than I thought it would have been (early morning yoga, mid day hiking, a labyrinth, a lake to explore, and this incredible bookstore with all kinds of self development books!).

Yossarian

9-24-12, 6:46pm

A martial arts camp in some far-away place works well.

I'm pretty flexible actually.

I know you are a big guy so for some reason this little pun made me think of the scene when Master Shifu caught Po raiding the cookie jar.

935

I'm headed to cheap digs on the beach in Mexico later this year. Will be the first get away in a long time.

frugalone

9-25-12, 7:56pm

Would love to see this thread, if possible! It sounds great!

There is a thread around here somewhere about my retreat weekend last February for my 45th birthday. It was wonderful. I rented an old stone cottage on a big ranch in AR. Friday noon- Monday noon just by mysef. I want to do it again.

redfox

9-25-12, 9:45pm

I go back to Lopez! Or La Push. Their camper cabins are a great price, and it's beautiful there. Also, we have a hot tub & small garden house in our back yard, and that is often just right...

BayouGirl

9-25-12, 11:05pm

My daily life is often like a retreat because we live on a large secluded property where even the main road is a half a mile from us. If I chose to stay home (and I usually do) then I can go days without seeing anyone other than BayouBoy. But there are times when I wish to do something to get out of the house so I take my camera and go around our property taking pics of flora and fauna.

But I also am drawn to cemeteries, especially old ones and there is one near our house where some of the graves date back to the 1700's. Louisiana is known for pretty cemeteries (also called "cities of the dead") because many of our burials are above ground since much of our land is below sea level. I find cemeteries to be peaceful, beautiful places. If I am feeling out of sorts or on the rare occasion I get aggravated with BayouBoy, I drive to the old cemetery and walk around and realize that anything that I am fretting about it really no big deal. It's a nice reality check.

Lainey

9-26-12, 12:19am

redfox

9-26-12, 1:50am

Being a single middle-aged female, I'd be too wary of doing a retreat too far from civilization.

What do those of you with families do - agree to check in by cell phone once/day just to say you're okay? I think I'd need that lifeline for peace of mind. The other 23.9 hours would then be mine.

I have a sister with whom I share checking in about our elders. She covers when I am gone, I cover for her. We can each reach the other in an emergency.

I don't check in at all if I am away on retreat. I assume everything is fine with my family, and they assume I'm well too. I prefer to drop my worry & anxiety if I am in retreat.

The Storyteller

10-9-12, 10:13pm

Work with my animals.

Spartana

10-10-12, 4:07pm

This long term canoe trip looks amazing to me: Endless Vacation (http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-community/travel-canoeing-zmaz77zbon.aspx?newsletter=1&utm_content=09.24.12+HE&utm_campaign=2012+HE&utm_source=iPost&utm_medium=email)

OMG!!! I love it! I always enjoy reading about people who do long term travel - especially if it's self propelled, self contained and sort of "out there" by most people's standards. Don't think I could handle 3 years in a canoe - but a couple of months (with hunky Sven to row for Lazy Me) would be great.

I have never done a retreat and probably never will as the traditional ones I've read about don't appeal to me. But I love long distance trail running and hiking so would love to do some super long ones across a beautiful part of the world. Maybe one of those long distance walking paths in Britain or Spain like the Camino De Santiago(see the movie "The Way" for what I'm taking about). Run and walk all day with just a small knapsack with the bare essentials, and flop down at a hostel or small inn at night. I'd be in heaven and probably find some spiritual enlightenment en route. And if not, I could at least eat as much as I want without gaining weight :-)!

Spartana

10-10-12, 4:14pm

Being a single middle-aged female, I'd be too wary of doing a retreat too far from civilization.

What do those of you with families do - agree to check in by cell phone once/day just to say you're okay? I think I'd need that lifeline for peace of mind. The other 23.9 hours would then be mine.

I'm a single middle-aged female and go off by myself all the time. Don't let that fear stop you as it can be very freeing to do trips or whatever alone, far from others. I do usually call my sister once a day from my cell phone just to say I'm alive and where I'm at and where I'm headed. She does the same. We also do that everyday when we are at home since we both live alone.