Create Your Own At-Home Retreat
A yoga retreat in Bali?
A meditation retreat in Peru?
Or a health and wellness retreat?
Now that I’ve got two littlies I can’t just drop everything and disappear on retreat for a week but there’s no stopping me recreating the retreat vibe at home. Here are some ideas for you to do the same….
Last Friday I had a mini-retreat at home. I do love my retreats and in addition to actually attending one somewhere, I decided to add in a few ‘at home retreats’ throughout the year.
Why Go On Retreat?
Retreats are the best way to ‘retreat’ away from your normal life and reset everything. It’s an opportunity to switch off from the world (and your phone if you’re game!), step back and reflect on your life and how it’s going.
When you’ve got that perspective, some good questions to ask are:
- Am I happy?
- How am I tracking with my life goals?
- Do I need to stop/start doing something to get back on track?
- Are there any areas of my life I need to focus more attention on?
- What do I need to release to be able to move forward (could be in a particular area)
- How can I incorporate more of what I love, into my daily life?
- Are there enough ‘filling the well’ activities to boost my wellbeing?
It’s been quite busy since my second was born in October, especially with my first bub entering the delightful two’s and I’d stopped having my ‘Feeding My Soul’ Sundays for a time. These are days are where I’ve given myself permission to, and have the space, to do what I need to ‘fill my well’.
Last Friday night was pampering night.
It was a really hectic week with lots of looking after sick and teething bubby. There was very little time for me, unless it was after the kid’s bedtime. I was so tired I would just crash in bed at nights after the kids were in bed. I’m more of a morning person than a night person so evenings can be a struggle for me to switch gears and get into work mode.
You know when you’re tired, it takes you 2 hours to do something whereas if you had energy, you could get it done in 30 minutes?
I knew I was due for some special ‘me time’!
I got the heater cranking in the bathroom, lit candles, made a cup of relaxing tea and grabbed a fiction book before locking the door (kiddie free zone please!) and jumped into a bubble bath. With some Epsom salts thrown in for good measure.
It was bliss….
If you find you’re needing some switch off time to re-set and re-focus, I highly recommend creating a retreat space in the comfort of your own home.
Some critical things to think of/have:
Decide on how long you can disconnect for.
A weekend, a day, a few hours, even an hour can be enough until you can get more time away.
Time and space away from interruptions. It’s time to fully disconnect! Phone off or on airplane mode if you need it for music. If you have children, arranging for them to be looked after so you can fully disconnect and not worry about them for a period of time. Telling your partner that unless the house is on fire or someone’s lost a limb, to not disturb you 🙂
Set an intention
Whenever we bring intention to our actions, it amplifies their power. Retreats are a way of disconnecting, going within, realigning with your vision of your life and emerging with fresh energy and course corrections to keep you on your path.
Be prepared.
There’s nothing worse than realising you’ve forgotten something, especially when you’re already in the bath! If you’re really committed to dedicating time to yourself on a regular basis, to fill up the well and shift your energy to a higher state, make a list of everything you’ll need so you don’t have to try and remember it every time. This is especially critical if you are sleep deprived due to working long hours, a newborn or any other stressful situation.
Here’s a little list I use:
- Glass of water, wine, tea, champagne
- Face mask if having a bath
- Candles
- Favourite music
- A good book
- A journal to capture the bursts of inspiration that hit when you create the space
- Guided Meditations
- Meditation stool/Yoga mat
- Oracle deck of cards
- Crystals
- Essences
- Drum