Mindful Retreats: Benefits and How to Employ

Last month I wrote about kindness being a power move. How have you responded to opportunities for random acts of kindness this month? As I prepare to lead a half day retreat at the Kindred Wellness Café in Glen Rock, PA, the importance of periodically engaging in retreats becomes evident. Creating time and space for a retreat for oneself is a great act of kindness that allows us to show up in the world more centered, more flexible and in the ways we choose.

Typically, retreat is the act of withdrawing-- time away in a quiet and secluded place where you can relax and focus on your own states of being. This allows individuals to reflect on their responses to life's challenges and consider what actions are beneficial. While mindfulness practices can be integrated into daily life, attending dedicated mindfulness retreats offers a unique opportunity to deepen such practices over an extended period in a supportive environment.

 With the growth of the mindfulness and wellness industries, retreat environments vary significantly, ranging from self-created retreats at home to those held in distant or exotic locations. Other retreats are intended to be intensive, supporting a deepening and strengthening of healthy mindful attitudes and insight. We will explore intentions and benefits for retreating and how one might choose a retreat that meets your needs and expectations at this time.

Throughout history, human beings have temporarily removed themselves from their everyday rhythms and responsibilities to gain perspective by stepping out of the ordinary, shifting one’s consciousness and then eventually returning to that everyday life with a new/renewed perspective. The concept of secular retreats is relatively recent compared to the long history of spiritual and religious retreats.

Why retreat?  Oren Jay Sofer provided a thorough explanation of how we benefit from retreating in an interview at Insight Meditation Society:

• Meditation retreats provide a protected space where we can set aside most of the distractions and stimulation of daily life.

• Dedicated time makes it a lot easier to develop sufficient stability (concentration), continuity of mindfulness, and clarity of the mind. This allows us to prioritize and set actions.

• Retreats support a deepening of our natural awareness, a maturing of understanding and a development of the beautiful qualities of the heart: generosity, integrity, kindness and compassion.

What are the benefits of retreating? Retreat time allows us to strengthen our ability to see things clearly, as they are and practice observing without allowing emotions to rule our responses.

• Having designated time with oneself creates a deeper understanding of oneself that can be taken back into our everyday life (wisdom). Wisdom increases our understanding of what is helpful/skillful and what isn’t helpful/skillful in our lives.

• One study published by the Nation Institutes of Health found that retreat participants showed a reduction in perceived stress and anxiety levels as well as an improved balance of some key mediators of inflammatory states (e.g. cortisol and cytokines).

• Some studies show that a multiday retreat allows more time for acceptance and contentment which leads to improved over all wellbeing.

What does retreating entail? Some prefer starting with short retreats and gradually increasing their duration, while others may opt for longer retreats immediately. Environment, teacher and intentions of the retreat are very important factors when deciding how/when/where to engage in a retreat. Having confidence in the teacher and the location/environment creates more opportunities to engage in the practices with a healthy, reliable approach. This might include practices that allow you to create your foundation; taking some time to unwind from stress. Next, there should be opportunity for spending time in nature and in silent practices that allow you to observe your internal weather patterns (mental states of thoughts and emotions). Credible retreats encourage you to take some time to nurture yourself in the present moment, practice presence and engage in self-compassion and/or loving kindness practices accordingly.

• Consider creating time and space at home for an hour, a few hours or a whole day. Establish a schedule for practice that you can realistically engage in. Gather any supplies you might need so that you can create a quiet, secluded space to practice.

• Explore and choose a retreat that you can attend virtually.

• Explore and choose an in-person retreat at a retreat center or a location that suits you (e.g. distance/accessibility).

Going on retreat is not a once and done phenomenon if you want to continue to learn and grow from your mindfulness practice. My encouragement is that you experiment, explore and find various retreat approaches that support your practice and growth. My hope is that with the understanding of the benefits of retreating, you will intentionally find time to regularly retreat (whatever that looks like for you).

Mindful.org provides this curated retreat to collectively nourish our awareness and foster authentic, trusting relationships, ultimately aiming to create a kinder world. I am offering a retreat on Saturday, May 31st: Grounding with Grace.

I am available to consult with if you are new to retreating. Additional opportunities to engage in mindfulness-based practices:

• Mindfulness at Emmanuel: June 1st and June 15th.

• Half Day Mindfulness Retreat at Kindred Wellness in Glen Rock on Saturday, May 31st, 9am-12:30pm ET. Registration ends soon.

• Mindfulness for Children (ages 6-10): Daily, June 2nd-June 5th, 4pm-5pm ET. For registration, contact laura@vibebehavioralwellness.com.

• Individual or Group mentorship to explore practices for increased awareness around perspective and the attitudes of mindfulness.

Consider leaving a comment about one of your favorite retreat sights or experiences. Happy Retreating,

Karen