The Power of Retreat: 6 Ways to Bring Mindfulness Into Your Life (Without Leaving It All Behind)
Pressing the Pause Button
Last week I spent five days and four nights alone in a small cabin on the outskirts of Philadelphia. This was not a vacation in the usual sense, but a retreat – a time to step away from the hectic schedules and demands of daily life, and reconnect with myself and my spiritual path.
It had been six years since my first solo retreat at a meditation center in Vermont, and four years since my last visit to this peaceful suburban refuge – a short distance from my home in the city, but worlds away from my daily routine. As soon as my car pulled onto the gravel road surrounded by lush green trees, I felt a wave of serenity wash over me. It felt like I was coming home.
Going on retreat isn’t always easy. It requires planning, preparation, and the ability to temporarily step away from the things that usually command so much of our attention: family, friends, work, email, texts, and social media. It requires a willingness to endure long stretches of silence, and the accompanying feelings of boredom and loneliness that inevitably arise.
In my case, going on retreat meant embracing the intense heat, humidity, and thunderstorms of a Philly summer, sharing a small cabin with more than a few friendly insects and spiders, and deferring my impulse to check the news during an exciting moment in our political cycle.
But despite these minor discomforts and inconveniences, my retreat was wonderful. I turned off my phone and set it aside. I meditated, read, wrote, and listened to the sounds of birds and falling rain. I ate and slept and walked. These simple activities filled me with joy. The retreat was totally worth it. It always is. I returned home feeling restored and refreshed mentally, physically, and spiritually. I promised myself that I’ll go on retreat more often.
Lessons in Mindfulness
The Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield shares a story about a conversation he had with a meditation master during a hectic time in his teaching career. Jack admitted that he was feeling burned out from giving one dharma talk after another and leading many long retreats. He hoped to receive some esoteric practice or mantra from the great master that would help restore his energy and motivation. The master listened carefully, and then shared the following simple advice: “I think you should teach shorter retreats and take more vacations.”
Sometimes, when we are feeling worn down or worn out, what we need most is not complicated. We need to slow down, do less, and take a break from the overstimulation of technology and the overload of information delivered by modern life. We need to engage with the things that deeply nourish and restore us, and enjoy the gifts of the present moment.
We don’t always have the option to completely step away from our lives for an extended period of time, and this type of practice doesn’t appeal to everyone. The good news is, we can all benefit from integrating the principles of retreat into our daily life.
Choose Your Own Adventure
Here are a few simple ways you can begin to experience the power of retreat:
Connect with nature. Go for a walk in your neighborhood without your earbuds in, or take a hike in a local park or trail. Engage all of your senses, paying attention to what you can see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. Discover something that surprises or delights you.
Create something new. Engage your hands and your imagination in writing a poem, drawing a picture, making music, baking a pie, or planting a garden. Enjoy the process of creating, and don’t worry about the outcome.
Go inward. Take time to read, write, and reflect on what you truly value. Tap into your spiritual side through meditation or prayer. Simply being mindful of your breathing can provide a sense of spaciousness and expand your perspective.
Experience silence. Whether it’s for a minute, an hour, or a day, consider taking a break from communication. Turn off your phone and set it aside. Notice how your interactions with others change after taking a mindful pause. You may just find you are more patient and present with your loved ones.
Embrace don’t-know mind. We never really know what the future holds. Anything could happen, so why not be open to the possibilities? When we stop trying to predict and control everything and begin to embrace not-knowing, we can open ourselves up to the awe and childlike wonder of what a Zen teacher called “beginner’s mind.”
Practice gratitude. When we slow down, we start to pay attention and discover just how much beauty and goodness is all around us. Notice the good. Take in the feeling of appreciation, and really feel it. It helps to remember that there is so much more to life than our worries, stress, and struggles. Gratitude can be the antidote we need to transform our perspective, without needing to fix or change anything at all.
Which of these ideas are you willing to try? How can you engage with the power of retreat? There is no right way to do it, and you are free to experiment to find what works for you. Remember, less is often more!
Whatever you choose to do, may you enjoy the benefits of mindfulness. May the practice of retreat fill you with the peace and nourishment you need. May you emerge refreshed and ready to re-engage with your life with a renewed sense of energy, inspiration, and purpose.
If you’d like to receive individualized guidance and support in bringing more mindfulness into your life, please schedule a free consultation here. I look forward to hearing from you!