Sometimes we feel like we need an escape from real life – or putting it bluntly, from digital scrolling and the never-ending mental chatter. A growing number of people is looking for support to replenish and grow spiritually, chasing guidance to begin the journey within.
Going on a meditation retreat is the perfect opportunity to take time aside and find stillness. However, knowing which experience to pick in a world overflooded with information and options can be a challenge.
To help in this critical decision, our teachers and specialists in spirituality put together some important points to be taken into consideration whenever looking for a meditation retreat:
The place and duration of the retreat
Going on a retreat might be the doorway to your inner self. But for this meeting to happen, it is crucial to choose the right location.
The best option is always somewhere amongst nature where we can forget about the hectic city pace and create the setting to slow down so that we can hear our essence and listen to our intuition. Nature retreats and venues far away from the urban centres allow proper grounding in silence.
A meditation retreat must be an immersive experience, it goes beyond a staycation in a hotel room. For people to actually feel the change, they need to be away from their normal life for at least four days.
Ryan Grimes, Bliss Body Journeys Silent Retreat facilitator, states that on the earlier days, guests are still a bit guarded and that only mid-way he feels they start to open up. Retreats are a chance for profound healing, but people need enough time to let go of their defences and finally step into the deep transformation.
Privacy and comfort are fundamental
Another important aspect is the number of participants in the retreat. A good dose of solitude is required since the seeker needs time and space to be able to get intimate with himself.
Going within is an individual work, and it can be difficult to focus with a lot of people and distractions around. Retreats for limited groups, from 6 to 10 people, are the best option for a peaceful experience.
This way, you will receive more personalized guidance and will have more privacy to go under your own healing process. Another option is to book a private retreat, where you can have a truly tailored made experience.
Each person has its own standards and comfort requirements, being it casual or luxurious. Important is that you make sure you have them met, otherwise the retreat can become a space of tension and dissatisfaction.
For you to deeply enjoy your experience, you must be able to let go of basic hospitality worries.
Get to know the program and the facilitators
Knowing what you want out of the retreat is what will lead you to the right place. There are many different meditation retreats with different approaches to wellness and spirituality. Reading the program, checking which practices they offer and validating it with the previous reviews is crucial.
A good program would include at least two 90 minutes sessions of meditation or yoga practice per day, but not much more than that. Vlada de Sousa, Founder of Bliss Body Journeys, does not recommend retreats packed with activities, as the space between practices is essential for the impact to be felt.
The facilitator is the core aspect of a retreat. It is the one who supports people on their personal journey, providing them with guidance and assistance, so they can find their own way into peace and clarity. It is the leader of the journey, and it is essential that you feel safe and calm around them.
Having a qualified teacher that can offer a customized approach to each guest is what will tranquillize you, shedding light onto your path and supporting you moving forward.
If you are a beginner, make sure the planned teachings are suitable for any level of experience.
Food as a healing experience, treatments as regenerative rituals
Having a plant-based holistic cuisine must be one of the pillars of a meditation retreat. Food is a natural healing remedy, and we must consider it whenever choosing the right retreat for us.
As we said, going on a retreat is a deep transformational experience, and clearing the physical body is an amazingly effective way to complement this inner work. By eating plant-based food, you will have a sensation of lightness and renewed energy, raising your awareness, and intensifying your spiritual growth.
Individualized wellness treatments and daily rituals for each participant will ensure that the transformation within can be reflected on the outside. Besides the health and aesthetic part, there is an important sense of being taken care of, which multiplies the effect of everything happening during the retreat.
What we see during our retreats is that, for many of our guests, that is the only week of the year in which they are not taking care of their family, employees or being stressed by never-ending problems.
Pre and post support
The most difficult part about going on a retreat is coming back from a retreat. Having to deal with daily life issues while trying to maintain the calmness of spirit achieved is a real challenge.
Receiving pre and post support is a powerful tool that can make a lot of difference in your spiritual path. Daily practices, habits and supporting circles will ensure that the escape originally intended becomes a more profound ongoing experience.
Only with a grounded approach to spirituality, you will be able to really find the balance between the mundane affairs and the connection within your higher self.
At Bliss Body Journeys, we are proud to offer highly personalized experiences, with heartfully made programs capable of igniting the sparkle of change inside of yourself. Visit our website to learn more about our upcoming meditation retreats.
