Have you noticed that the pace of life has increased to warp speed? Do you ever get the feeling there is a much more zen-version of you hanging out on a mountaintop in a parallel universe?
Perhaps you wake up with a sense of overwhelm and anxiety. Maybe you feel so burned out that even thinking about your day ahead is too exhausting. You need something deeper than a day off to catch up or a nap or another latte. You may be tired on a soul-level.
Your soul needs sanctuary, a safe haven where you can unfurl, and feel completely supported. An expansive place where you’re free to reflect, be inspired and tune in to a higher wisdom. I always know when it’s time for a soul retreat because I begin to feel restless, knowing that I need absolute quiet and respite from responsibilities. I long for places that feel peaceful, beautiful, and, most of all, sacred.
Sometimes these retreats take me to unexpected destinations. Like just recently when I traveled to southwest England. It was nowhere on my travel list, but once I opened to the possibility, so many doors opened wide for me to answer the call into a weeklong mystical journey which nourished my soul and helped me align with powerful energies. Other times these retreats are closer to home. I love the energy of Tomales Bay, Ojai, Bolinas Ridge, the Mayacamas Mountains or walking through the organic farm at Green Gulch near Muir Beach. I tune into the places which call me and why I’m drawn to them. Following this inner compass always guides me to a place of natural beauty as well as a vortex of powerful spiritual energy.
The purpose of sanctuary is to free your soul from the layers of daily concern, fear, worry, and doubt that are misdirecting your attention. Retreating to a sacred space helps you in your spiritual growth and healing. It recalibrates your parasympathetic nervous system and aligns you with your internal light and the wisdom from your spiritual team. Once we become linked up with our center we have more capacity to operate from our true state of being which is filled with peace, equanimity and love. As you reconnect to the real you, your authentic passion and personal power take shape and inform how you show up in the world.
Take a look at these 4 steps to plan your own soul retreat:
Plan on spending time alone. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go on your retreat alone. You might attend a yoga or meditation retreat with a group of people, you may go on a personal retreat with your significant other or a friend, but if you do any of these, be sure that you carve out alot of space for your own alone-time. This allows space for reflection and your internal voice to emerge.
Commune with Nature. Nature is the ultimate mama, it supports you from birth to death. Spending time in nature helps us connect with our own biorhythms and plugs us back into the powerful energy source of Mother Earth.
Tune into where you’re going and why. Why was my soul drawn to southwest England when my head wanted to drink mai-tais on the beach? Because there was growth I needed to gain at the soul-level and I was drawn to the powerful energetic intersection at Glastonbury to integrate it into my healing work. Pay attention to where you are drawn at the soul-level and ask yourself why.
Cleanse your system: Once you reach your soul retreat, take at least 2-3 days to cleanse out your system of substances, stimulants, electronics, etc. Give your internal system a reboot so your senses have the space to become more heightened.
Only you can decide how much time to take, where to go and what to do on your soul retreat. Most importantly is how you’ll feel once you return. The numero-uno reason to embark on a soul- retreat is to clear. When you feel clear, you trust yourself, you trust your vision, and you trust your source. You see your path without obstacles or barriers. You know who you are and where you are going. Create that sanctuary space for yourself, find your higher voice, and learn to do what your soul wants to do!