A true retreat. An escape from it all. What is it? What would it feel like?

Do you ever think about getting away from it all? How often do you allow yourself to do so?

Nice dream, but that’s impossible in my world! You might think.
 Or…I’m too busy—too many responsibilities and not enough money, you might say.

Yes, I understand the feeling of not being able to afford luxuries like this while having responsibilities to others. But what about your most essential responsibility: to yourself? 

Taking time to pause, reflect, and retreat from daily life is essential for renewing our souls.

A retreat is a break from your usual routine and daily responsibilities.
It offers the chance to step away from everything you feel obligated to do, letting you let go and enjoy life.

It provides an opportunity to rest, relax, reflect, and play. Yes, play.
Even busy, responsible adults need laughter and play.

Remember that old saying: Work hard, play hard, rest hard?
It is all about making sure we have an equal balance of these three things in our lives:
work, play, and rest. As we grow in our yoga wisdom, the hard changes to:

~ Work with joy or purpose.
~ Play and explore with the delight and wonder of a child.
~ Rest deeply, not just with sleep but also with Savasana and Meditation.
~ Do all equally in loving ways.

If you believe you can't possibly escape for an entire week of retreat, start simply:
Begin with a daily walk in nature. Retreat to a nearby park, beach, or peaceful trail away from home, somewhere with trees, grass, dirt, or sand. Choose a place where you can focus on the sounds of nature, feel the sun warming your skin, and admire the beautiful clouds in the sky. Then, gradually add a half day, a full day, and eventually a whole weekend away from your daily grind and the people you are always around. 

Start taking care of yourself in this simple way, and I assure you, you’ll be rewarded.

You might not realize it if you grew up in a city, but your physical and emotional selves long for nature and a connection to the sun, moon, water, soil, and trees. Our cells crave this connection. Remove your shoes and let your feet touch the soil, grass, or sand. 

Spend quiet time with a tree, and it will teach you to meditate.

Yoga philosophy teaches that happiness is our birthright and that we are meant to enjoy life, even amid the suffering that comes with being human. Therefore, important questions to gently ask ourselves include: 

Am I enjoying my life? Am I living to work, or working to live? 
Do I feel that suffering is my birthright, or do I truly believe it is happiness and peace?

If your answer is that you are working to live, make sure you take the time to truly live,
not just survive, regardless of your financial situation.

A retreat is a time to rest in the stillness of life, reflect on who you are, what you have accomplished, and what you are ready to let go of, and to dream of your future.

Retreats and vacations are not luxuries; they are necessities. 

Finding time to step back from my daily responsibilities and truly enjoy a retreat or vacation has taken practice. In those early days, I didn’t feel I could afford to get away by myself, so I began organizing 3-day retreats for my yoga students, allowing us all to escape town for a much-needed break. I discovered a charming retreat in the San Diego mountains, Julian, where we created lasting memories for 10 years. Although I taught these retreats, they still offered a wonderful break for both my students and me, and eventually, I would return to Julian for a long weekend just for myself.

The first full weeklong retreat I attended as a student was at the beautiful Feathered Pipe Ranch in the mountains outside Helena, Montana. Spending a week on the sacred land is truly transformative. I felt a deep connection to the founder, India Supra, the land, and the staff, inspiring me to dream of leading a retreat there someday. Not only have I led one, but I’ve been invited back several times since 2011. Each year, my heart eagerly anticipates returning to this peaceful healing place. Retreats and vacations are vital to our renewal, and they are experiences my heart now regularly craves. Where once I thought I couldn’t afford these luxuries, I now realize that by budgeting and cutting back on small, impulsive purchases, I can save money to enjoy wonderful experiences away from home and my daily routine. 

Sometimes this requires a leap of faith, trusting that you will find a way to create something wonderful for yourself, even when it seems impossible at the time.

I was a single mom and an underpaid, overworked Yoga studio owner for many years. The idea of a real vacation or retreat always felt like a distant dream. 

However, as a dreamer, I continued, and still continue to work towards achieving one dream at a time. With persistence, eventually there it was – my dream manifested, right in front of me!

Achieving these dreams isn't truly about money, despite what we might believe.  Instead, it’s about the desire and effort that drive those dreams. It means being able to declare to the universe: This is my birthright, and I will pursue it, no matter what, so please guide me. Then, get your limited mind out of the way, and watch the universe show you the way. 

You can do this, and we are here to help you at anytime.