Is it time for a retreat?
Sep 22, 2022
I once had the chance to spend a month at Esalen Institute as a member of their residential extended education program. Excellent organic food from the garden, lovely hiking, the beauty of Big Sur, world-famous Esalen massages, and the hot springs. I was young and poor at the time, so the price was just right. I washed and folded fitted sheets and cleaned guest rooms, and in exchange, I participated in a month-long writing workshop. It gave me the respite I needed, and in hindsight, it set me along the path I’m currently on: life coaching, holding space for others at retreats, and supporting the possibility of transformation for myself and others.
What would that kind of respite do for you? Where might you squeeze in a break? Maybe it’s a sabbatical, a month at Esalen, a weekend, or an hour to yourself. What are the elements you know you need? Good food that someone else cooks? Nature? A massage? Meditation? A planning session for this next chapter in life? How might you take the time to retreat? It might just change your perspective on everything.
