Why Retreat Matters

This week I had one of those days where I was hit with several problems all at once. I was feeling that deflated, defeated kind of feeling in my body, my heart shut down and I just wanted to cry. I felt cut off from a sense of internal support.

But something way down deep  knew that what I needed was  simply to be with the feelings that were coming up, As much as I wanted to override and go into action mode, I knew I needed to  wait until this mind was calmer, and inner guidance arrived. 

It was a hard day, but I stayed with myself. And though the problems did not magically dissolve, bit by bit, the way is appearing, and more importantly, I'm feeling grounded in myself and my deeper capacities again. 

My teacher often asks me what it is I think is allowing for this kind of perspective when it comes. And usually I tell her it is not any one thing, but the culmination of all the little things: all the practices: all the ways I'm learning to drop down beneath the surface of my mind, and touch into something more real and enduring. 

Can you relate?

Over the years, I've participated in retreats regularly, learning how to turn towards myself, allow the falling away of all the defense patterns (false self) and experience more of who I truly am. It is just these kinds of experiences, overtime, that have allowed me  to meet days like I had this week with more acceptance of myself and patience that the way forward will come in time (still not easy tho).

I don't subscribe to the idea that after a retreat we go back to the "real world." I think the inner spaces we drop into, coming to know our true self and the meaningful encounters we have with our retreat mates show us what is Real in this world. We get so caught up with all the challenges of LIFE and forget that there is more going on than appears on the surface of our experience. 

To be in the world but not of the world, is to remember who we really are, while attending to these temporal lives and situations head on. Retreat is something that highlights and reinforces awareness itself, and presence so we can remember ourselves more of the time. When we are sourcing our depths, life is the world is easier, (if not just as heartbreaking--and my oh my what a heartbreaking time it is these days--)

I invite you to join us next month for Summer Camp for Yogis. Hit pause, step away, reacquaint yourself with the simple and real: body, breath, soul, earth, sky, water, air.  Look around to see the  precious others waking up along side you.