Create your own free retreat experience
12 steps to an (almost) free retreat experience
Total time : approx: 3 hours Retreat Cost: max: 20 euros 1) Check the weather app as we want to to do this on a sunny day. Put phone on autopilot the night before and back on once the steps below have been completed<; 2) Slow early morning wake up with a 15 minute deliberate snooze and stretch in bed (cat yawning ) but it's a real treat taking EXTRA time to get up. 3) (I do this daily) Gratitude thought. Generally grateful that I can walk out of bed, the luxury some people do not have. 4) (I do this daily) Green tea ritual. This includes shavings of ginger and turmeric served in my green tea japanese tea pot. A 5 minute mindfulness practise I could not do without anymore. It helps me set the tone for the day whilst drinking it. 5) (I do this daily) Meditation of 25 mins with the OAK app. I opt for the unguided session; river stream sound with a gong reminder every 7-10 minutes. (intermediate level so change according to your level and time) 6) Shower (I try to do this daily....kidding). 7) Take a different routed bike route to the park; During the summer mornings, parks are usually empty which is such an immense luxury often ignored in cities. Explore using public parks to your advantage, especially on early mornings. 8) A guided yoga 60 min practise in the park alone. ( usually do half the time when at home) 9) Short gratitude meditation after yoga & journaling my thoughts down on paper. I usually write down whatever comes to mind: ideas, projects, dreams, general offloading of thoughts or emotions that have been lingering. (I am even thinking of reading or draw sketching, that might be your schtick) 10) ) At this point, I am pretty famished, so this is the time I treat myself to a decadent brunch, somewhere quiet. Go for joy! 11) Belly full, I turn my phone back on and call a close friend or family member and connect with them from this space. Better yet: call someone you have been putting off for calling a while. (since it required extra time to properly catch up.) 12) End your retreat with intention. Just all round nourishment of gratitude by writing the experience down. Better yet, smile at a stranger. Not too long. You might look scary. This mini retreat covers so many elements of what a retreat actually entails: (mind, body, soul food)
Intentional & actionable
Discipline to show up, self empowerment
Carving out alone time without your phone and being comfortable with it for a longer than average time.
Fostering connection to self in nature through movement
Fostering connection with others
Devoid of external reward (apart from purchased brunch), HUGE internal reward.
Please share your self-retreat experiences or personal made wellbeing sanctuaries with me via social media or email. I always like hearing from you as we inspire eachother for a curious life! Peace, Mike