I was having a conversation with a dear friend and I mentioned that I was planning to embark on a retreat. “Lucky you!’,” the man smiled. ‘Time off! Time to relax! I’m betting it’ll be spas and happiness.’
I smiled, biting my lips hard. It’s not worth trying to explain why the mindfulness retreats don’t include spas or massages, and that any kind of joy is often tempered by stiff joints and a mind full of unhelpful “storytelling” your brain is saving for those moments of quiet. For instance, mine tend to be filled with memories of some of the most embarrassing times that I’ve had in my lifetime, thoughts about what the next meal will be, the melodies of the last five songs that I had played on Spotify before I started the retreat as well as fantasies of what that person next to me in the room might be doing to earn an income – perhaps an account with a chartered status or maybe a long-lost monarch from the Monegasque family?
The majority of mindfulness-based retreats include sessions of formal sitting as well as mindful walking and movement as well as discussions and teaching. The duration of the days is long, with the initial practice of the day typically starting before breakfast, and the final one following dinner later in the night. Long periods of silence are practiced, even during mealtimes and the practice encourages one to be free of technology as well as other distractions.
The slowing down could be so significant that a gradual return to the normal routine and bustle of daily life is required before you leave for home. A acquaintance of mine was stopped by the police on her way back home after completing an eight-day retreat. She was unaware of her speed of travel speeding at 30 miles per hour in the middle of the M3 motorway.
Given the requirements of these long intervals of peace, tranquil and silence, why would you to the retreat?
It takes some to get used to but after a few days you’ll begin to slow down and begin to see how scattered our minds can become and how wonderful it feels to truly take in the present moment and the amount of breathing and mental peace this can provide us.
Check the Pause & Creathe website to see their schedule of Scotland retreats.
Imagine a retreat as:
A self-care practice. We often say to ourselves, “I’ll get an’me time’ at some point’ …’ however the time doesn’t happen because our lives are insanely busy. And those who work in the field of education are skilled in putting other people’s (family students, friends and colleagues) requirements and well-being over their own needs and wellbeing.
An opportunity to reconnect with or deepen your practice of mindfulness.
A chance to connect and share ideas and knowledge with a group of like-minded individuals.
A means of re-connecting with the everyday life from an alternative perspective. When you return to your daily life, although it’s unlikely that you’ll experience any revelations of the damascus type however, you might notice tiny changes in your life – eating more enjoyable and the family bonding less stressful and less time spent ‘doing the little things’, and decrease in the reactivity. So, the mindfulness retreat can be seen as a present to the people you live with and interact with.