Meditation retreats are defined as days in which you detach yourself from your daily life (home and workplace)
Last update: 24 September, 2020
How much time do I dedicate to myself (only and exclusively to myself)? This is a question we should all be asking ourselves. Probably most of us would find ourselves responding that very rarely do we find time to focus only on ourselves. Time, and therefore life, eludes us as we engage in other matters, which are more of a distraction than a necessity. For this, dOccasionally, it is important to do meditation retreats.
Meditation retreats are defined as days in which one detaches oneself from one's daily life (home and workplace). The main goal is to think about yourself, about your life. The main activity is reflection and essential motivation, getting to know each other better and evaluating how you feel.
Ideally, a meditation retreat should last at least a full day. It is absolutely necessary to do this in total solitude. You have to choose a place to be calm, without too many distractions and where you feel at ease. The effects of this practice are prodigious. Below we list five of the main benefits of this activity.
"The life of every man is a way towards himself, the attempt of a way, the hint of a path."
-Hermann Hesse-
Benefits of Meditation Retreats
Loneliness eliminates many pretexts
We spend most of our time surrounded by other people. We therefore focus on the interactions we have with others; on what we are told, on the way others see us, on the way they respond to us, etc… In short, we are always projected outwards.
During meditation retreats these external stimuli fail because we distance ourselves from others. We remain alone with ourselves. Initially, not being a common habit, some people feel uncomfortable, perhaps also due to the fact that sometimes they feel "abandoned" and "disheartened".
However, by focusing on what needs to be done, these negative feelings fade away. Gradually, we dig within and give ourselves the opportunity to adopt a different point of view, to look at things from a different perspective than usual.
By taking our distances we are able to see in perspective
By moving away from our daily routine a little, we are able to have an overview of our life. It is as if we position ourselves, mentally, in a strategic position that allows us to see the complete panorama. Much of the detail will be imperceptible, but the overall view will be clearer.
By placing ourselves in this position, we put ourselves in a position to make a "revision" of the moment of life in which we find ourselves. From this perspective it is easier to understand if we are where we would like to be or if we are far from this ideal place. We also manage to appease our emotions and consequently see the "panorama" of our life in a more objective and dispassionate way.
The disconnection
Disconnecting means cutting ourselves off with all technological means, but also with routine. This alone represents a source of rest. The brain needs, from time to time, to minimize external stimuli. Disconnecting from everyday life for a while is the only way to do it. So what could be better than meditation retreats?
Disconnecting not only gives our brain the opportunity to calmly regroup, but also promotes a state of relaxation and emotional serenity. This disconnection involves a lowering of the speed in which we have to give ourselves time to "digest" the sensations, thoughts and emotions. This, without a shadow of a doubt, leads us to feel calmer and to regain control of our life.
Reactivate repressed emotions
Just as some emotions lose their excessive intensity during meditation retreats, there are also other subjective realities starting to emerge. Among these, we find repressed feelings and emotions. Sometimes it is sadness, other times it is discomfort, fear or anger.
When we take time for ourselves, one of the effects we can observe is that our true selves have more opportunities to emerge. For this reason, without realizing it, memories come to mind about events that we thought we had forgotten or sensations arise that seem to want to tell us something we are not yet aware of. Retreat is a time when we have no voice to hear but our own.
Rest, in the deepest sense
Resting isn't just about being inactive or escaping distractions. You never really rest until you get away from everyday worries and it is replaced with creative and / or liberating exercise. Psychological fatigue is much more incisive than physical fatigue. For this reason, more than physical rest, we should be concerned with letting our mind rest by letting go of emotions.
Meditation retreats allow us to rest in the true sense of the word. There is no need to set rigid goals or expect this experience to be productive in terms of tangible results. Sometimes retreats of this kind simply push us to ramble. But this is enough to make us open the doors of our soul and purify us of what we keep inside.
It is highly advisable to dedicate at least two days a year to these retreats. There are no exact formulas. Meditating means above all calm and contemplation. This is a gift that we should never stop giving to ourselves. A way to show affection and interest.
