I had one whole day to myself on my ‘me retreat’. I had nowhere to go, no plans, no appointments, no structured activities, no time to be anywhere, no driving to get there, no driving back home. I created a space within time to be what I described as free.
So where did I choose to go? The beach of course! My whole being comes alive anywhere near the ocean and beach. I don’t have to get in the water, just be within sight, sound and smell and I am instantly in heaven on Earth.
Having attended a few retreats, I always find group dining a key part of the experience. Such moments provide an opportunity to integrate and process experiences as well as connect and meet others under the guise of sharing a meal.
But on a ‘me retreat’ there is no other, unless you consider the voices in your head companions. When by yourself it is easy to minimize the importance of the meal. Yet for me I still find dining by myself an opportunity for reflection. Instead of connecting with others the meal is a time to stop, nurture the self and receive. It is in this type of space where I find self dialogue rich, thoughts expansive and feelings of contentment abound. Well then such outcomes do depend on the dining experience too.
I love to drive. Road trips are a way for me to satisfy this urge. Behind the wheel, favorite music playing and sat nav to tell me where to go, equals a strange form of relaxation. Then I meet traffic and the ever increasing presence of competitive drivers (of course I am not included in this group).
First there are the ones that have to pass by even though I am doing the speed limit. Signs posted everywhere warn about mobile speed cameras. Don't they get it? Inevitably the great equalizer called stoplights and school zones and the occasional camera zone bring in some fairness.
I don't have to get anywhere soon.
I have no self imposed time limit to which I am beholden.
No, time is on my side for a change!
As soon as my client left I was rushing upstairs to get my bags packed. Being the last minute girl that I am, I still had this task unfinished. What to take and not take! I couldn't believe I had such a dilemma when I was only going away two nights! I thought of my travelling friends who managed to go around the world with one small suitcase. Yet whether a month to the States or a quick night away I always want to be prepared for anything, well at least as far as my luggage goes.
This time though was to be different. I promised to myself no computer, not even my iPad. This meant the only device allowed was a phone. How tempting it was to sneak the iPad in. Willpower prevailed though I did leave a note to my son to look after my WeRule farms while I was away.
(Note...old photo, not my car, just playing around with some dreaming. This photo though captures the feeling I had on my departure so include it.)
Do you fantasize about escaping from your life? Do you sometimes say “I have had enough! I just need to get away and have a break?” Well do you? If you do how often do you actually follow through on your frustrated inspiration?
Well I do sometimes. However to assuage my guilt I usually have a purpose. To go away I have always attached some sort of reason. The most common purpose is to attend a seminar or workshop. This learning aspect serves 1) to justify the escape to all in my family and 2) to give me permission to get away.
A close inspection of my diary over the past several years reveals the real truth. I am a learning junkie. Ok, more than that. I am a retreat junkie. I have to get my fix or I will go crazy. Well not literally crazy, but certainly borderline difficult to be around or live with. Hence why my family likely understands and reluctantly sends me off on my little jaunts.
A thought came to me the other day as I sat watching a friend nurse her six week old baby. What would life be like if, at any time we wanted, we could press a button and restart? That’s it. Like a computer game that is clearly going nowhere, we could just go back to the beginning and start again. I started wondering first of all if I had this option how far back would I go. Then I also thought would I even do it if I could?
Do you ever just have one of those days? You know, the ones where you can’t seem to get out of your funk. I say funk because I can think of no other word that encapsulates the feelings of apathy, frustration, anger, boredom, sadness, distraction, impatience, woe. Well there are more I am sure, but I am not here to be a Thesaurus. What I am here to be is real.
So I decided that I would post when in a funk. Risky you might say. Some would say this will come back to bite me. Others may say don’t share your funk with me, it might be catching. You are right. On one level if I focus too much on my funk then I stay in it. On another level if I hang with you and let this foul smelling energy waft your way you will eventually feel it to. It is not my wish to stay in nor to share it.
A: feel OK when you happen to fall into one yourself, and
B: are around a person you care about who also is in one.
Dear loved one,
I send you this letter as a gesture of spirit, from one human being to another.
You want for nothing, for your life has meaning. Your presence in this world every day touches those around you, brightens their day and makes a difference, no matter how big or how small.
Do not regret any unfinished or undone business in your life. You live life according to your way and are an example to others for honoring this path.
I sit here as always searching for the answers to the age old question “Who am I?” Where do I seek? Not where you would think I would find me, that is here, where I am. No I sometimes seek myself outside of me. What a strange illogical concept and act. Yet here is how I do it.
"Just a quick look", she says...
It starts innocently. You know, an email pops into my inbox. Next thing I am reading and come across a link. The link seems to be a worthwhile place to visit. Since it only takes a click of my mouse, well then why not? What harm is there in a quick look. So off I go to another new place in the depths of the internet. All the while I am sitting comfortably at my desk, mindful that I am still here.I get to a website and immediately see the professionalism, style, intriguing and inviting graphics. Links and tabs call me to go further. The words seem to jump out of the screen and surround me with intoxicating trance-like messages. Slowly I begin to lose a sense of me and feel more of a sense of we.
Stepping outside and getting into nature can create joy and pleasure in our daily lives. We all know the refreshing power in a good dose of clean air, sunshine, trees and grass. We often have familiar spots - known, sure bets for our relaxing and re-energizing to occur.
Yet, the regularity of routine visits to ‘favorite places’ can sometimes dull our senses to the inherent beauty of nature. We may even lose our curiosity, forget to notice what is around us out of boredom, distraction or assumption.
So it is with great excitement when the explorer in us takes us to discover a new place, especially when in your own town.
Letting the inner explorer out
My inner explorer led me on just such a diversion the other day. The experience so affected me that I am now sharing some insights. If you were on this walk you may have already been subjected to my child like enthusiastic sharing as I stopped you for conversation. If no
