Time away from the harsh realities of life (and the typical ways we perceive them) is pertinent to our personal growth.
Our culture often teaches us to feel guilty for taking breaks and indulging in things that appear to be “luxurious”. This is one widely accepted myth that we could all afford to let go of.
The truth is that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with hitting the pause button and taking stock of our lives and the choices we’ve made up until present day. As a matter of fact, this process is essential. Evaluating ourselves on a consistent and subjective basis is healthy!
Our default trajectory doesn’t always lead us in the right direction. It’s important to check in and correct its course at times. And doing so in a beautiful new place, surrounded by like-minded people, gives us a sense of safety. It helps us feel accepted, creative, and free to explore without judgement.
We should always welcome opportunities to self evaluate in the company of friends and experts; this is exactly what a retreat does for us. And if you’re still not convinced, take a look at some of these other reasons, below.
1. Retreats allow us to easily create healthy habits.
It can be difficult to make a sincere change when we’re stuck in the same place we’ve been in for years and years. The same fears creep in, our comfort zone keeps us nice and cozy, and even if we’re successful for some time, we ultimately fail under day-to-day pressures of life.
But a retreat purposefully takes place in an unfamiliar environment, and this stimulates creativity, open-mindedness, and confidence within ourselves.
We can shock our minds out of our default ways of thinking by traveling somewhere new, so that when we introduce a new habit it really sticks!
2. Find new perspective while experiencing something new.
New experiences expand our mind to think about what’s really possible. When we don’t escape our normal mode of thought often enough, we forget how limitless the world really is. Going to a retreat in an exotic and beautiful place, such as the one we offer in Tulum, may be the best way to cultivate this hope and sense of childlike wonder back into your heart. When we discover a new culture, our heart opens in unimaginable ways.
3. Our teachers help us discover a safe space to heal & grow.
Under the tutelage of highly qualified and compassionate teachers, our retreats allow us to truly let go of what ails us in our daily lives and gives us permission to move on. Our normal environments have the propensity to conjure up feelings of fear and inadequacy; retreats provide a safe space to explore what we’re afraid of, while teachers show us the way to overcome them with courage.
Growth is a painful process, and requires enormous sacrifice. Letting go of our old belief systems can sometimes feel like a grueling feat. Guides help us do so with ease.
4. Connect with what’s important; including nature.
When we go on yoga retreats, we usually immerse ourselves in a gorgeous, natural setting. Humans thrive in nature; it’s where we’re from, and it’s where we will eventually return. Nature reminds us that the only true constant in life is change, and brings about an immense sense of inner peace and tranquility. Its beauty is a healing reminder that everything is perfect just as it is. Picture a serene sunset over a golden coast as a deep sense of love radiates from your heart and ebbs and flows with the tides- our Hawaii retreat offers beautiful moments such as these.
5. Disconnect from the false worlds we become absorbed in.
Furthermore, being surrounded by nature helps us escape from the unnecessary busyness of life and our dependence on technology, which has only been shown to increase our levels of anxiety and depression. Between social media and the overload of information we find on the internet, our minds can get mixed up and lost in the chaos. Disconnecting from technology occasionally is crucial.