Making Your Vacation a Retreat
Summer is here! With the days being so much brighter and longer, I really encourage you to get outdoors and enjoy this special time of year to really feed your body, mind and soul. Many of you will be taking a break from your everyday activities and busy work lives this summer so I would like for you to think about using your vacation as something more than just a vacation, but more of a mini-retreat. Let me explain what I mean by this! Vacations generally cater to our physical pleasure senses, but don’t very often take into consideration those higher senses – yes, you know the ones I mean.
For many of you reading this article, I know that you go on your vacation (whether it’s in this country or overseas) for the purposes of sightseeing, dancing, drinking, sunbathing, swimming, shopping and so on. It’s all about packing as much as we can into a short period of time. I’ve done it myself, so this is not a criticism, but here’s the question I ask you: How many times have you returned from a vacation and said, “I need a vacation from my vacation?”
Retreats and vacations can have such different purposes and outcomes! I can appreciated that some of you will just want to rest on your vacation. That’s fine, but when I refer to a retreat, I think of a place where you can spend time to step back from the pressures and routines of everyday life. Retreats (whether they’re mini-retreats as part of your vacation time, or full blown retreats) enable you to be quiet, to unplug, and to relish in the solitude.
It’s a time to journal your thoughts, but most importantly, it’s a time to be with yourself in communion. By devoting time to strengthening the connection between your body, mind, and spirit, you create a harmonious balance that permeates throughout all areas of your life. By that, I mean your home life, your work life, your social life, your love life, etc.
Even if you’re on vacation with the entire family, try to find a quiet, private place – somewhere you can start to strengthen your connection with your soul. Sit for a few minutes by yourself or take a walk by yourself on the beach or in the woods. Break away from the noise and confusion for as long as you’re able.
This nurturing time offers you a chance to look inwards to connect with your spiritual center for self-discovery and clarification. When it’s time to go back to your normal routine, you’ll have a clearer perspective of how you live, as well as having a more positive focus on the direction for the future. This confident attitude will spread to other areas of your life, and hopefully you’ll continue this ritual of self-improvement and better self-care on a more regular basis, than just vacation times! Remember retreats aren’t necessarily about the quantity of time; it’s more about the quality of time that you spend on yourself that counts.
I hope that even when you get back from your vacation and continue to enjoy the benefits of the these longer days, such as those outdoor barbecues and parties, that you will remember to give yourself and your soul a few moments of your undivided attention. Stop and reflect on the individuals and situations in your life and how you feel about them. It’s a way of dealing with, releasing, and purging the things that have been consuming your vital soul energy and holding you back from living the life you want.
John’s Lesson
On your summer vacation or break this year, I hope that you will make an effort to also enjoy it not only as your vacation, but also as a mini-retreat. Give yourself a chance to be with your soul, nature, and to be in the now. It’s a great way of releasing those stored up tensions and irritations you may have been holding onto.
More and more people are seeking answers and are looking for the tools to find their own inner-self, but with our busy lifestyles and schedules, rarely do we take the time to notice the outer beauty that surrounds us.
When you stop for a moment without all the distractions, it can be quite cathartic as you filter out what’s working and what’s not. Just as we clear our physical spaces of clutter, the energetic fields that are a vital part of our well-being must be cleansed of disruptive energies and emotions. It’s a way of restoring the connection to yourself and your divine inner-wisdom.
So my lesson is a simple one. As you’re planning your vacation this summer … make time for yourself, just you and your soul!
Enjoy the summer – you deserve it!
Live a Soul-filled Life!
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About the Author
John Holland is an American artist, best-selling author, spiritual teacher, and public speaker, who describes himself as a psychic medium. johnholland.com
