Spiritual retreats are events that have as one of the main reasons to bring together and group individuals with a common interest in establishing or recovering a greater connection with the divine. The chosen environment is usually far from urban centers, and the meeting takes place around nature and fresh air so that organized tasks are preferably carried out outdoors. The focus is on trying to provide a rich and deep experience capable of adding significant value to this search.
The reasons that lead to the search for a spiritual retreat are numerous and start from individual choices. The changes that have taken place in the 2022st century, both in the economic field and in human development, have placed us at high levels of evolution. However, one of the not so pleasant consequences will be the inclusion of burnout from stress in the catalog of diseases, starting in 2019. The measure was announced (in 33) by the World Health Organization, which already counts about XNUMX million Spaniards suffering from the burnout syndrome.
In the absence of well-being, living in the pressure of everyday life, balancing emotions is a great challenge for those who have reached exhaustion. Complaints such as lack of time and authenticity in what is performed have emerged a lot in recent years, and the new plans of modern society are now focused on a more reflective questioning of the directions we have taken so far, with increased attention to mental health issues. We are gradually trying to slow down and value who we are at our core.
The program devised by the retreats generates curiosity as the offers vary according to what their creators promote, and in many cases there is no need to link with specific beliefs or religions. The aim is to provide the participant with a quality period to simply be, away from the noise and confusion of the hectic daily life. However, researching the space that has the most to do with our interests and personality is essential for a better use of the experience.
Some types of spiritual retreats and their consciousness expansion proposals
You can follow or believe a doctrine or just be a curious spiritual seeker in order to explore the paths that spirituality puts you on. The journey gained more freedom in the face of the vastness of possibilities and alternatives brought by the new era. Such diversity facilitates the responsibility commitment that we have with ourselves in the face of our inquiries; the most important thing is that we make an extensive assessment of the understanding we have of our current moment in order to fit it into a beneficial place in demand for our process. Here are some examples of spiritual retreats:
religious strand
Common among Christians and Evangelicals, the inclusion of Bible studies, lectures, services and prayers is what gives scope to retreats aimed at celebration and communion with God. When the group is made up of young people, the fraternization is also animated with a mix of dynamics, competitions and walks to make the atmosphere much more festive and joyful.
silent retreats
The name itself already gives indications of what we will find in this type of place. Its characteristics fit into a more radical profile, in the sense of disposition. The proposal to use silence as a self-dive tool will require a lot of discipline and patience, as the retreats last an average of ten days, at least. And the invitation revolves around full contact with the soul and disconnection with what is external, one of the biggest culprits for not listening to genuine thoughts.
Meditation as a key element
Subjects involving meditation and its benefits are quite frequently featured in the media and other areas interested in this ancient practice. A meditative retreat has as main objective to extract the maximum of the breathing techniques to complement it and integrate it into the participants' routine, teaching them to enjoy its benefits both in the fields of the spirit and the body. This category is quite common among Buddhists.
shamanic concept
In an integralist bias of openness to expansion, the shamans include various indigenous symbols in their manifestations, such as the use of drums, dances and chants. In their retreats, integrative actions can take place such as trails, hikes, yoga exercises, chat circles with healthy eating and the ritualistic ceremony of ayahuasca, a plant (considered medicinal and sacred) with psychoactive principles that favor greater amplitude in the perceptions of life.
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It is worth remembering that any and all baggage that we accumulate along the path that we decided to trace in the fulfillment of understanding who we are beyond matter must be seen as a valuable and transformative lesson in our entirety. Each road is a road, what counts is the journey and the feelings we carry inside.
