In planning my trip to Maui for my Spring Renewal Retreat in March I am reminded just how life altering these journeys into nature are for the body and soul. One of the greatest gifts we can give ourSELF is the space and time to merge with nature and align to her inherent rhythm and that innate state of bliss. Below are 6 of my favorite practices to apply to your time on retreat and into everyday life.
TUNING INTO NATURE”S RHYTHM.
Taking time in nature can be one of the most healing practices we can adopt. We are an extension of Mother Nature and when we spend time immersed in her magnificence we awaken a deep sense of belonging to something so much bigger than the little self. This deep resonance is felt when we watch a sunset, soak in a waterfall or get lost in a lush forest of beautiful giant trees. Nature is speaking to us at all times and responds back to us when we show her severance and love.
TAKE TIME TO GET STILL AND DISCOVER YOUR BREATH.
Rushing, distraction, worrying and judging all lead us to live in a state of reactivity. The discipline of slowing down and creating mindful pauses gives us an opportunity to clear the fog created by the active ego mind so that we can navigate from a place of greater clarity, intention, awareness, and compassion. Your breath is your most powerful reset button and will always direct you into back to the present stage where life is happening.
SHIFT PERSPECTIVE.
Stay curious and invite the Unknown into your life! Begin to notice how much of your day is spent living in the past or worrying/planning the future. Our attitude toward life is often times colored by these intangible thoughts and can lead us to unnecessary suffering and anxiety. Your world is a reflection of your state of mind and your body is a reflection of your state of consciousness. It only takes catching yourself in that cycle to break it and pave new roads to your desired future and self. In shifting your thinking pattern you shift your electromagnetic vibration and begin to feel differently, see the world through different eyes and attract more of what you are aligned with.
LISTEN & LEARN FROM OTHERS.
Listening is an art and act of mindful living. Getting to know different people and learning to truly listen to their story without having to agree, critique or change it is a practice of presence, compassion and acceptance. There are many paths and when we can eliminate the right-wrong-good-bad from someone else’s journey we give them permission to be who they truly are. The practice lies in seeing the highest form of consciousness in every individual even when we disagree with what they are presenting. This shift of focus reminds us of our sameness as humans, and quietly invites their light to emerge from within.
TAKE TIME TO BE ALONE.
There is so much joy to be found in the practice of spending time with yourself. With dedicated practice, a deeper love, acceptance and self-reliance will emerge. The art of self-reliance will help you let go, surrender rigid attachments and shift our focus from external identities. We are truly never alone being that we are an extension of everything around us. Taking time for solitude gives us the space to commune with who we are at our core, our inherent wholeness and an extension of supreme infinite intelligence.
MERGE WITH YOUR GREATNESS.
If Yoga and Meditation teach us anything it’s to work through our physical attachments and identities so that we can embody bliss on a daily basis. The postures are doorways to a place of greater resonance with nature. We may get stuck and obsess on the allure of the door, or we can choose to walk through and let them lead us inward. As we release blocked energy and stressors that keep us bound and create dis-ease, we begin to move into a more effortless state of stillness. There is no need to control in this space. We can now sit , close our eyes and merge with that source of unity and pure bliss that awaits us always.
