PAUSE: A Personal Retreat

Pleasance Shamirah

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Apr 8, 2022

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Signs that you may need a retreat:

You feel very distracted, you are experiencing inconsistent sleep, you are bloated, you have inconsistent elimination. You just need a break from it all to replenish, restore, revitalize and renew. We have a number of resources for you to use during your retreat, here.

Mini or FULL Retreat

1. Pick a day/ time and put on your calendar. Communicate with anyone who may need to know “ Hey, I’m busy during this day/time.” I typically hold my personal retreats either 3 hours or 6 hours, just depending on the season and how I’m feeling. It also helps me with planning to see which one is accessible at this time.
2. Look at the season in nature. What is the season inviting you to do with this time? By reflecting on nature first, you will get some wisdom as to what you will do with your retreat day. You don’t need any fancy guides or information to know that in Spring, we are blooming and it’s a great time to journal about your dreams and desires or that in Winter, it’s inviting us to be warm, cozy and go inward, see what each season is inviting your heart to lean into. I have been using this book since 2011 to plan my retreats.
3. Now, the fun part! You have 2 ways to approach the retreat time..

The planned retreat: For this version, chose a book to read, some journal prompts to answer, map out how you want to spend the time. I suggest most of the time should be in silence, if possible. Have simple food and drink water and tea, on purpose. Find a trail to hike or somewhere to walk in nature as part of your retreat time. Maybe walk in the woods and pause for a personal picnic to read, journal, and rest. But map out how you want to use/ spend your time. If you live in a house with lots of peeps right now, you can put yourself in a room, or communicate your plan, so your people know what you are doing and what to expect.

The unknown retreat: This is one of my favorite ways to spend time, when I can’t leave the city to go on retreat. I pack a bag for the day. Some snacks, water, book, journal and I just head out. I let my intuition guide me the whole time, perhaps it’s only a few blocks away from home, perhaps it’s a super long walk andI just pause when she says to pause, notice what she wants me to notice. I have no set schedule for the day. Sometimes I stop and read or write, and sometimes I just walk and listen to relaxing music and breathe.

4. ENJOY your time. Sit with what comes up. To be honest, sometimes when I am alone on one of my retreats, an emotion or insight will come up that is not so fun. I just let it flow through me and I notice that I always feel better after, lighter and more integrated into my life.

Tips & Ideas

Here are just a few things to get your inspiration and creativity flowing for your retreat..

I love to take a break from the “normal” routine. So this may mean, just having fresh juices and teas all day instead of my normal food, or taking a break from social media or TV or anything that would invite a more RETREAT-ish atmosphere in my heart. This break in your norm, will vary just depending on your lifestyle.

think about : food, drinks, nature, rest, read poetry, use a candle for meditation, a journal for soul writing, a new trail for exploring, put yourself in your cozy clothes, take a bath with salts and candles and music, stretch and lay on your belly, pull a tarot or oracle card and reflect on it as the intention for the day, create or collage something with markers or paints.. it all counts.

And as always, share with me what you create!

Sample 3 hour retreat:

9am- Opening Intention/ Blessing with self

9:15am- walk

10am- stretch & meditate

11am-tea and fruit

11:15am- Journal & Read

12:00 Closing Blessing, GRATITUDE

Sample FULL DAY Retreat

9am- Opening Intention/ Blessing

9:15- Stretch

10:00- Journal& Tea/ Snack

11:00- WAlK

12- Prepare lunch. sit quietly, silently to eat, possibly outdoors

1- bath

2-stretch and meditate/nap

3pm- Closing Blessing and GRATITUDE

I love hearing what you come up with and what the experience is like, pleasance@lilomm.com