Emily Reed, yoga instructor, meditation teacher, and Ayurveda specialist, shares her thoughts on the importance of taking time to retreat!
“Your own Self-Realization is the greatest service you can render the world.” ― Sri Ramana Maharshi
Why go on retreat?
I went on my first yoga retreat in 2005. Looking back, I didn’t know what to expect.
There was something about the silence in the mornings, the calm pace, allowing myself to just “be” and not have to do do do. “Doing” and having to be “ON” was something firmly ingrained in me. I didn’t really know how to operate without it. The daily yoga and meditation practices in beautiful, natural surroundings were key components to my experience which offered me a much needed “SWITCH OFF” at the time.
I was able to find space in my body AND my mind. I had always enjoyed yoga, but I found meditation to be a challenge. However, as the retreat progressed I started to feel the effects. There was a greater sense of stillness and I was able to see things in a more clearly.
It was after that first retreat that I started to WAKE UP to who I was and what I wanted from my life… the way I lived on a day to day basis. I make time to retreat every year. It is a non-negotiable.
And I love leading retreats! It’s like a sacred adventure or journey we all go on together, each having our own space to unwind and explore. A time to let yourself unpick any knots (in body and mind), to self-inquire in a calm, peaceful, and deeply nurturing environment far away from the day to day hubbub of life. I always choose places and venues with very significant, supportive energy – places where nature and the environment act as a cushion.
Thank you, Emily! For more information about Emily’s upcoming Yoga & meditation retreat in Andalusia, May 21-27, email [email protected] or visit: http://bit.ly/andalusia-yoga.
