The Magic of a Personal Retreat

"We hear voices in solitude we never hear in the hurry and turmoil of life; we receive counsels and comforts we get under no other condition." --Amelia Barr

photo (c) iStockphoto.com/pixhook

My goal for today is to inspire you to take a personal retreat!  Your first objection might be that you can't take the time for a retreat.  When I go for 4 nights, I come back with ideas that actually save me time in the long run. Really!

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There's no one right way to do this, but I'll show you how I conduct my own personal retreats.  As you read, notice the things that would work best for you...and the parts of my retreats that don't appeal to you.

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Imagine this as a virtual tour of what a personal retreat can be.  Then jot down  what you'd love to include in your retreat plans, and imagine a virtual tour of your ideal retreat experience!

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I've been very fortunate to find a retreat center in Reading, PA, that has very reasonable rates and is just 30 minutes from my home.  If you live in the Mid-Atlantic States here in the US, you're welcome to email me for more details about this particular center at scleaver@dejazzd.com.

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I began a ritual of going on retreats regularly back in September, 2011, when one of my health care professionals warned me that I was headed for burn-out if something didn't change soon.

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I had been under prolonged stress due to a family crisis, and it was wearing down my physical and emotional health.  (You don't have to wait for a crisis...regular retreats now will help you deal with obstacles and ups and downs that may confront you later.)

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O.K., on to the juicy stuff!

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photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Tina Lorien

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My intuition waits patiently for me to reach a relaxed and quiet state, even if it takes days.  Then I find ideas and solutions raining down onto the pages of my journal! 

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photo (c) iStockphoto.com/4FR

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 When I go on a personal retreat, I don't take "input" materials with me, such as books for example.  Here's what I do take, along with my clothes, toothbrush, etc.:

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~my camera

~items to make a small altar in my room

~my sketch pad and pencils

~sea salt and a basin for relaxing foot soaks

~my journal and pens

~snacks

~three beautiful scarves to decorate my room

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And that is it!  I don't take anything else to read, listen to, or do.  It's very important that I make my environment different from home.

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I love my home, but if I brought along the things I usually get input from at home, my habits of thought would stay almost the same, and I'd lose much of the benefit of the retreat.  My mind would be too full and noisy to hear the nuggets of wisdom being revealed to me! 

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"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." --Martin Luther King, Jr.

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 The grounds around the retreat house are also very conducive to contemplation and relaxation.  Each room has a large window with a comfy chair strategically placed for enjoying the view.

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I get just enough socialization at mealtimes and from exchanging a few words with the others I may pass in the hall or outside.

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So, that sums up what works best for me during a personal retreat.

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photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Igor Demchenkov

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But everyone is different, of course.  Please click "Comments" below and let my other readers and me know what has worked for you. 


If you haven't tried a personal retreat yet, please comment on what you imagine would work for you.  That will help you to gain clarity and motivation, and it will inspire the rest of us!

"Awareness, in and of itself, is curative."  --Robert Marrone

Thanks, 

Susan

***All of Susan's creative4life posts are (c) Susan Cleaver.***

***Member of TriCounty Community Network at www.tcnetwork.org***

photo (c) iStockphoto.com/CGinspiration

LOCAL EVENTS

Healthy Lifestyles EXPO, April 20, 2012, 9:30 to 1:30, in Pottstown, PA

Call 610-326-9563 to learn more!

  

 World Labyrinth Day: Walk as One, at 1:00 ~ May 5, 2012

  Sally Martin, Facilitator ~ Pottstown, PA 

 email Susan at scleaver@dejazzd.com for details.

SPECIAL OFFERS ~ GLOBAL

I'm currently offering special pricing of 25% off all my services, including coaching by phone.  This pricing is subject to change after June 30, 2012.

Also, I'm currently waiving the fee on all initial exploratory sessions!  This gives both of us the opportunity to test-drive a possible coaching partnership with no further obligation.  This complementary session offer is subject to change after September 21, 2012.  To set up an appointment, email me at  scleaver@dejazzd.com.

A WORD TO THE WISE

"Dr. Amen's ANT's" has been on my top-ten most popular post list for quite a while.  Check it out by going to November 17, 2008, in the archives. 

You may be familiar with some of Dr. Amen's work. He has about four books published.  He's been on a few PBS special programs in his role as an expert on the relationship between the brain and behavior.

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Goal Setting for Audacious Self-Care

~Complimentary Coaching Hot Line on Thursday, February 10!~

See details at the end of this post.

photo (c) iStockphoto.com/PeskyMonkey

Greetings, readers! If you haven't read about the Audacious Self-Care Community yet, please read my post from last week! This is a year-long opportunity to get and give support around how to take the best possible care of our selves, especially during the recession.

O.K., last week I promised I'd write more about goals. In my November post (You might want to check that one out, too.), I wrote about a popular goal-setting method called SMART Goals. The idea is to use this acronym to remember these elements of a great goal. Is your goal Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time Bound?

photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Marek Uliasz

I've used this SMART method for several years, and it has been very useful for me. My only problem has been with the last descriptor, Time Bound, especially when too many elements of the goal were out of my control.

If the "control factor" drops below about 75%, though, I feel that I'm making an uninformed decision. Then if I don't reach the quotas in my plan, I feel demoralized. I need to remember that I 'm stepping on the toes of my silent partner, Intuition. If the decision is that difficult for me, then I'm probably not the one to make it.

So, for goals where I have limited control or information, I use what I call STAR Goals:

S for Significant

Design a goal for your Audacious Self-Care that gets you out of your comfort zone. That may be a little scary, but that's O.K. You'll be moving forward, which is much more rewarding than spinning your wheels with a goal that requires only "busy work." Busy work comes from fear. It makes you feel productive while avoiding the real change you want to make.

T for Teamwork

Create an inter-developmental relationship with a partner or group. The interplay of your ideas will help you both stay motivated and to maintain flexible thinking. This is true whether you're working on the same goals or different ones. A little cross-pollination may be just what you need!

A for Accountability

Find at least one person who is willing to hold you accountable for completing what you've said you would do. If you're feeling a lot of internal resistance, you may need to check in with this person several times a day. Create a scoreboard for yourself if that helps.

R for Realistic

Design your goal so that it feels like a bit of a stretch (remember: no "busy work"). If you're feeling some excitement and some fear at the same time, that's a good sign that your goal is realistic. When you're planning, take into consideration your current responsibilities and leave room for the unexpected. Feeling overwhelmed is not only stressful but actually detrimental. Pushing through overwhelm is not a "badge of honor." Remember, this is Audacious Self-Care! Respect your limits and don't let your STAR burn out.

photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Diana Walters


I was inspired to develop STAR Goals after I heard Master Coach Dave Buck say that for the big plans he's working on now, he doesn't know when they will be complete. He's just going to keep at it until he gets the numbers he wants, even if it takes a few years!

If your goal doesn't inspire you to keep going without a specific end date, maybe you need to find a goal that you're more passionate about.

Comments and Questions, Please!

As you create your Audacious Self-Care Goals for "The Possible You," please let us know how the experience went for you. What goal-setting method did you use? What questions do you have? What advice do you have for us from your experience? What emotions do you feel when you think about your goals?

Remember, being a member of the Audacious Self-Care Community has no strings. You don't have to share your email address with me. There will be many complimentary activities to participate in. You don't have to participate in the reasonably-priced activities unless you are comfortable doing so.

I believe that being in the community will ease the sting of the recession for those who participate. I can't abide with the idea that when people need help the most is also when they can least afford it. Let's work together to pull ourselves out of that cycle!

Thank you,

Susan

P.S. I'm hosting a complimentary Coaching Hot Line on Thursday, February 10, 2011, from Noon to 8:00 pm Eastern! Just call at the top of one of these hours for a session of approximately 30 minutes. (First to call, first to be served at the top of each hour.)

Your only responsibility is to pay any long-distance charges from you phone provider. No prior registration is required. Just pick the top of the hour that works for you and call the Hot Line Number, 610-385-3766. This type of exploratory session is a $35 value!

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P.P.S. This Saturday, February 5, 2011, from 3:00 to 6:00 pm Eastern, join us for a peaceful journey around the labyrinth while listening to soothing live music! This opportunity is available in Pottstown, PA, for a small donation. Complimentary Reiki will also be available! Call me for more information at 610-385-3766 or email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com. This is a great chance to practice Audacious Self-Care!

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***All of Susan's posts are copyright of Susan Cleaver.***

***Proud, active member of the TriCounty Community Network at http://www.tcnetwork.org/.***

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Meditative Journaling

Dedicated to Our Wonderful Participants at the June Women's Retreat...

At a weekend retreat I co-facilitated a few weeks ago, we experimented with doing some very unstructured journaling immediately after the meditative experience of completing an 11-circuit finger labyrinth. I'd like to share my results with you, followed by some more meditative activities that can enhance your journaling.

Upon completion of the labyrinth, my mind presented me with an image of a piece of loosely woven cloth. I drew the image, and these are the words that followed, unedited:

I am a weaver of life's threads...even the ones that some may think are too short to save. Every piece contributes to the holistic life. A glint of gold here, a splash of silver there. Quiet colors, lively textures...whispers and nubs. Thick pieces and thin pieces, inviting us to touch its amazing geography. Life's bumps and windy spots. So windy, we can't always see too far ahead. But we don't need to. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other...follow your nose. And trust.

You'll be surprised at what's rumbling around in your mind! In addition to using labyrinths, other activities to try just before journaling are:
~exercise
~sleep
~Reiki
~bathing
~relax in nature
~sitting meditation
~receive a massage

Experiment with these, and please let my readers and me know what you experience!

My best to you,
Susan

P.S. Contact me at scleaver@dejazzd.com to set up a discounted introductory session of Coaching or Reiki! Coaching can be done by phone or in person.

***All of Susan's creative4life posts are copyright of Susan Cleaver.***

***Member of the TriCounty Community Network, a local collaborative for the betterment of health, social, and environmental factors.***

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Multi-Tasker's Delight!

Greetings!

Are you a multi-tasker? Here's a buffet of practices and healing modalities that double as jump-starts for your creativity and intuition!

Hydrotherapy
Let's start with a very easy and accessible one that you do already every time you take a shower! Your mind wanders and leaves space for the ideas to come through. A bath is great, too, and a whirlpool is even better! What a great invitation for your right brain to kick into gear!

Journaling
Journaling expert Kathleen Adams calls her journal her "79-cent therapist," because it's always ready to listen without judgement. Julia Cameron, best-selling author of The Artist's Way, has an exercise in that book called "Blasting Through Blocks" that I use a lot in my journaling.

The guided journal I've written, The Whispering Heart, contains fifty quotes and accompanying questions to get your thoughts moving. It's available through me for $10 US. Please email me for more information at scleaver@dejazzd.com. Tax and shipping will depend on where you live.
Or you can ask for a free 5-page sample!

Meditation
Meditation is also great for getting out of your own way to let the ideas and intuitions come through. Meditating with a group is even more powerful. If you have trouble with sitting meditation, try walking meditation. The rhythm of the movement is a plus.

Reiki
Intuitive pops are common during Reiki treatments for both the giver and the receiver. Reiki practitioners generally see this get stronger over time in themselves. Level One practitioners can give Reiki to others and to themselves.

If you'd like to know more about Reiki, you can send me your questions anytime at scleaver@dejazzd.com. I've been at the Master-Teacher Level of Reiki for about a year, and I've noticed some interesting ways that is has affected my outlook (and therefore my output.)

Massage
Again, this is a way to open the door and let the "still, small voice" be heard. I particularly love Shiatsu massage, which works by stimulating the accupressure points along the body's meridians.

However, as long as the method you choose is gentle enough to be relaxing, I believe it can double as a welcome mat for creative ideas and intuition.

Dream Study
You can do this on your own, or better yet, with a therapist who is experienced in working with dreams. Dreams are loaded with creative and intuitive messages! A good therapist will know what questions to ask to help you make connections between your waking life and your dream life. Keep a notebook and pen by your bed so the dreams don't slip away. The symbols and metaphors will amaze you!

Labyrinth Walks
This ancient form of meditation takes you on a meandering path to the center of the Labyrinth, where you can sit and meditate for a while and then meander back out. It produces a similar quieting of the mind as I have discussed above, and again, it invites your creativity and intuition to come out of hiding.

There are indoor Labyrinths, outdoor Labyrinths, and even finger Labyrinths that I've seen carried in catalogs. Give it a try!

Life Coaching
Coaches are trained to ask expansive questions, to be thoughtful listeners, and to be effective brainstorming partners. We also encourage you and hold you accountable during that bumpy stretch between your "ah-ha!" and your finished product.

Please contact me for a free trial phone session at scleaver@dejazzd.com!

Gestalt Therapy
This is an interesting and revealing ride, and your imagination is in the driver's seat! The therapist will guide you as you act out dialogues between one part of yourself and another or between you and another person, object, animal, dream figure or creative project! And because you are doing this without forethought, you get to the heart of the issue quickly. Your left brain doesn't have time to interfer or object!

Please post your comments about your experiences with these practices!

Thanks,
Susan