Transformational retreats are pretty popular right now. So popular that a February 2024 article published by Hello! predicted they would be the hottest travel trend of that year. That’s all well and good, especially if you find a transformational retreat helpful. But what about after the fact? How do you keep the good vibes coming? How do you keep the benefit going long after you have returned home?
The Basics of a Transformational Retreat
Many people don’t know what a transformational retreat is, so let us start there. A transformational retreat is a multi-day getaway, usually in a tranquil location, designed to encourage participants to pursue personal growth. The retreat is not about entertainment. It is not about focusing on a bucket list experience.
Transformational retreat leader and yoga nidra expert Scott Moore says the people who make a regular practice of taking retreats do so because they want to transform themselves. They want to be different, better, and more engaged people.
To that end, Moore says retreat leaders lean on practices like meditation, mindfulness, yoga, and sound healing. Retreat leaders are yoga teachers and shamans. They are skilled in ancient eastern practices rooted in the connection between body, mind, and spirit.
Taking the Retreat Home With You
With transformation retreat basics out of the way, let’s get to the main point of this post: how to keep the benefits going long after returning home. There are five things to consider, beginning with one mentioned in the Hello! piece:
1. Intentionally Remember How You Felt
The Hello! post reminded readers to remember how they felt during the retreat. I will go one step further to suggest that any remembrance be intentional. In other words, you make a point of purposely recalling the feelings you experienced while on retreat. It needs to be intentional so that you don’t forget.
Why remember? Because those feelings provide motivation to practice the remaining four things on this list. You will be more motivated when things get tough by a desire to recreate what you felt during your retreat days.
2. Integrate Retreat Practices
Next, make a point of integrating retreat practices in your day-to-day. Was yoga something you did on retreat? You can practice yoga nidra at home in 10-15-minute increments. You can also take a weekly yoga class if you have the time. Integrating retreat practices brings the retreat home with you.
3. Build on Healthy Habits
You undoubtedly learned about some healthy habits on retreat. A good example is mindfulness. Begin building on that by practicing mindfulness whenever you can. Make mindfulness part of your daily routine. Another healthy habit is journaling. Anyone can keep a journal.
4. Connect to a Community
You will find it easier to keep the benefits of a transformational retreat going if you connect to a community of like-minded people. Look around. Yoga studios and support groups are great places to find others looking for the same kind of transformation.
5. Maintain an Open Mind
Your transformational retreat may have introduced you to nature therapy and mindful movement. You may have learned how to practice better self-awareness. The possibilities are endless. As such, the last item on the list is maintaining an open mind. As you go through the journey with your community, you will be exposed to new ideas and perceptions. Embrace them.
A transformational retreat is so named because it can literally change a person’s life. Drastic change is more likely to occur when participants keep the benefits going long after a retreat has ended. Fortunately, doing so is very possible.
