They retreat because in the city it’s hard to think clearly, but if every time you want to rejuvenate your mind you jump a bus to a forest, you’ll be taking more time traveling than doing those things you wish to retreat to find out about.So, the secret is a five minute, anytime you want it, retreat
1. Authenticate ..... nothing adds value to a turbulent life more than authentic simplicity. That's a requirement of a retreat, simply cut down the multi-skilling, do one thing at a time, do it well, then do the next. This alone will ease the stress of a manic day
2. Masticate .. Glucose is needed for the brain to work, and the most important thing for you to enjoy, relax and chill out on retreat is a happy, healthy mind. Sugars produce short term stabs of glucose for the brain and then starve the brain soon after. What we need are low GI carbs and proteins consumed at two hour intervals (maximum) to sustain good brain function and therefore a healthy headspace. Remember to chew that's where food nutrition originates.
3. Appreciate.. What we don't appreciate, depreciates us. On retreat we get really thankful. You hear it over and over, people on retreat thankful for a glass of water, a lovely flower or bed at night. Thankful People live longer, stay happier and have incredible foresight. It's not only essential for the five minute retreat but it's really important to stay in relationships.
4. Incubate .. The human right to be alone and quiet is under attack. We're under attack by media but mostly we're under attack by ourselves. We're just not turning off stuff, often enough. This leads to mental overrun a term I use to represent our ever increasing incapacity to finish what we're doing, and turn up at the next meeting, emotionally. We carry anger, frustration, excitement, worry and all sorts of unfinished business from one meeting to the next, it accumulates and this become the norm. There's no need for it, we can clean up before we move on, in fact, cleaning up our emotions and thoughts is how we do move on. That's the essence of a retreat, clearing the past.
5. Celebrate ... Human Nature thrives best in Nature. Being human is easy when you're out in nature, it brings peace and harmony to every life. The greatest tragedy of our time is that we marvel at scientific discovery, fight over religious principles and love technology and yet, in the simple magnificence of nature there is all the glory and inspiration we could ever dream of. It's this awareness that makes being in nature the essential ingredient of retreats for monks, nuns, entrepreneurs, and healers... And nature exists right outside your front door. We don't need to go far do we? Celebrate Nature .. all else flows from this.
