Contribution by freelance writer Sally Writes.
Grief is a natural and often expected reaction to the loss of someone beloved and cherished. This does not, of course, mean to imply that bereavement is any less difficult when it occurs. Having to let go of a loved one is undoubtedly one of the hardest things to do - especially when the loss is sudden. The ones left behind suddenly need to find ways to cope and recover. In the midst of loss, a spiritual retreat can be one of the best ways to reach a healthy goodbye. Solace in Silence A loss is never easy to address and in such times there are several signs or manifestations of grief that may invariably damage you and any relationships you have. Anger is common and an undesired, reaction to grief. A spiritual retreat can help you channel your unfiltered emotions and direct them towards healthy outlets that benefit your overall health in the end. It can help you get started on the path to being able to celebrate the wonderful life that was lived instead of focusing on the pain of loss. The silence that is often coupled with spiritual retreats allows you to listen to the thoughts and feelings that you may have been ignoring all this time. Getting In Touch With Core Beliefs A spiritual retreat enables people to leave distractions for a short time and grant an opportunity to relax and reconnect with one’s long-held beliefs. Meditation and counseling are often part and parcel of spiritual retreats. So not only will you be able to leave the noise behind but you’ll be able to hear words that can truly help you process grief in a healthy and manageable way. Whether you’re religious or more spiritual, a retreat is often successful in helping people find their way toward inner peace. Natural and Healthy Processing Sometimes the loss may be so profound that many choose to use clinical substances like antidepressants to help them along. The trouble with this is as long as the emotions are not processed and settled, the reaction will always be there. Medicine is just a stopgap for the symptoms of loss and not loss itself. A spiritual retreat promotes natural and healthy processing of loss through activities designed to attain emotional and mental liberation. Emotions can be tumultuous at times and you will need a private and safe space to let them wash over you. Grief often comes with pain that is both exquisite and overwhelming but this does not mean that you need to be alone to sort them out. In fact, one of the main things that any psychologist will tell you is to seek help whenever you feel that you are at a loss. Spiritual retreats may just be the thing you need to help you come to terms with the reality of the loss and enable you to be able to say goodbye from a place of authenticity.
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What is meditation?Meditation has been used for centuries all over the world. People that have been practicing meditation for a long time can radiate peace and well-being. Meditation is the best tool available to us to find happiness and peace of mind. Yet, despise it being known, practiced and praised for so long it is still not part of our every day life. Why? Maybe because meditation can be both easy and difficult at the same time.
Why is meditation easy? It is free! It is not something only available to the richest people in the world, it is available to anyone! Its does not cost any money, nothing, nada! It is technically easy to do, we just have to sit down and close our eyes. How easy is that! it does not take too much of our precious time. If we can spare twenty minutes a day that`s already plenty. We can always wake up 20 mn earlier, go to bed 20 mn later, or spend 20 mn less on Facebook or watching TV. we don`t have to think hard about anything, on the contrary the less we think the better it is! Why is meditation so difficult? mainly because we identify with our mind AND THE MIND DOES NOT LIKE MEDITATION! What the mind says: ‘i don't have time today’ ‘i`ll do it later’ ‘i`ll start tomorrow’ ‘pfff, it`s too hard’ ‘i don`t want to’ `’i don`t feel like it’ i rather eat, watch TV or check Facebook again’ Why does the mind say that? The main aim of meditation is to quiet the mind. A quiet mind = peace. But the mind itself doesn`t want to be quiet! It wants to be active, busy, heard, listen to. It just wants to talk talk talk!!! Meditation can quieten and stop the mind. The mind does not want to disappear so it will do anything to stop YOU from meditating. It will give give you ALL the excuses in the world not to meditate, EVERY TIME you will try to. YOU are NOT your mind. If you can learn to quieten, stop and control something, it means that THAT THING is not you, it is separate from you. So why should you meditate? Do you want to spend the rest of your life listening and being controlled by a voice in your head which is NOT REALLY YOU? It is like having a TV in our head, switch on all day long on the same channel, with no remote to change channels or turn it off. Meditation is the remote control. What could happen if you start practicing meditation? * you can become in control of your mind * you can become in control of your thoughts * if you control your thoughts, you control your emotions * you will become happier * you will become more peaceful. * no more stress, no more worries * your life will change Shall I start meditation? * If you are 100% happy with your life and yourself, you probably don`t need to * if not, you`ve got nothing to lose, except your mind maybe 😉 We offer regular meditation classes in Byron Bay, NSW, as well as yoga and meditation retreats to teach people how to meditate and implement a regular and easy practice. Check our services on the website or Contact us if you would like more information on the teaching and retreats. Article by freelance writer Sally Writes
With the pressures of today’s society, it is very easy to fall out of touch with who we truly are. What with the difficulties of balancing work and personal commitments and harmful messages from the media that make you feel like you are never ‘enough,’ it is easy to lose track of your true feelings in the struggle to keep up. Luckily there are many ways to reconnect with your inner self. Here are a few to consider. Mindfulness Mindfulness can reduce stress and help you be aware of your own thoughts, emotions and the sensations around you, thus allowing you to connect with your inner-self. Mindfulness is the mental state achieved by focusing your awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. You can cultivate mindfulness through methods such as mindful eating where you really focus on every sensation of the food rather than wolfing it down while scrolling through Facebook. There are many books on mindfulness as well as free resources on mindfulness practice on the internet. If you feel you need some personal help, search for a mindfulness coach in your local area. Meditation The world is finally learning the power of meditation. Across multiple studies meditation has been shown to improve anxiety and depression. Even mentally healthy people can benefit from using meditation to handle stress and promote well being. A less talked about but equally important benefit is using meditation to reconnect with yourself. By turning off the physical and psychological noise around you, meditation allows you to tune into thoughts that you usually miss and maybe tap into abilities you didn’t know you had. Connectedness hacks Whilst these hacks aren’t as effective as a long term change, they can really give you a boost when you are finding it hard to hear your inner voice. Two of the most effective are taking a solo day trip to spend time in nature and turning off your phone to take a social media and communications hiatus for a weekend. Both of these activities are great when you are feeling overwhelmed because they forcibly quiet the background noise and give you breathing space while you recenter yourself. Self-love Self-love is treating yourself with the same kindness you would a dear friend. Recognise and accept your inner needs. Understand you are human and make mistakes. For many people, getting to know and love your inner self is the final piece of the puzzle. This life can be hard and keeping in touch with your inner self can be a challenge. However, it is work well worth doing. Moreover, these methods are enjoyable and add to your quality of life. Give them a try, you deserve it. By Guest blogger Sally Writes
Going on a spiritual vacation is one of the best ways to clear the mind, get in touch with one’s inner self, and achieve enlightenment. Every year, thousands of people go on a spiritual or yoga retreat to refresh their minds, with many travelling all the way to New South Wales to learn meditation techniques and reconnect with nature for a better quality of life. With most people living a fast-paced lifestyle, it seems that the proliferation of mindfulness retreats seem to be timely as more individuals are seeking positive ways to reduce the stress of everyday life. Visiting spiritualist destinations around the world provides many benefits for those in need of spiritual, mental, and physical healing. Moreover, taking a trip to these vacation destinations can contribute to a person’s overall health and happiness as they learn to go on an inner journey and discover deep truths about themselves. Here are all the reasons why you need to go on a spiritual or yoga retreat. You get ample time for self-care Most people eschew self-care as they take on the demands of work and family, but taking some time to care for yourself is crucial to avoid burnout and restore your energy. Just having the time to meditate, pray, read, walk, or do nothing at all can do wonders to help you unwind and reflect on what’s truly important. The Awaken Meditation Retreat in Byron Bay is a fantastic example of a spiritual destination that promotes mindfulness and self-care. The serene vacation spot holds mindfulness and meditation workshops as well as daily yoga lessons to help you quiet your mind, reduce stress, and have inner peace. You become more mindful Going on a spiritual or yoga retreat helps you become more aware of how your actions impact the environment and the people around you. As you grow mindful, you focus on the people around you and you find ways to improve yourself every day. You’ll make healthy choices Some yoga or spiritual vacation destinations provide healthful food during your stay, so your body becomes well-nourished as you feast on fresh food every day. Most retreats also prohibit unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking, and some even require you to go on a technology detox to get the full benefits of the retreat. By going on this type of vacation, your body and mind get a break from all the pollutants and toxins that you get from your daily environment and lifestyle. You’ll look and feel better than you ever did before Doing yoga, meditation, and eating healthy food will make you feel physically and emotionally better. You may find that your muscles don’t ache as they used to, and even your skin glows as your appearance reflects all the tender care that you’re giving your mind and body during your stay. These are all the reasons why you should opt to go on a spiritual or yoga retreat for your next holiday. You’ll find that taking some time to reflect and care for yourself will give you the priceless gift of peace of mind, health, and happiness. Next retreat in Byron Bay from the 18th to 23rd of February 2018. Book Now |
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