Spiritual retreat, a journey to self knowledge
All spiritual traditions place great emphasis on spiritual retreats. From
time immemorial, it has been common for spiritually-minded people to enter
into seclusion to ponder the existence and meaning of God, Spirit, Love,
Truth or whatever they call that higher power. They are trying to understand
their innermost nature and meet the Creator face to face, or at least have
a vision, a glimpse of that inner truth and realise the supreme consciousness,
becoming free from all limitations.
These retreats could be for a few days or many years of intense spiritual practices. Today, the tradition of retreating from the world for a period of time, to find the answers to the meaning of life and rediscover one's true nature is still alive. People from all walks of lives, monks, sannyasins living in busy monasteries or ashrams, yogi/nis and other spiritual seekers living at home in busy cities, or else leave their places of residence and work to start retreats with sometimes intense practices, and meditations.
In a retreat, they try to gather all the dissipated energies of the body and mind, into a single determined purpose, to become more and more in tune with their own self, and connect with the spirit within. The primary purpose of a retreat is to help one progress further on the inner spiritual journey. It is a time of self discovery, self analysis, self knowledge, self acceptance, and self awareness. During the retreat one abides in the "here and now", in that great reality.
Group retreats
In modern society, although solitary retreats are still available, in caves, forests, the Himalayas or in forest dwellings, more and more people meet to be part of a group retreat, not too far from their home in beautiful and quiet surroundings. Together they will pray, meditate, practice yoga, pranayama, relaxation, and receive spiritual teachings. The extraordinary thing about a successful retreat is the descent of the Spirit, that wonderful experience when somehow people will open their hearts, and accept each other's vulnerabilities, and share in the wonders and suffering of their life. The ego boundaries dissolve in the light of the Self and the inner joy stream forth. Participants become enthused with spirit. They share the light of compassion and feel a peaceful joy in their hearts.
Nowadays Group retreats have a programme that the participants follow. Beyond the programme, they learn not only through words, but through silence and introspection. Most teachers explain that the essential teachings are given when the mind is silent.
The group retreats often offer times for aloneness. In these peaceful moments of introspection, contemplative meditation and silence one can reconnect with spirit. During the time dedicated to analytic meditation we can listen to our heart and follow the inner guidance and intuition. It is the flowering of an inner relationship with the divine within. With the help of meditation, yoga and other spiritual practices one starts the ascent of spirit.
Many great saints retreated from the world. Jesus went in the desert for forty days, Moses ascended Mount Sinai. Alone, in the silence they commune with God. In the lives of saints, what is most remarkable is the combination of retreating from, and being in the world. There is a time when intense spiritual practices are done and another time when filled with divine energy and grace, they blessed the world with their luminous presence. Their remarkable ability to retreat, but also to engage themselves in serving the masses, is more than admirable.
We can emulate their example by taking spiritual retreat few times a year thus recharging our batteries and returning to the world with our body more open, our mind and heart more enlightened and ready to share our light with the world. Thus our lives can be a balance between retreats and facing the challenges of the world.
In the Yoga Retreat of the centre that Padma leads all over the world we aim to create a loving and peaceful atmosphere where the participants will listen to their body, understand their minds and emotion so that they can grow spiritually. Our tools are the practice of yogic postures, meditation, relaxation, visualisation, relaxation, and spiritual teachings. The daily meditation, visualisation, and introspection are times when they can return to essence, their innermost nature, and discover who they truly are. The retreats are also a time to return, rest, and restore, and heal from past wounds and nurture themselves. The participants will explore the various phases of life to find a deeper meaning to who they are, what their purposes are and how to practice the presence of the spirit and bring it into every day life. They harness their inner power, develop their intuition and connect more and more with the divine within and without. The Yoga Retreats are an extraordinary time for self discovery and integration.
When the retreat is over they take back with them whatever lessons they have learned and integrate them in their daily lives. They are more peaceful, joyful, centred, and live in the world as positive, radiant beings sharing with others the gifts of the Divine. Thus as the Buddha taught they become 'a light unto themselves and a lamp on the path of others.