The 7 benefits of spiritual retreats

The lifestyle of Western societies leads many people to experience stress and other problems that affect their emotional well-being. because mental and physical health have a lot to do with the routines and actions we carry out daily, with the habits we have and the guidelines we follow. Our life style determines our well-being and happiness to a greater extent.

A good diet, physical exercise, enjoying leisure time and meditating are some healthy alternatives. Regarding this last point, the practice of mindfulness It has become fashionable in recent years. It consists of developing a mental state that makes it possible to remain attentive in the here and now, in being aware with acceptance.

Knowing that this practice has many advantages for our mental and physical health, many people decide to attend spiritual retreats in which Mindfulness and Vipassana Meditation are performed, a type of meditation that helps to see things as they are, without judging them.

• Related article: "The 8 types of meditation and their characteristics"

The benefits of a spiritual retreat

Spiritual retreats are more than stays and moments to rest and isolate yourself from the big cities in search of peace and tranquility. The retreats offer a space to meet with oneself and mental recovery, through meditation and yoga, all in a natural environment.

Below we will review several reasons why you should make a spiritual retreat.

1. A space to find inner peace

Retreats are an excellent opportunity to put aside our daily lives and provide an ideal space to find inner peace and tranquility necessary away from the hustle and bustle of the cities. They are spaces where it is possible to find silence and nature, and they are generally found in secluded places, which favor reflection and self-knowledge. That is why it is an excellent opportunity to breathe fresh air, listen to the sounds of nature and connect with yourself and with nature.

2. Disconnect from the daily routine

The fact of taking a few days off away from the city in itself allows you to get out of the routine of the day day, but thanks to the withdrawals, it is also possible to completely disconnect, even from the new technologies. Thanks to Mindfulness, we can stop living on autopilot, and it allows us to reconnect with ourselves and with our inner self.

3. Reduce stress

By letting go of hyperconnection and daily routine thanks to the practice of Mindfulness, meditation and staying in retreats, stress levels drop. And it is that the rhythm of life in western societies can lead many people to suffer from stress, causing psychological health problems. Studies suggest that meditation and mindfulness reduce cortisol levels, a hormone released in response to stress. In this sense, the retreats provide their participants with a state of calm and serenity and, in this way, cortisol levels decrease, also causing blood pressure to drop.

4. See problems from another perspective

Sometimes, being in the middle of a problem (whether as a couple, at work, etc.) does not allow us to reflect and see things from another perspective. Getting out of the daily routine and day to day and taking time to meditate and practice Mindfulness can help us assess the pros and cons of our situation, to be aware of what happens to us and to make better decisions. Mindfulness makes it easier for us to start working on I observer. In general, the tranquility of a retreat allows us to see things from another perspective, which also has an impact on our emotional management and well-being.

5. Socialize

The retreats allow you to share time with people who are concerned about improving their well-being and, therefore, offer the opportunity to spend unique moments with people who are looking for inner peace. Withdrawals too provide an opportunity to make friends with whom you can maintain contact after returning from the stay.

6. Access to professional guides

The retreats include exercises or expert advice sessions that allow you to see your flaws and perfect your meditative practice and, therefore, your spiritual, mental and physical well-being. These sessions are usually adapted to your needs and help you not only improve your well-being during the retreat, but also so that what you learn can be applied to your daily life.

7. All the benefits of meditation and Mindfulness

Retreats are intensive sessions where you can improve your Mindfulness and meditation practice. This brings with it several benefits in different facets of life.

• Related article: "Mindfulness: 8 benefits of mindfulness"

A new relationship with our focus of attention

Spiritual retreats are a good way to train ourselves in the ability to focus our attention on what really matters: the present. Its simplicity is that by staying away from everything that is familiar, it is easier not to be tempted to fall into the rumination and disconnect from our obsessions and recurring ideas.

The environments in which spiritual retreats are held, definitely, do not have their raison d'etre only in tradition or aesthetics; They are really designed like this to get away from the constant reminders of what usually worries us on a daily basis. Knowing how to take advantage of Mindfulness and meditation also involves being aware of the way in which we can influence our mental processes by changing our environment. Personal evolution never occurs in isolation in an individual, translates into the way in which he takes advantage of his possibility of exposing himself to different contexts and stimuli.

Do you want to learn to practice yoga?

The school of yoga and meditative arts Matrika Yoga School It is one of the most outstanding centers in our country and for more than 10 years it has been directed by Pablo Ferreiro, Official Professor of Yoya Iyengar by RIMYI and a Diploma in Yogic Studies.

It is a holistic center located in San Lorenzo del Escorial (Madrid) and it offers yoga classes and also spiritual retreats based on the modalities of Iyengar Yoga, Integral Yoga, Hatha, Vinyasa Krama and Ayurveda. To find out more, contact their team at this page.