Vacation. The word implies we are vacating something. Certainly we vacate our home and our day-to-day routine to go somewhere else. But when we arrive, there we are. Often we repeat the same behavior patterns just in a different location. We over-schedule our time, over-spend, eat poorly, and worry about how we look in our bathing suit. At the other extreme, we are at a loss as to what to do with ourselves once we arrive. This type of vacation can leave us exhausted or frustrated rather than rejuvenated. Thankfully, there is new option that some are calling "Transformational Travel".
Many savvy vacationers are seeking this new type of get away that offers inner as well as outer change. We are talking about Vacation-Retreats. They come in many flavors: Yoga Retreats, Meditation Retreats, Raw Food Retreats, and Artists Retreats to name a few. retreats include a framework of daily activities geared toward self-discovery, healing and rejuvenation and also offer plenty of free time to relax and explore. Many offer special healthy meals designed to purify and rejuvenate the body. Most are held at secluded retreat centers offering peace and serenity and spa services such as Jacuzzis, saunas, and massage therapy.
Why not take a risk and do it differently. Rather than, vacating, get more present with yourself and experience personal growth and transformation.
This is a great way to explore new avenues of health, well being and creative expression in a supportive environment. If you talk to anyone who has been on one of these retreats you usually hear stories like this one from Jennifer Lynn of Santa Cruz California: "I was stuck in a career I did not enjoy and had been vacationing in large hotels spending my time drinking by the pool. I would return feeling worse. Then a friend invited me on a Yoga Retreat on Maui. It was the most relaxing revitalizing experience I’d ever had. The people were peaceful and kind; the yoga classes strengthened and opened my body and my heart. I saw a whole new way of being in the world. I returned with the courage to leave my dull career and seek a more joyful lifestyle."
