Escaping the Daily Grind: A Call for a Relaxing Retreat
In the latest podcast episode titled "Retreat from the Day-to-Day Life," host Pico Iyer delves into the world of long-term retreats, a practice that offers a respite from the constant noise and distractions of daily life.
Pico Iyer, a writer who lost his home in a wildfire, found solace in retreats as they provided a rare opportunity to slow down, disconnect, and confront one's inner life without interruption. This pause offers clarity and a sense of rootedness that daily life often obscures. Iyer emphasizes the unexpected gift of solitude and quietness in fostering creativity and understanding one's place in the world.
Plant scientist Monica Gagliano shares her unique experiences, having immersed herself in a 39-day darkness retreat. This immersive period allowed her to observe nature more closely and deepen her awareness of non-human life. Gagliano's perspective highlights how retreats can rejuvenate the mind and spirit by reconnecting participants to their environment and facilitating a form of communication and learning beyond words.
The podcast episode features conversations with individuals who have made retreats a part of their life. One such individual is the writer, who found retreats different from their everyday life. They shared how a day of complete silence for a yoga retreat helped them appreciate personal interactions more deeply. The writer also became a 200-hour registered yoga teacher and learned about anatomy, Sanskrit, and the history of the practice during the retreat.
Writer Pico Iyer has been going to a Benedictine Hermitage in Big Sur, California for over 30 years and has been on more than 100 retreats there. He considers his daily walk a mini-retreat that opens him up to the beauty around him or to ideas in his head.
During these retreats, participants cook together, take long hikes, and talk all night. The retreats offer a chance for mental and philosophical exploration, allowing participants to delve into new ideas and perspectives.
In conclusion, long-term retreats are not just about escape but about entering a different rhythm of life that promotes mindfulness, healing, and transformation through solitude, nature, and deep contemplation. This kind of retreat allows for profound personal change by slowing the pace and creating space for insight that cannot occur amid the constant demands of daily routines.
[1] Quotes taken from the podcast episode "Retreat from the Day-to-Day Life" featuring Pico Iyer and Monica Gagliano. The exact location or date of the retreats mentioned in the episode are not specified.
- Pico Iyer's experiences in long-term retreats have helped him find solace, disconnect from daily distractions, and foster creativity, understanding his place in the world, and personal growth.
- Monica Gagliano's immersion in darkness retreats enabled her to deepen her awareness of nature, rejuvenate her mind and spirit, and even facilitated communication and learning beyond words with non-human life.
- Participants in these retreats engage in activities such as cooking, long hikes, and late-night discussions, providing an opportunity for mental and philosophical exploration, outer-living, and home-and-garden experiences, as well as education and self-development, ultimately leading to mindfulness, healing, and transformation.
