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 take every day, with the habits we have and the patterns we follow. Our lifestyle determines to a greater extent our well-being and happiness .

A good diet, physical exercise, leisure time and meditation are some healthy alternatives. Regarding this last point, the practice of Mindfulness has become fashionable in recent years. It consists of developing a state of mind that makes it possible to remain attentive in the here and now, to be 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.

The benefits of a spiritual retreat

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

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

1. A space to find inner peace

The retreats are an excellent opportunity to leave our daily lives behind and provide an ideal space to find the inner peace and tranquility needed away from the hustle and bustle of the cities. They are spaces in which it is possible to find silence and nature, and they are generally found in remote places that favour reflection and self-knowledge. This is why it is an excellent opportunity to be able to breathe clean air, listen to the sounds of nature and connect with oneself and with nature.

2. Disconnecting from the daily routine

Taking a few days off from the city itself allows you to get out of the daily routine, but thanks to the retreats, it is also possible to disconnect completely, even from new technologies. Thanks to Mindfulness, we can stop living on autopilot, and it allows us to connect again with ourselves and with our inner self.

3. Reducing stress

As we leave behind the hyperconnection and daily routine through Mindfulness practice, meditation and retreat stays, stress levels drop. The fact is that the pace of life in western societies can lead many people to suffer from stress , causing psychological health problems. Studies suggest that meditation and mindfulness reduce levels of cortisol, a hormone that is released in response to stress. In this sense, 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. Seeing problems from another perspective

Sometimes, being in the middle of a problem (whether it’s a couple, at work, etc.) doesn’t allow us to reflect and see things from another perspective. Getting out of the daily routine and taking time to meditate and practice Mindfulness can help us to value the pros and cons of our situation, to be aware of what is happening to us and to make better decisions . Mindfulness makes it easier for us to work on I observe . In general, the tranquillity of a retreat allows us to see things from another perspective, which also has repercussions on our emotional management and well-being.

5. Socializing

Retreats allow time to be shared with people who are concerned about improving their well-being and therefore offer the opportunity to spend unique moments with people who are seeking inner peace. The retreats also provide the opportunity to make friends with whom you can keep in touch after returning from your stay.

6. Access to professional guides

The retreats include exercises or counseling sessions by experts that allow you to see your shortcomings and perfect your meditation practice and, therefore, your spiritual, mental and physical well-being. These sessions are usually tailored to your needs and help you not only to improve your well-being during the retreat, but also to ensure that what you learn can be applied in your daily life.

7. All the benefits of meditation and Mindfulness

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

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 lies in the fact that by keeping away from everything familiar, it is easier not to be tempted to fall into rumination and disconnect from our recurring obsessions and ideas.

The environments in which spiritual retreats are held, see definitively, do not have their reason to be only in tradition or in aesthetics; they are really thought this way to move away from the constant reminders of what usually worries us in our daily life. Knowing how to make the most of Mindfulness and meditation also involves being aware of how we can influence our mental processes and change our environment. Personal evolution never occurs in isolation from an individual , it is translated into the way in which he takes advantage of his possibility to be exposed to different contexts and stimuli.

MiAyuno: a pioneering experience

An example of an organization that promotes and coordinates spiritual retreats in Spain is MiAyuno , a company dedicated to the processes of physical and mental well-being linked to periods of fasting and contact with nature.

MiAyuno bases its services on 4 parts: organization of trekking activities and retreats in a wide network of rural houses and spas, organization of workshops, assistance and advice during fasting stages, and emotional therapies.

  • If you are interested in his proposals, you can find more information about MiAyuno by clicking here.

Bibliographic references:

  • Bazzano, M. (2014), After Mindfulness: New Perspectives on Psychology and Meditation. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Khoury, B., Lecomte, T., Fortin, G., et al. “Mindfulness-based therapy: a comprehensive meta-analysis.” Clin Psychol Rev (Meta-analysis) 33 (6): pp. 763 – 71.