I heard this phrase the other day, “Something of value to your heart” and I wondered how we can turn these circumstances into something of value to our hearts? A lot of us either have more time than we’ve had before or less time. Whichever category you fall into, how can you curate your days so that they bring value to your heart? One way to do this is to hold your own at-home retreat.
Before the quarantine, many of us may have taken a weekend or a week and go off somewhere to experience time with friends, sought out the quiet we crave to be able to think, make decisions, re-energize or relax—so why not do this now in the comfort of our own home as a way to create calm and community?
I’ve created two schedules for you to follow. One is for those who have more time and the second is for those who have less time. You can commit to doing this for an hour, a day, a few days, a week. You can sit in meditation for as little or as long as you want—it is completely up to you; however, the idea is that this is going to give you the practice to start moving you towards that thing that brings value to your heart. And while you’ll be in separate places, this is also something that you can do with friends at the same time. This at-home retreat will give you some quiet within the noise that surrounds you, bringing a sense of calm to the uncertainty.
For Those with More time:
- Set Your Intention: What is bringing you to do this right now?
- Mindful Movement: This is doing any movement that feels good to your body, and paying attention to the movement. You circle your hips and put your attention on the sensation of what it feels like. You dance in your kitchen and put your attention on the way your arms are moving.
- Breakfast: Eat something fresh. Fruit is a great way to begin the day. Think of something light.
- Meditation: Sit for 5 -30 minutes, whichever feels best for you. You can do guided meditations or on your own.
- Walk: As spring is here, take this time to get outside and go for a walk.
- Journal: You can do three pages of stream of consciousness writing, or write out what it is you’re grateful for. You can also use the following prompts: How can I take care of myself today? How do I want to feel today? What brings me joy?
- Lunch: Eat something fresh. A nice salad with protein. Again, go for something light. Hydrate.
- Meditation: Sit for 5 -30 minutes, whichever feels best for you. You can do guided meditations or on your own.
- Walk: Take this time to explore your neighborhood or places you’ve wondered about but never felt like you had the time to visit.
- Listen to an Educational Talk: Turn on a TEDx talk or do a search for something you’ve wanted to learn about.
- Meditation: Sit for 5-30 minutes, whichever feels best for you. You can do guided meditations or on your own.
- Dinner: Make yourself a warm, comforting meal
- Talk with Friends: Plan the call ahead of time so you know what time you’ll be connecting. You can invite a group of your friends to join together. If you do this retreat with friends, this would be the time for all of you to connect and talk about your experiences. Or if you aren’t doing this with friends, use this time to connect with someone who you really enjoy talking with, and who you can have a conversation with that will leave you feeling fulfilled, inspired, and motivated.
- Read: Pick up the book you’ve been trying to read for the last few months.
- Stretch: Do some simple stretches to let your body know it’s time for rest.
- Sleep: Do a Yoga Nidra meditation to prepare your body for sleep.
For Those with Less Time:
- Set Your Intention: What is bringing you to do this right now?
- Mindful Movement
- Meditation: Sit for 5-10 minutes whichever feels best for you. You can do guided meditations or on your own.
- Breakfast
- Lunch: Stop what you’re doing and take lunch. Sit with your children or with your partner or roommates. Eat something fresh. A nice salad with protein. Again, go for something light. And hydrate.
- Walking Meditation: After lunch get outside and go for a walk. Even if it’s only around the block. While you’re walking notice the trees, the sounds in the environment, welcome everything you hear with non-judgment and friendly attention. Notice how your arms move when you walk, the feeling of your feet in your shoes. If you notice you’re caught up in thought, say thanks for sharing, and then as yourself focus on what your feet are doing, what your are hands doing.
- Dinner
- Read or Listen to an Educational Talk
- Stretch
- Sleep
