I’m leaving today for a four day hiking and yoga retreat in Sedona, Arizona. Here’s how the facilitator Laurene describes the retreat:
“Imagine a time away where your only responsibility is to care for and honor yourself and allow your creative spirit to shine. Do something today that your future self will thank you for.”
What better time for me to dare to disconnect and commit to not checking email and texts, using my computer, reading newspapers, or watching TV in my hotel room. Great idea and no big deal, right?
Then why am I nervous about this, over-analyzing it, and getting sweaty palms just thinking about it? What am I afraid of? Am I committed to self care and good health or not? Just a quick email out to everyone ahead of time to say I am not available for four days and I’ll be on my way, right?
I think I need to get clear about why I want to do this:
• Spending less time on my devices will give me more time to relax;
• I will have more time to meditate, take walks, journal, get to know the other women on the retreat;
• I will not be bombarded with outside noise, gossip, drama – in other words, I’ll have fewer everyday distractions;
• I will have more time to truly appreciate nature and the gorgeous red rock canyons surrounding me;
• I will have more time to go inside and think about what I’m feeling, learning, experiencing at the retreat;
• I will have more time to connect with ME.
Rolf Gates, writes in Meditations on the Mat, “We set out to better ourselves only to find legions of reasons to break our commitment to health. We say it is too difficult to make the hard choice today. And yet the obstacles in our path are the path. Every time we stretch beyond our resistance, and our fear, we make a choice for life. And every time we choose life, we find that fear loses its grip on us. We all know more than we think we do, and we are stronger than we believe ourselves to be. We come to our mats, and to our lives, to learn by going where we have to go.”
I’m going to face the fear. I’m making a choice for life. I’m going where I have to go.
I can do this. I will dare to disconnect – all while connecting with ME.
I invite to come along with me.
