So today I am heading to a Christian*  retreat center  to conduct my first ever completely solo retreat.

I regularly take part in group meditation and yoga retreats, but at this time, I wanted a solitary period for deep reflection.

*Although I am a Christian, I very much believe all faiths to be equal and as one. I have attended retreats in the Buddhist tradition also.

I will be enjoying a whole weekend in my own company – sans technology, and full of meditation and nature.

Here I will give an outline of the schedule I will be following, in case you would ever like to conduct your own weekend retreat at home or elsewhere, and need a little guidance.

When it comes to meals, I will be adhering to a light diet conducive to meditation and spiritual reflection. I will include a menu after the schedule.

Friday

2pm – Arrival

 3pm – Free time (Nap, Get used to Surroundings, Unpack)

 5pm – Dinner

7pm – Meditation Sitting (45 Mins)

8pm – Reflection on first day (journal writing, Tarot/Oracle cards, prayer)

9pm – Lights out

Saturday

6am – Wake up

7am – Meditation Sitting (45 Mins)

8am – Breakfast

9am – Meditation Sitting (45 mins)

10 am – Yoga/Stretching Practice

10.30 am – Shower

11.30 am – Meditation Sitting (30 Mins)

12pm – Lunch

1pm –  Free time (Walk in nature)

3pm –  Meditation sitting (45 minutes)

4 pm – Walking Meditation (45 minutes)

5pm – Dinner

7pm – Meditation Sitting (45 Minutes)

8pm – Reflection on day (journal writing, Tarot/Oracle cards, prayer)

9pm – Lights out

Sunday

6am – Wake up

7am – Meditation Sitting (30 Mins)

8 am – Breakfast

9am – Meditation Sitting (30 mins)

10 am – Yoga/Stretching Practice

10.30 – Shower

11am – Reflection on last day (journal writing, Tarot/Oracle cards, prayer)

12pm – Departure

As you can see the schedule is pretty tight, and involves a lot of early mornings and early nights.

This is to make sure that I am well rested, but also to coincide with times I know that group retreats across the country will also be meditating.

This way I will be able to tap into the collective energy.

The schedule is also heavy on meditation practice, as I really am looking to go within for the time that I am there.

The Yoga/Stretching practice is mostly just to balance out my body after all the time I will be spending sitting on the floor, or a chair.

Of course this is just my routine, that is tailored to my experience and to my needs and wants.

Feel free to make a schedule that reflects what you need. That may be more time to sleep, time to read, time to sing.

It may be time to have no structure at all and to just go with the flow.

Please just do what feels right for you.

Menu

Breakfast – Porridge

Lunch – Soup and Bread

Dinner – Soup and Bread

Snacks – Rice cakes, Nuts, Fruit

Drinks – Fresh Juice, Herbal Tea,water

(Flexible – Wisdom of the Oracle Card Deck, by Colette Baron Reid)

Although I will no doubt be more flexible with the schedule than it appears above, the key thing will be to not use any technology for the few days – no phone, no internet. (I will be giving my family an emergency telephone line)

If you decide to do a solitary retreat – make the time about you, and do not beat yourself up for not being as strict as you had intended, or not doing absolutely everything you had set out to.

This is not about reaching any specific goal other than to just be.

Remember my words about Fear of Success

Find tips about meditation at Meditation and Mindfulness for an Inspired Life

See you on the other side where I will post about how to use Tarot and Oracle cards for healing and intuitive work.

Much love Txx