Cottage as Retreat
Taking time away from the everyday to rejuvenate, replenish, and restore yourself to a place of wholeness is important to your wellbeing.
Why take a retreat
Stress takes a physical, emotional, and mental toll and can lead to impatience and irritability, stomach aches, headaches, and far more serious physical ailments, as well as diminished mental performance.
Overwork manifests itself differently in different individuals, and it is often hard to see the symptoms. Clenched jaws, grinding teeth, and tight muscles in the back, shoulders, and neck can be some of the early warning signs that your body has had enough. Ignoring these only forces your body to "speak" more clearly.
Women especially tend to neglect their own wellness in order to give support to their families, but the quality of the care you give can suffer when you do not look after yourself as well.
Get away to the cottage
A good way to put yourself back on the path to wellness is to remove yourself completely from the environment that is causing the stress, in such a way that there is absolutely nothing you can do to continue the pattern. Find a place of quietness and water - the sound of water has a calming effect on people, and for whatever reason, being immersed in water (hydrotherapy) actually sharpens mental acuity.
A cottage can be a perfect location for a personal retreat - provided you are not substituting one set of distractions for another.
If your goal is decompressing, this is one time when you want to experience the most basic elements of life - no motor boats, no television, no news. Additionally, it should be a time away from children or those who are not sharing your goal for the duration of the retreat. Think of it as a short journey of self-discovery.
It can be a disconcerting experience for some to spend so much time with themselves; facing that which you are hiding from by throwing yourself into work or family is unnerving.
If you own your cottage, you can make it a retreat every time you get away, or take one special week or weekend aside to get in touch with yourself. It can be as simple as redecorating/rearranging the cabin, or as complex as bringing in new water features or other physical additions to the space.
Planning your retreat
Your retreat will be customized depending on your goals for your retreat, your personal spirituality, and the special features of the area where you are planning to stay. Below are some ideas that you might incorporate into your plans:
- Meditation. - People meditate for two distinct reasons: for the calming effect, or to gain insight into
a particular issue. It can be undertaken in many ways including: sitting still and focusing the mind on one
healing word or idea; controlled or measured activity, in "chaotic" activity, or just while going about daily tasks
while being aware of one's self. The aim is to quiet the busy mind; let go of all the mental interruptions
and to do lists, and just be and experience the now.
This is not meant to be a guide to meditation, just to give you a starting point to explore what might be right
for you.
(An excellent introductory guide to meditation is available at
Buddhanet.net.)
- Seated Meditation -
http://www.buddhanet.net/xmed7.htm
- Waterside Meditation - If you are in a quiet area, the sound of water can help relax you and allow you
to reach a meditative state easily. Sit at the end of the dock and listen to small waves lap against the
wood or beside a gentle waterfall or rock spring.
- Sunrise Meditation - If you are not in an ideally quiet location, you can benefit from getting up
before the noise begins. Imagine hearing the only the earliest sounds of nature while you feel the first rays
of the sun touch your skin.
- Walking Meditation - this form of meditation requires you to be aware of certain external sounds
and experiences such as the sun or rain on your skin, the sounds of bird or water, the rustling of leaves,
etc. The advantage of a walking meditation for some people is that they can be more aware of their body when
it is in motion: the contact of their feet with the ground and their muscles in motion. Plan to practise
for at least twenty minutes. (Find detailed instructions at
http://www.wildmind.org
or http://www.buddhanet.net/xmed7.htm.)
- Guided Meditation - You can choose to bring a CD with you to experience a guided meditation. A
guided meditation allows you to explore a specific aspect of your life or spirituality without being distracted
by extraneous thoughts, It is simply a way to ensure that your focus stays on the topic at hand.
- Healthy Ativities to rejuvenate mind and body. Focusing your attention on a very specific set of tasks and
goals can be liberating as a form of meditation, be a quiet, relaxing activity, or a fun event shared with friends.
- Yoga -
- Hiking -
- Biking -
- Rock Climbing - Information on the
how to get into rock climbing can be found at
The
Alpine Club of Canada, Ontario Chapter, there are chapters across Canada (see the
main site; unfortunately not all the
sites have beginner information).
Be sure to take all safety precautions.
Also, be aware that it is the source of a certain amount of controversy as rock climbing can damage
delicate ecosystems.
- Cleansing or Fasting - If you are getting away to purify your mind, it is only a logical step to
extend that to purifying or cleansing your body. A couple of days eating raw and organic foods certainly
can't hurt, though if you are planning to embark on a fast, please check with your medical professional
to ensure that you do not have any condition that makes this particular activity dangerous. A couple of links
to help you plan cleansing meals: Chatelaine.com
