Retreats for Personal Transformation and Personal Growth

Because of the many pressures of living in this day and age, personal transformation and personal growth retreats have become increasingly popular. A quick look-see through internet sources will easily yield references to over a hundred different places with services for people who want some time away from the world to find a way to change themselves and their environment. If you are interested in spending some time for personal transformation and personal growth in a place outside of your home or usual habitat, here is an overview of the choices you have.

Options for Personal Transformation Retreats

A first step to take when you look for a place to find sanctuary is to decide what kind of a retreat you want to make as you spend valuable time contemplating the way you will alter yourself and your surroundings. A lot depends on where you are in your journey of change. If you are beginning your journey, you might still be in the process of letting go, reformatting your own attitudes or getting over failures and betrayals.

In this case your needs would be very different from someone who wants to review how much he or she has accomplished and how much more needs to be done. There are also some people who just need respite but do not want to spend their down time on a cruise or any other sort of vacation where energies need to be expended on socializing.

Self-Guided Retreats

Places that market themselves as self-directed retreats usually offer services and facilities for transformation but they provide guests the option of managing their own time and activities. Most of these places have spaces for meditating alone although they have meditation classes too. There will be spas, exercise gyms, massage centers and possibly even lectures, videos and movies which can be taken at will, depending on what the visitor chooses.

If you are planning to try the self-directed option when you look into personal transformational retreats, you would get more from your stay if you decide at the onset exactly what you want to do. Then do look at the activities offered because although you may not want to join all and be tied to a schedule, you might find some pursuits worth attending.

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Programmed or Themed Retreats

Personal transformation retreats that are programmed or themed usually follow a schedule and a set of activities. Goals and objectives per activity are clear and managed. Most of the places that hold retreats of this type will offer group activities such as hiking or some other form of exercise;  stress management workshops besides classes in subjects such as aromatherapy, nutrition and healing;. They will probably also have massage therapy, counseling sessions and fitness training. All the activities – whether done individually or in groups – will be fitted into the number of days that the retreat is supposed to last.

One of the most popular theme retreats are those that focus on healing. Most of the services and facilities in these retreats cater to the needs of persons coming out of bad experiences. Majority of these places will have spas, group sessions on common issues, special therapy approaches that use dance, art or music. Some will provide anger management sessions and meditation training. Usually these retreats are part of wellness centers that offer year round services and training as well.

Special Personal Transformation Retreats

There are now some special places that offer services for survivors of domestic violence, persons living with aids, alcoholics and persons who have suffered or are suffering from abuse, aging, cancer, depression, grief and various forms of addiction. These retreats are distinct from rehabilitation programs although some of their activities may be quite similar.

Spiritual Retreats

Many convents, hermitages and seminaries offer spiritual retreats and have even acquired special venues like ranches and mountain estates to conduct this service. This is where you can expect a lot of emphasis on prayer, reflection and exercises in meditation that usually center on spiritual questions. Today it is easy to find Buddhist and Taoist places for solitude and contemplation.

There are countless choices for retreats today but if you find that you don’t have the financial resources to go to one, there is an alternative option to consider: do your retreat at home or in other places where you can still meditate, exercise, plan and pray without straining your pocketbook.

Change Retreats

When it comes down to it, personal growth, personal transformation, self-development, and self-improvement is all about change.

Because we all tend to get stuck at some point in our change I have created ““The Art and Science of Change – How to Transform Your Life from Within” retreat.  The first retreat will be in late May 2014 and will least 3 ½ to 4 days and will be right here in beautiful Bend (Central Oregon).  I’m going to limit the first one to 10 people, so if you’d like to get on the wait and info list, please Contact Me.