Spring Cleaning for the Spirit

This is about the time of year that we think about doing some spring cleaning on our house. Open up those garage doors, pull everything out and sort through the winter’s accumulation of stuff. Yes, there is plenty to sort through. We are such experts at accumulation! Spring cleaning is an opportunity to clear out the old, the useless, that which we don’t need, aren’t using, that which is holding us back. After we are done, the feeling of spaciousness is amazing, room on the shelves, in the cabinets, in the closets. Because it is the process of clearing out the old stuff that we make room for what we want and need in our lives.

In the same way, a retreat is like spring cleaning for the spirit. While a vacation is nice, a retreat is much more than just a vacation. Yes, it is time away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. At the same time, a retreat is focused work on personal development, i.e., clearing out on the energetic level those old thoughts, limiting beliefs, habits and behaviors that are holding us back, that we don’t need or don’t want. A retreat is time to set new intentions for the future, to assess where our life is going, to set new goals, and establish new habits. Retreats can be general or focus on a specific topic. It can be quiet time for reflection or an opportunity to learn a new skill. Usually a retreat includes time for meditation, either to develop a new practice or deepen an existing practice. Afterwards, the feeling of energetic expansion and spaciousness is amazing, and we want to continue to maintain that feeling in our lives.

So this is a good time of year to think about doing some spring cleaning on our energy. Clear out the old and make space for the new. A great opportunity for a retreat is coming up in August, Meditation for a Better Brain at Ananda Center in Gaston. So think about setting some time aside to treat yourself to a special weekend, and invest in your brain health and well-being. I’ll be co-presenting, so I hope to see you there!