ABOUT RETREATS

A variety of trypes of retreat centers are resprsented on this site. We hope to be able to support the breadth of spiritual and healing traditions.

A retreat serves the body, mind and spirit by allowing time to find greater inner peace. When you find inner peace, you move the world toward peace. This is why it is vital to escape from the world’s bombardment of sounds and images and take time for the mind and heart to come to stillness.

Why retreat?
People go on retreat for a number of reasons that generally focus on positive personal change:

• Relax at a deep level
• Rejuvenate your Spirit
• Take time for reflection
• Gain clarity on an issue or your life path
• Find meaning in your life beyond daily or material concerns
• Heal
• Practice your Faith
• Contemplate
• Create

Types of Retreats:
Retreats vary as widely as the people who go on retreat. Sites for a retreat include spas, cabins, monastery guest houses, hot springs, ashrams, zendos, and bed and breakfasts. Some people prefer to go to a non-place for a retreat, such as an isolated camping spot. A retreat can also include activities like vision quests and pilgrimages. Services for retreats range from fully catered organic meals, to facilities where you bring your own food and cook your own meal; from full room service, to not only having to make your own bed, but also change the sheets for the next guest; from expressive actions and singing during classes, to required silence at all times (but most retreats are very quiet places that focus on contemplation, even if group sessions get rowdy.)

Who Can Retreat?
Personal retreats are most often taken alone, because a solitary retreat allows for the greatest time for self-reflection. Group retreats often focus on classes or events, and are therefore more suitable for groups of people. Some retreat centers require that each person retreat as an individual; others allow couples and groups to share accommodations; still others separate people based on gender.

Religious Affiliations:
Most retreat centers are affiliated with a religion. Some require that you adhere to their faith, others are open to all faiths. Some centers require that you participate in services and activities even if you do not adhere to their faith. The "Faith" category in the listings on Retreat Finder .com indicates the faith of a retreat center and if the center is open to people of other faiths.