Meditation is a vital way to purify and quiet the mind, thus rejuvenating the body.
Deepak Chopra
I recently spent a few nights in gorgeous Boone, North Carolina, enjoying a weekend of tranquility and mindfulness. With a new found interest in yoga, mindfulness and meditation, I researched some retreat centers near my home and lucked out finding one just a few hours away. I am excited to tell you all about my happiness retreat at the Art of Living Well Retreat Center .
Location
The AOLW retreat center sits on a mountaintop just off of the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Appalachian Mountains. It boasts a huge meditation hall, several classroom buildings, a dining hall, a hotel and spa, as well as private apartments. They have some steep hiking trails, a labyrinth, and many places to sit and enjoy the beauty around you. They offer several different types of retreats, but the Happiness retreat is the most popular and is offered twice a week.
Schedule
As part of the retreat, they offer yoga class each morning, followed by breakfast and then multiple teaching sessions throughout the day. In these sessions they teach the SKY (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga) breathing technique. They also discuss ways to increase your happiness by living more in the present moment. On their website they list some of the benefits of the SKY breathing practice: detoxifying the body, de-stressing, reducing depression and anxiety, improving sleep, and bolstering immunity.
In your free time they offer spa treatments, Ayurvedic cooking classes, tea leaf reading and meditative chants. Some of these do require an extra fee. There are also lots of things to do in the nearby towns of Boone and Blowing Rock.
One of my favorite parts of the retreat was purchasing a spa treatment. They have many options, and I opted for the Abhyanga hot oil massage. Just imagine hot oil being poured over your back and massaged onto your scalp! It was amazing!
Benefits
In the final session of the retreat, they provide activities that really compel you to share deeply with others in your group and to really get outside of your comfort zone.
The most challenging activity required us to sit across from a member of our group, knee to knee, while holding hands with them and staring into their eyes. It can feel really uncomfortable to sit and stare into someone eyes for an extended period, but I noticed that the longer I stared, the more I could feel love and appreciation for this other human being. A person I didn’t even know. The moderator then asked us if we could fully accept this person. The most poignant question then came, “If God came to you in the form of this person, would you accept them?” I felt this so deeply, because God truly does come to us through our interactions with other people. And these interactions can either bring us closer to or further from God, depending on our response.
Meals
They provide all meals during the retreat buffet- style in their large dining hall. All meals are vegetarian and offer plentiful variety that include vegan and gluten free options as well. They discourage the eating of meat, or consuming alcohol, drugs, coffee and caffeine during the retreat. A lot of the dishes are Indian inspired so you may struggle a little if you really dislike Indian food.
Final thoughts
In our busy lives, we need to take time for silence and reflection. It’s easy to feel a sense of guilt when we take time for ourselves, instead of devoting more time to work, family and other personal responsibilities. But just as our cell phones can’t stay functional without being charged daily, we also need to give ourselves space and time for self improvement and self reflection daily. So if you don’t know what recharges your personal batteries, meditation and mindfulness exercises are a great place to start. Or reserve a weekend for happiness at the Art of Living Well Retreat Center.
Enjoy some of my other adventures as well:
