Hey earth muffins! As I shared on a recent Instagram post, I went on a silent retreat a couple weekends ago. I had been wanting to try out a retreat like this for quite some time… And thought it would be fun to share the experience with you all! Before jumping into my opinions on the retreat itself, let’s first get into what exactly a silent retreat is.
What is a Silent Retreat?
There is no single definition of what a silent retreat is. Depending on the person, it can mean a lot of different things. But, a retreat of this type centers around one thing: silence. You can go on a retreat like this for religious or spiritual reasons to get closer to God/whomever you believe in. Or you can go on the retreat to restore or rest or to just force yourself to think for a bit. There are legit retreat centers that have these, but you can also just plan your own like I did (which is usually the cheaper option as well).
For me personally, I wanted to go on a retreat to reflect after tax season was finished. I had been working long hours six days a week, so I wanted a nice break to help transition myself back into life without a ton of overtime. I also used my retreat to be a digital detox to give my brain a break from staring at screens constantly.
What Did I Do During the Retreat?
I booked myself an Airbnb in a town close to home that had a cute little sunroom and full kitchen to cook in. I did a lot of things throughout the weekend: slept in, ate some tasty meals, laid in bed, read 2 books, journaled a ton, did some puzzles/crosswords, sifted through some magazines, and thought a lot about life. Since I was away during Earth Day weekend, I ended my silence at Lake Huron. It was fun to walk along the beach and enjoy the views of Mother Earth!
How Did it Go?
When I told family and friends I was going on a silent retreat, they thought I was crazy and that I would get extremely bored with nothing to do. But, as you can see above, I had plenty of things to keep me preoccupied. There were definitely times when I was a bit bored or was itching to check Instagram/my phone; but, I’m glad I forced myself to get more comfortable with being alone with my thoughts.
While I am already an avid journaler, I was able to write about a lot of things I had been meaning to do but hadn’t gotten the chance yet. It was also really fun to allow myself to lay in bed and just read for a few hours! The Airbnb I stayed at also had a ton of old magazines (Better Homes & Gardens, Redbook, etc.), so it was super fun to just flip through them. I haven’t done that in years and really enjoyed it.
Lastly, it was pretty easy not to talk for the weekend. I am a talker (just ask my boyfriend!), so I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to stay silent during the retreat. However, I didn’t find it difficult at all. And it was a nice breath of fresh air to just enjoy some silence for a bit.
Final Thoughts: Would I Recommend a Silent Retreat?
I will 100% be doing another silent retreat in the future; I might even make it a tradition to do one after each busy season! While some people might hate something like this, I would really recommend giving it a try. There is something about forcing yourself to disconnect and embrace the world around you that makes for an impactful weekend. Would you ever try a silent retreat? Comment below and let me know your thoughts!
Love,
Jenna ♥
Oh, this sounds wonderful! I am so glad you were able to take that time for yourself. To be able to read and journal and be in nature sounds lovely! Especially since life is so go-go-go these days.
After two years of working at home talking to my cats, I needed an un-silent retreat back to the office this spring, lol. Funny thing, though. After a month back with people I was ready for silence again!
Glad you enjoyed your silent retreat, my fellow Michigander.
Visiting from #happynowlinkup.
Sounds wonderful. I would soak this in for allll it’s worth. It might be hard for me not to give in to the temptation to watch trash t.v. at night though. Does that still count?