This guest blog post features Harper Reid. Harper is a content writer and has a great passion for travel. Her work includes articles such as ‘Five Ideas for Every Traveller on How to Enjoy India’. In this post, Haper shares with us the benefits of going on a spiritual healing vacation.
There’s nothing quite like the experience of a spiritual healing vacation. With a strong focus on physical, emotional or spiritual renewal, it’s one of the best things you can do for your general well-being. Everything from the location and accommodation to the unique activities, facilities and professional guidance they offer can leave a long-lasting, positive impact on your mind, body and soul. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the incredible benefits that spiritual travel provides:
A Chance for Self-Reflection
Hectic, work-dominated lives cause many of us to miss spending time on ourselves. We become so focused on work or family demands that we neglect our own spiritual wellbeing and happiness.
Spiritual retreats offer a real opportunity for self-discovery and self-reflection. The very intent of these vacations is to provide clarity in one way or another. Through holistic teachings, healing practices and spiritual ceremonies, you can learn how to reconnect with yourself in a way you never have before. Most people that go on spiritual retreats return home feeling rejuvenated, with a greater sense of purpose and a new perspective on life.
Healing Effects on the Mind
We all face our own personal demons. Whether grief, heartache, stress or anxiety, everyone feels emotionally and mentally overwhelmed at some point in their lives. Sometimes all you need is an escape from your normal, chaotic routine to feel relaxed and gain perspective on your problems.
Spiritual journeys provide the ideal escape from the daily stresses of life. Most often, they take place in natural locations where there are no surrounding distractions, allowing you to focus entirely on yourself. Sacred Earth Journeys takes participants on some of the world’s most magical natural destinations, from the of hidden temples of Egypt to the sacred south of India.
The very experience of being outdoors in such a beautifully inspiring environment can have amazing healing effects on the mind. The peaceful natural surroundings, clean air, and pure serenity of the natural world can provide you with a better sense of calm. This could be just what you need to tackle those negative emotions that are bringing you down.
The Formation of Social Bonds
One of the best parts about going on a spiritual vacation is the friendships you make along the way. Sacred Sites Tours bring groups of like-minded people together from all around the world into one shared space. No matter what the retreat focuses on, these retreats are always a great chance to meet new people who share similar goals, interests or perspectives as you.
For example, the Connemara Writer’s Retreat with Phil Cousineau offers the opportunity for creative writers to get together and bond over their craft in Western Ireland. The retreat combines the contemplativeness of a traditional spiritual vacation with a writers’ workshop. Everyone participating in this retreat will have at least one thing in common – a passion for writing. This common interest can create an exceptional bond between individuals and even allow them to form friendships that last long after the retreat ends.
Conclusion
In the end, the long-lasting social, emotional and spiritual benefits you gain from Sacred Journeys are far greater than what you’d get from a typical vacation. It’s something everyone should do at least once in their lives if they have the means to do so. So, next time you need time away – consider a spiritual journey. You will likely return home feeling more relaxed than ever before.
Harper is a New Zealand-based, flat white-drinking, beach-loving writer who soaks in the beauty of flying, the thrill of seeing centuries-old landmarks, and the heartfelt joy of befriending people on the other side of the world – and translates the whole travel experience into helpful, insightful words. See her Tumblr page, Harper Reid, for more of her published work.