Should I Choose a Retreat or Vacation?

If you never attended a retreat, you may be wondering why pay for a retreat over a fun vacation. I can get peace away from my daily routine by just taking a few days off, and maybe at a lower cost! This was my mindset before I experienced my first retreat many years ago. Therefore, I would like to share a few long-term benefits.

Retreats can be both expensive as well as economical. However, they are much more economical and cost-effective as opposed to regular vacations. The reason for this is that during regular vacations you make your own spending decisions, which may not be the most cost-effective and can at times result in money leakage. However, retreats are pre-planned and include exclusive features like professional consultation and trainings in addition to all the facilities of a simple vacation—thus, making them more financially feasible and reliable.

In addition to offering you an escape from a tiresome routine, retreats set themselves apart from mere vacations due to the specific intent behind them. This intent can be an issue that you wish to focus on but don't get time for, a recent experience that you want to reflect on or talk about with people who understand what you're going through, the quest for some distance from your current situation to think clearly and bring things into perspective, or simply quality time with yourself and nature so you can rejuvenate.

To quote the words of Jiddu Krishnamurti, a famous spiritual leader, "I think it is essential sometimes to go into retreat, to stop everything that you have been doing, to stop your beliefs and experiences completely and look at them anew, not keep on repeating like machines whether you believe or don’t believe. You would let fresh air into your minds."

According to a recent research published in Translational Psychiatry (Nature), simple vacations only bring about short-term improvements in well-being; however, a week's meditation can improve metabolism for the long-run.

Moreover, holistic retreats are known to provide relief to patients of respiratory problems, anxiety, bone thinning, high blood pressure, arthritis, incontinence, and rheumatism, along with several other ailments.

An retreat provided by Transcending Leadership and Personal Development, is all-inclusive—including, accommodations, food, facilities, professional consultation, and activities/exercise. Our retreat is all in line with what you are seeking to achieve; hence, long-lasting benefits as opposed to vacations where you are more apt to check emails, finish work, and attend to the needs of others.

It's up to you to decide what's most beneficial, retreat or vacation?