Attending a silent meditation retreat at a dedicated meditation retreat center can provide a valuable and unique experience, but it can also take a great deal of resources to make happen. If you’re feeling drawn to attend a silent meditation retreat, but it just isn’t possible (or practical) to do so, the good news is you can create a mini silent meditation retreat experience at home. All you need is a clear intention and some self-discipline. Here are a few guidelines to help you get started.
1. Give yourself permission. Dropping all of the do-ing and dedicating time just for you isn’t self-centered. It’s self-centering. You deserve it. Give this time to yourself.
2. Create intentions for your silent time. Listen to yourself and what you feel you need.
3. Choose a location.
4. Decide how much time you’d like to spend in silence and commit to a specific day (or days) when you’ll make your retreat time happen.
5. Decide if you want to retreat alone or with a like-hearted loved one, friend or small group who—and this is important—will respect the container of silence you choose to create.
6. To help create accountability for yourself, consider declaring to others that you’re entering into a period of silence.
7. Create clear boundaries with those who might be in close proximity, asking them to respect the container of silence you’re creating and to not disturb you.
8. Gather your necessities before the retreat period begins.
9. Pre-prepare light meals and snacks (vegetarian is recommended).
10. Power off all your devices and electronics.
Excerpted and adapted from Sit, Walk, Don’t Talk by Jennifer Howd © 2017. Excerpted with permission of Parallax Press.
This article originally appeared in the December 2017 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
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