Retreats Online

"It is a very good plan every now and then to go away and have a little relaxation; for when you come back to the work your judgment will be surer, since to remain constantly at work will cause you to lose the power of judgment."

Leonardo da Vinci,"the greatest genius of all time".

What is a retreat?

A retreat can mean many things.
It can be a place for quiet reflection and rejuvenation.
Or to regain good health.
It can mean a time for spiritual reassessment and renewal - either alone, in silence, or with a group.
As part of a retreat group, you might be called upon to take an active role, along with everyone else - or you might be there to observe and learn, with a facilitator taking the lead.

Business groups and organizations use retreats to brainstorm and plan their future actions.

Retreat:	(n) a place of quiet, security or retirement; a refuge
	(v) to pull back, as from a position of danger; to retire.

Retreats Online uses retreat as both a noun and a verb: a quiet refuge; or something you might do for yourself to recharge your batteries. We list

• Retreat Centers,
• Retreat Getaways and
• Retreat Workshops

Retreats For Groups

Mainstream business is catching on to the potential benefits of retreats. Business groups are discovering the energy in retreat settings. Retreats, they are finding, can be productive alternatives to run-of-the-mill conference rooms.

Q: What are the characteristics of retreats that make them useful for business meetings?

A: Primarily, location and atmosphere! Retreats are often in a natural setting, isolated physically and psychologically from the pressures of work. They offer an atmosphere conducive to creative thinking. In the emerging global economy, Guerilla Marketing is toppling formerly unassailable corporate giants. Change is the order of the day. To remain vital in a climate of downsizing, organizational rejuvenation is essential and ongoing, and it requires special attributes of flexibility and balance. Many Retreat Centers offer these conditions, with programs that nurture emotional, spiritual, physical and mental development. This holistic milieu spills over into the meeting space, the meals, and the accommodations. It is an atmosphere that clears away mental cobwebs and empties the mind of clutter. Day-to-day distractions and busy-ness are swept aside. Participants can focus on the goals and objectives of the meeting. There results a renewed sense of purpose. No one is more creative than when he or she engages a problem with a beginners mind. Some of the best business ideas in the fast-paced global economy are being hatched in retreat settings. See list of Business Retreats.

Retreat Getaways (lodges, inns, guesthouses) have their own atmosphere for contemplation and individual or group reflection, often equaling or improving on the facilities available in Retreat Centers. Once again, the key is think space.

Retreats may be rustic and rural or urban and sophisticated. Meals can be simple and nourishing or elaborate and gourmet - snacks catered or self-prepared. Accommodations range from modest dormitories or cabins with shared bathrooms, to five star facilities with private commodes.

The unique attributes most often found in a retreat are: a natural setting, privacy, good food, modest cost, and an atmosphere conducive to synergistic interaction.
When you meet at a retreat, expect breakthrough ideas that can set you or your organization apart.
For family gatherings, retreat lodges can also be great alternatives to bustling resorts.
Check out some of the Retreats listed in the central Directory. It's free!

Retreats For Individuals

Why a retreat?
The most common reason for a person to go on a retreat seems to be a genuine thirst to know oneself better, to get in touch with the higher Self, and to tap into the source of universal energy, by whatever name you might prefer to use: Energy, God, Love, the Universal Unconscious.... Going on a retreat allows a period of solitude and silence to "listen" to the voice of your own experience, and through that to become more deeply acquainted with the God who (or Universal Energy which) is within us. There are many options open to you for a retreat experience, religious or secular. If a silent retreat is what you are looking for, you will get lots of quiet time away from daily demands. Alternatively, you can seek a directed retreat offered at many religious facilities, or a secular program featuring an experiential seminar or workshop.

Meditation
One useful process in moving to the higher Self is meditation. If prayer is a medium for you to speak to God (or Universal Energy), then meditation may be described as a medium for God (or Universal Energy) to speak to you. Meditation can help you tap your inner resources.

Finding the Retreat that is right for you.
The Retreats Online Subject guide may help you find a program and that suits you, and the World Map will offer choices of location. If you want to travel, check also Exotic Locations Abroad. If you are looking for a retreat event, try the Calendar of Events.
If you have specific questions, comments or suggestions about our service, send us a message by email. If you like what you see, please pass along the address, www.retreatsonline.com, to friends and associates; if you have a favorite retreat or event you would like to see listed in the central Directory, or if you have a suggestion as to how we might improve this service, please let us know.

For more details about how we might promote your retreat, see the Ratecard;  To register your retreat, see the Registration Form.