The Importance of a New Year Retreat
The new year is a time of new beginnings, a time to reflect on the year gone by and ponder all the possibilities that lie ahead. Celebrated almost universally across various cultures, for those who follow the Gregorian calendar, this day arrives every year on January 1st.
A common custom is to write down resolutions for the new year, a practice that can be traced back to the Babylonians more than 4,000 years ago, to let go of bad habits and adopt healthier ones. For some, this may centre around making lifestyle changes, such as eating healthier, exercising more consistently, or restoring a healthy sleep cycle. For others, it may mean spending more time with loved ones and being present in those interactions. Or it could be about working hard towards a goal or taking a leap of faith to pursue a long-held dream.
We often hear the phrase ‘to start the new year off right’ around this time. It is believed that what you do at the beginning of the year foretells what you will do for the remainder of the year. Taking time for yourself during this period and joining a retreat can be a valuable catalyst to inspire change and set the right intentions for the year ahead.
What is a Retreat?
Retreat Definition
Much more than a spa break or holiday, a retreat allows you to take a step away from your usual environment, routine and practices, and take the time to focus on yourself. Whether balancing the mind and body through yoga and meditation, inspiring creativity through artist workshops, or restoring health through holistic healing, a retreat offers the setting and support to reflect, recharge and adopt healthier habits.
Benefits of Retreats
In today’s fast-paced world, the demands of work, personal pursuits and social commitments often come at the expense of our well-being. Our body, mind and spirit fall out of balance, and this manifests as fatigue, burnout and illness. Although this can happen at any time of the year, the winter months can leave many of us feeling particularly depleted.
Going on a retreat can be a wonderful remedy for the built-up stress from the past year. By incorporating different healing modalities and practices, such as meditation, yoga, healthy nourishment, nature walks and opportunities for relaxation and self-reflection, a retreat can help you cultivate mindfulness, reduce stress and gain new insights.
Why Choose a New Year Retreat?
Deepening Your Yoga Practice
Yoga is a unique tool to explore the self through conscious movement and breath.
Whether you are looking to incorporate more exercise into your daily routine or follow the spiritual path of yoga, the beginning of the year provides a great opportunity to set this intention. However, one of the more difficult aspects of any New Year’s resolution is to maintain consistency and this applies to any practice. With yoga, creating the time for practice and showing up on the mat can be challenging.
Attending a yoga retreat provides the ideal setting to cultivate a consistent practice which you can take home with you: highly experienced teachers who can offer guidance, a community of like-minded people on the same path, and dedicated time and space for practice.
Enhancing Mindfulness and Meditation
A meditation retreat offers a valuable opportunity to reconnect with your inner quiet and calm away from the noise and distractions of daily life. Often integrating different healing modalities, such as breathwork, sound healing and nature connection, such retreats can help prepare your mind for the year ahead – one that is compassionate, resilient and sincere.
For some, your sole objective may be to nurture the mind. For others, meditation may be a tool to improve and the myriad benefits of meditation cannot be overstated, to manage our stress response, treat depression and anxiety, enhance pain tolerance, improve immunity, increase focus and attention, and support general physical and emotional well-being.
Whatever your motivation, a retreat provides the time and space to disconnect from the outside world and observe as ingrained patterns of thoughts and emotions unwind.
Opportunity for Self-Care and Relaxation
All too often, we find ourselves seeking treatments and adopting lifestyle changes only after experiencing burnout or when faced with ill health. Regularly incorporating self-care practices and creating the time for personal well-being serves not only as a preventative measure but also supports healthy emotional and physical release. Far from indulgent, these activities and rituals are essential and the changes you experience can radiate positive effects to those around you.
A New Year retreat serves as the perfect way to get away from a familiar routine, slow down and start the year by prioritising self-care.
Retreats at the Sen Wellness Sanctuary
Location and Destination
Tucked away in the Rekawa Nature Reserve, the Sen Wellness Sanctuary sits between the Indian Ocean on one side and a tranquil lagoon on the other. This area is home to a beautiful turtle-nesting beach, as well as a rich, tropical mangrove ecosystem, teeming with unique and diverse flora and fauna. Here, in this serene environment, you are reminded of the abundance of life and the healing power of Mother Nature.
Located in Southern Sri Lanka, the Sanctuary is situated close to some of the most breathtaking places to visit in the country, which you can explore before or after your journey with us. The Yala and Udawalawe National Parks, home to wildlife you won’t encounter elsewhere. Hiriketiya Bay, where the jungle meets the sea, is one of Sri Lanka’s gems for surfers and explorers. Or Galle, an enchanting bohemian seaside town with a rich history and a touch of European charm that sets it apart from other Sri Lankan towns.
The beauty and vitality of the location are unparalleled, an idyllic setting for a retreat experience.
Programme inclusions
At the Sen Wellness Sanctuary, we specialise in authentic Ayurveda and provide bespoke wellness experiences that are personalised to the needs of each individual – your unique constitution, medical profile and personal wellness goals.
On your day of arrival, our experienced Ayurvedic doctor will conduct a thorough consultation and develop a tailored healthcare programme that includes daily doses of herbal medicines and Ayurvedic treatments depending on your constitution and any imbalances present. The primary focus for our practitioners at Sen Wellness is to discover the root cause of disease, whether that be due to certain lifestyle choices, stress, medical conditions or emotional imbalances. Each day, we provide two to three Ayurvedic treatments according to the prescribed programme, including oil and herbal massages, and steam and body treatments.
Guided Yoga and Meditation Sessions
Our holistic approach is supplemented by daily yoga and meditation classes at sunrise and sunset. In the morning, we begin with pranayama and mantras, followed by some hatha and vinyasa yoga to energise and revitalise the body. This will take place in the yoga shala overlooking the tropical forest, or outside on the stretch of golden sand with the soundscape of nature ever present.
In the evening, we follow a gentle yin yoga practice and deeper meditation or mantra chanting, often accompanied by the healing vibrations of the gong. Occasionally, we host group Cacao and Fire ceremonies to open the heart as well as shamanic rituals for energy clearing.
Each week, we invite a Buddhist monk to lead the meditation and sound healing sessions and support guests on their spiritual journey.
Tips for Maximizing Your Retreat Experience
Arriving with an Open Mind and Heart
The most profound healing occurs when we open our hearts to the experience and listen to the spirits that inhabit the ancient land – the ebb and flow of the ocean waves, the symphony of bird songs, and the trees that pulsate with life. Each element serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of all things, a reminder of our place in the natural world.
Being in an unfamiliar environment can be challenging. The body will naturally show resistance when it suddenly slows down. You may feel anxious and find it difficult to be present. However, an important part of the retreat experience is accepting that this resistance exists and trusting the process with an open heart and mind.
Connecting with Fellow Retreatants
Some of the deepest healing can occur when we allow others to be a mirror of ourselves.
In a world that is becoming increasingly disconnected where most people don’t know their neighbours or the community they belong to, joining a retreat provides you with the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals who are brought together by some turn of fate. It may bring you closer to someone you would not have noticed back home, someone with different interests or opposing political views. But through shared experience, you connect on a more fundamental level. This connection with fellow retreatants, finding belonging in a community and tuning into the collective love is valuable in your healing journey.
The Final Word
Join us this coming year at the Sen Wellness Sanctuary for a restorative and unforgettable experience. Celebrate the transition from old to the new and start the year with a renewed sense of purpose.
