Good Grief Retreats
Rest Relax Review Move On.
Look at every path closely and deliberately. Then ask yourself, does this path have a heart? If it does, the path is good, if it doesn't, it is of no use.
... Carlos Castaneda
Good Grief retreats are for people who are at least a year on from the passing of a loved one, to provide a safe creative space to rest, relax, and move on in their grieving.
The "grieving process" includes death or disappearance of a loved one, miscarriage, abortion, divorce, separation, loss of significant job, loss of country, loss of health, loss of faith. During the first 12 months after a significant loss, emotions are usually deeply chaotic. After a year, a desire to free oneself from the heaviness or the veil of grief often emerges. Sometimes this process takes years. But what to replace it with and how to do this can be baffling and daunting.
Moving on meaning finding the courage, the energy, and a strategy to implement new dreams and new projects for your life. A week nurturing mind body and spirit. The retreat provides a highly supportive environment in which you will feel safe to explore hazy ideas and new directions though walking, meditation or prayer; music and silence, art/play, journaling, time in nature, time for sunbathing, healthy eating, and lots of laughter. People of all faiths and no faith are equally welcome.
Using a version of the Storyboarding technique, this retreat is an opportunity to reconnect with your inner voice (your intuition), which is often silenced by bereavements, and your sense of play, which is often paralyzed by sadness.
This retreat is all about you in the now, all about you discovering new possibilities, about self love. It's all about you creating a new life with a realistic structure, confidence, and clarity, in your own time.
No pressure. No push. No hurry.
It is about changing the chip to living in the absolute moment, forever enriched by the irreplaceable love of the lost one, with the willingness, the intention to live a wonderful new life. One day at a time. What more could our lost loved ones wish for us? What better gift could we give ourselves?
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
... Anon
Requirements
When applying for a retreat, please include with your application a couple of paragraphs (max 200 words) about your situation, where you are in your grieving, and what you'd like to achieve whilst you're here.
Note: Although the minimum age for this retreat is 18, it is recommended for people over the age of 25 only.
