This item was originally published when this blog was known as “The Office Rat.”
We office rats need our down time.
Weekends can sometimes be relaxing but are more often dominated by errands and shopping and chores and projects around the house. Vacations are nice, but they are all too often jam-packed with frenetic activity and sight-seeing checklists.
Consider, instead, a retreat.
A retreat is an unplugged, truly relaxing break. It can be as short as a day or as long as you like. You can create your own retreat, but retreat centers are a good option, too.
A retreat center creates sanctuary, usually in nice settings in the mountains, at the beach, or in a forest, so you really feel like you’re getting away from it all. They typically offer simple, comfortable accommodations and a variety of relaxing acivities.
Retreat centers cater to every proclivity and interest. There are family retreats, corporate retreats, spa retreats, nature retreats, learning retreats, arts retreats, religious retreats, spiritual retreats, yoga retreats. Name an affiliation or interest, and there’s probably a retreat center for it.
So explore the directories below – they list thousands of retreat centers all over the world – the next time you’re planning some time off.
Retreat Center Directories
About the Author
Larry Swanson is a massage therapist in downtown Seattle, WA. His practices focuses on the unique needs of office workers and also includes injury treatment for sports and car-accident injuries as well as massage for wellness and athletic performance.