Spend a restorative day in retreat to attune to your inner rhythm for harmony and balance.

A healing retreat day which weaves together nature, meditation, yoga, mindful movement, breath awareness, connection rituals, nourishing foods, intuitive wisdom and heart energy has the power to restore and replenish the weary and worn down mind-body-soul.

“An empty lantern provides no light. Self-care is the fuel that allows your light to shine brightly.” – Unknown

With the busy, stressful lives so many of us lead, it’s too easy to neglect our self-care routines because we don't have time. Yet this can have a devastating effect on our well-being, leading to burnout or even illness. So it's our responsibility to take self-care seriously and focus on our physical, emotional, and mental balance.

That’s why taking a day out every three months and stepping away from your everyday routines can be a powerful way to help rebalance your energies and recharge your batteries. Retreating from the day-to-day demands of life for a short time to care for your needs is a powerful way to refocus and restore our vitality.

While a day of pampering at a luxury spa is one way to achieve this, the downside is that it can be expensive and not personally curated for the needs of your mind-body-soul.

But the best news is that it’s easy to create a complete personalised spa experience and obtain all the fantastic life-enhancing benefits at home - at minimal cost.

A restorative retreat day will provide you with an intentional space to connect with yourself to nourish, nurture and deepen the relationship with "the whole self" and with nature.

Yoga, breath, movement, meditation, nutrition and mindful rituals are the foundational practices to enhance our sense of wellbeing and support healing across our physical, emotional, mental and energetic elements of self.

Ideally your own retreat should be curated to align to the seasons and cycles of nature to optimise the connection between your inner nature with outer nature.

To help you create your unique retreat, follow our simple guidelines. You can include the activities in any order you like. The key is that every moment of your day enhances your well-being and helps you return to the world full of calm, balanced energy.

Plan your retreat

Before any trip to a spa or getaway retreat, there’s always the excitement of planning and preparing. So, your self-care retreat day need not be any different. Go through your calendar and block out an entire 24-36 hours where you can be alone in your home or for something a little special why not book yourself a solo weekend away.

Send a few texts or emails and inform anyone who may be likely to disturb you that you’re going ‘off-line’ for 36 hours on a certain day. Put preparations in place to ensure the kids and anyone you care for is put in good hands - allowing you to unplug with ease and no worries.  

Set  an intention for your retreat

Setting a clear intention is a fundamental aspect of any healing ritual. What has inspired you to embark on a home retreat? Do you want to bring more calmness and tranquillity to your daily schedule? Do you want to improve your relationship with food and exercise or simply build a new habit into your lifestyle?

Be as specific as possible with your intention and aim to connect with it as often as possible throughout your retreat. I like to choose a word for my retreats and write it in my journal. Some of the words I have used in the past are renew, revitalise, re-energise, calm, inspire, create, invite.

Your intention is the foundation upon which change is built.

Pick a theme

There are endless retreat models for you to choose from - from yoga, Ayuvedic and meditation retreats to nature and detox retreats - choose a theme that speaks to your spiritual journey and incorporates practices you wish to lean into.

Build your theme around your chosen intention.

You can choose to do a blended retreat that combines a few different themes. But we don’t encourage cramming too much into your daily retreat schedule - simple is often more powerful.  It is ultimately all about slowing down and connecting with your inner purpose by calming the mind and the body.

A day or two before the retreat

Prepare a few days before to ensure you get the most from your retreat.

• Let friends, family, and colleagues know that you'll be 'off-line' for 24-36 hours, and ask them to give you space during this time.
• Shop for the nourishing foods you’ll be preparing and eating. If possible, go for simple organic ingredients, which are easy to prepare. Smoothies and protein shakes filled with leafy greens are quick, easy and nourishing.
• Buy herbal teas or a quality Spiced Chai Mix
• If you’re a heavy coffee drinker, limit your intake. You want to avoid or reduce you caffeine intake if possible whilst on retreat.
• Create a playlist on YouTube or Spotify for a few mediations, sleep stories, yoga sessions, inspiring conversations and music that you plan to use during your retreat day
• Wash and ironed all your clothes, socks, blankets and sheets before your retreat day
• Pick out what clothes you are going to wear - loose, comfy and natural fibres work best
• Stock up on natural beauty items and relaxation tools e.g journals, pens, candle, crystals, sage stick, essential oil, moisturising cream, scrub, body brush, colouring book, sketch pad etc. Shop our beautiful linen journals here
• Sort out the supplies for your relaxation time e.g a book to read, a movie to watch, wool and knitting needles to knit or maybe a few magazines to create a vision board.
• Get your yoga mat, bolster, straps, walking shoes, water bottle all organised
• Prepare your luxe spa essentials like a cosy towel, a towel warmer [if you have], oil diffuser, headband, ect.
• Prepare any foods that hold up well and can be eaten on retreat day e.g lentil salad, bircher muesli, pumpkin soup, dahl, ratatouille, chia pudding etc.

Create your sacred space

The afternoon before your retreat begins take some time to gather your supplies and set up your space for the retreat.

• Choose a room where you know you won’t be disturbed during your retreat, and set it up so you’ll enjoy spending time in the environment. Ideally choose a room that feels inviting and uplifting to be in. Something with sunlight, ventilation and maybe even has a window that looks out onto  nature.
• Clean and declutter your retreat space to help you feel calm and comfortable. Cleanse your space with some sage.
• Organise candles, sage, essential oils, oracle cards, books, crystals  - whatever resonates with you to cultivate a calming environment.
• Add soft light to the room so that as evening falls, it'll be easy to maintain a soft and gentle ambiance. Bedside lamps are much more soothing than overhead light. Salt lamps are great also.
• Organise your lighting. Help your body to understand it’s time to wind down with soft lighting. If the glare of your overhead bathroom light is too strong then switch it off and just use several tea lights to create a softer ambiance. Don't forget the lighting as you move from room to room- keep it gentle so you can transition from space to space without breaking the serene mood you’re creating.
• Bring any equipment you’ll need – such as yoga mats, blankets and cushions, into the room so they'll be close by when you’re ready to use them.
• Assemble any beauty products you’ll be using for your pampering session.
• Lay out the clothes you'll be wearing during your retreat. Anything soft and comfy will be fine. Wear slippers or socks. In addition, prepare any clothes you'll need if you're going to step out into nature at some point during the day.
• Prepare a tea station. An essential part of a retreat and restore day is the rest and rehydration during the day. Set up a station with herbal tea, infused water, or fruit juice so it’s ready whenever you are. Add to the sense of occasion by using your best cups or glasses on your favourite tray.
  Before you sleep, please turn off your devices (or at the very least, switch them to airplane mode). Then, consider how that feels – ideally, you won't be switching them back on for the next 36 hours!
• No need to set the alarm; you’ll wake up whenever you’re ready.

• Set up heaters, electric towel rails and electric blankets to warm your retreat space. Warm heat not only feels cosy and nourishing it is great for energising and detoxing the body.

• Set up your music/digital nourishment station. As you prepare to wind down, its super  nourishing to listen to relaxing music or  nature sounds playing softly in the background. A portable speaker will be useful in keeping the mood as you move between rooms.

The night before your retreat

You want to start your retreat day off feeling good. Spend the night alone if you can. Turn down the lights and turn on your essential oil diffuser. Lavender and orange is a great relaxation blend.

Relax the body with a gentle exfoliate and warm shower/bath. Nourish your skin from head to toe with a natural moisturiser [shea butter, coconut oil, almond oil, jojoba oil or our Signature Organic Lotion: Snowgum and Black Cypress Bark.

Put on some comfortable clothes and prepare yourself a light and nutritious meal. Ensure you drink plenty of water.

Relax with a good book, a podcast or a movie.

Spray some Sweet Dreams Aromatherapy Spray from the crown of your head to the soles of your feet. Jump into bed, cosy down into your bed, hit play on your favourite sleep story and drift off to a relaxing night sleep

Retreat program

Wake up with intention

It’s the morning of your retreat!. If you've been feeling physically drained and your body wants a couple of extra hours of rest – treat yourself to some more sleep. Ease gently into the day with these tips.

• Avoid the temptation to check your phone – believe it or not, the world can get on fine without you!
• Start by rehydrating your body. A glass of pure water with a teaspoon of organic apple cider vinegar and perhaps some slices of lemon is a great way to wake up your digestive system and cleanse your liver. An alternative would be to prepare a pot of your favourite herbal tea and sip through the morning.
• Stretch out. The next step is to wake up your muscles and stimulate circulation with a few minutes of stretching. Some gentle yoga stretches, flowing xi gong, or any enjoyable mindful movement will get you off to a great start.
• Get centred. Calming the breath is an effective way to reduce cortisol, the body’s master stress hormone. So, seated on a cushion or a chair, move into the moment with 10-15 minutes of mindful breathing. This perfect antidote to the racing thoughts we often allow to take over in the morning will help you reduce any anxiety so you can savour each moment of your retreat.
• Remind yourself of your intention for the retreat. Before you move, take a few moments to consider what you're hoping this day will bring you. You may like to journal on the words you have chosen -  don't overthink it - just let the thoughts free float from within. This isn’t about setting goals, focusing on "should's or should nots" or checking off the activities on a mental 'to-do' list. 
• Then it's time to shower and get you clean and ready for the day ahead. Stay mindful. Enjoy the sensation of the warm water washing away yesterday’s stresses, wrap yourself in a warm fluffy towel, and get into your comfy outfit.

Mindful Movement

Daily exercise can help exert the body and release unwanted emotions. Choose an intensity and method that suits you. Stretching or yoga is a great low-intensity option that focuses on areas that may be holding unwanted tension.

If you wish to incorporate some higher-intensity workouts - it is best to keep these types of work outs for the morning to spike energy levels for the day ahead.

We recommend moving your body twice throughout a 24-hour period once in the morning, and once in the afternoon/evening. Moving your body outside among nature can help us connect with the healing powers of nature and promote spiritual well-being.

Nourish your body

Your retreat should not be seen as a diet. Even if you are keen to detox - eating well and eating enough are key to rejuvenating your mind and body and soul. After all, your retreat my serve as a well-needed rest from toxic diet culture and an opportunity for you to focus on foods that help you feel your best.

Focus on filling your plate with whole, plant-based food to nourish your body. Plant-based foods facilitate good digestion and allow rhythm back into your body. Avoid refined foods high in sugar to stave off unwanted sugar crashes that leave us feeling lethargic and out of whack. 

For breakfast choose some simple foods to break the night's fasting – some seeds or nuts, perhaps a couple of pieces of luscious seasonal fruit with live yogurt. If you enjoy muesli or porridge in the morning, go ahead! As long as your choices nourish the body and provide pleasure for the senses, you’ll be on the right track!

You may like to lighten the load on your body and implement intermittent fasting throughout your retreat days. If this interests you then focus on eating in a single 8 or 6 hour window such as between 10-6 or 11-5 can promote a range of health benefits including increased energy, mental clarity, deeper feeling of wellness and improved sleep.

Eat mindfully

Take a different approach today if you typically bolt down breakfast while getting ready for work. Prepare an attractive place setting, sit, and take a moment to contemplate the food you’ve placed in front of you. Notice the colours and the textures. Breathe in the aroma. Then eat, slowly, mindfully, savouring each mouthful.

Lean into joy 

Your wellness retreat should leave you feeling a little lighter and a little brighter - that is why we encourage you to lean into the activities that fill up your cup.

Now that you're centred and hopefully feeling energised, take a couple of hours to indulge yourself with any activity you enjoy, but perhaps you have been too busy to spend time on. It could be reading, sketching, doing a jigsaw, gardening – anything that absorbs all your attention and gets you into a 'flow' state of pure focus.

Choose whatever activity you like unless it involves your mobile devices and social media. There's nothing else you have to do now, so indulge yourself in one or more of life’s neglected pleasures!

Lean into what brings you joy in a mindful and considered way can help promote feelings of creativity and fulfilment.

Love to draw but can’t remember the last time you did? Love to bake but just can’t find the time? Your home retreat is a time to reconnect with parts of yourself you may have lost along the way and can offer a fresh perspective on the parts of your daily routine that no longer serve you.

Pamper yourself

If you’ve neglected any part of your beauty routine over the winter, now’s the time to put that right – perhaps a steam treatment, a purifying face mask, pedicure or a hand treatment.

No spa day would be complete without some serious pampering and beauty therapy. Choose natural and preferably organic head-to-toe treatments.
Select products perfumed with your favourite essential oils – there are so many to choose from. Focus on the sensory experience as you shampoo your hair or massage your skin. Notice the temperature of the cucumber slices on your eyes, the coolness of your face mask, or the rich lotion you slather on your body.

Nourish your body again

Time for a bit of light lunch? Perhaps a simple salad of fresh, seasonal local ingredients. As with breakfast, choose fresh, natural ingredients, prepare them lovingly, and enjoy them slowly.

And although you might want to ‘cleanse’ your system in this retreat, there’s no need to deprive yourself. A little dessert– perhaps some plain coconut yogurt, sprinkled with chopped walnuts and drizzled with organic honey – can make the perfect end to a meal that nourishes the body and delights the senses.

Rest and restore

After lunch, you may be ready for a rest! Burn a candle, light some incense, place a cup of infused herbal tea or a glass of water by your bed, ready for when you wake up. You may like snuggle under your covers or a light weight blanket for a cosy re-energising nap. When we rest, slow down an sleep our cells go into repair mode.

Or, if you prefer, take yourself through an online Yoga Nidra meditation session for the ultimate physical and emotional rest. Yoga Nidra translates as 'yogic sleep'. One hour of this simple practice has the same effect on the body as four hours of regular sleep. The easiest way to learn Yoga Nidra is to listen to some of the many guided sessions on YouTube or try my Garden Yoga Nidra Meditation over at The OM Collective.

Step out into nature

You’ve been indoors most of the day, so now it’s time to step outside to get some fresh air and reconnect with the natural world. Try and stay away from busy, crowded areas. If you’re lucky enough to have a dog in your life, invite them to join you - their enthusiasm and playfulness are infectious.

Ideally, you'll go for a walk in the woods or around a local park and indulge in a spot of shinrin-yoku (aka forest bathing) to fill up your soul with wonder.

If you're fortunate enough to live near open water and can have a swim, that's a perfect way to exercise and re-energize the body.

Whichever way you enjoy the outdoor portion of your retreat, take time to breathe deeply and bask in the freedom of having no timetable to stick to and no deadlines to meet.. Your only 'to-do' is to savour every moment.

Nourish your mind

Central to every retreat should be sustained periods of stillness and solitude that fosters a strong connection with your intention and invites healing energy. A moment of meditative reflection with a steady focus on our breath can help us de-stress and promotes mental clarity.

Meditation is a key relaxation therapy that should be integrated into your healing programme. It is in silence that we can begin to uncover what truly fulfils us and fosters personal growth.

Choose moments throughout your day to retreat to your chosen space or ‘solitude corner’ and invite stillness into your mind and body.

Sit in silence for a minimum of 20 minutes and increase based on your experience level. 

Back home, winding down

Once back home, it’s time to wind down the day. Much like our morning routine - a night time ritual is key to closing out the day with peace and inspiration.

Make yourself a nourishing dinner or light snack, a simple salad with roast veggies or a plate of steamed veggies is always an easy alternative.

You may want to spend some more time on an activity you enjoy but don't do often enough.

Purify with a bath

Before bed its always nice to carve out some luxury bath time to cleanse and purify the mind, body and soul. A long soak in a hot bath filled with bubbles, epsom salts and fragrant oils. Keep the spa atmosphere with candlelight and perhaps your favourite meditative music  playing softly in the background.

When you step out, wrap yourself in the biggest fluffiest towel you’ve got, dry yourself off, and slather your warm skin with a beautifully-scented body lotion or almond oil. Put on some loose comfy clothing made of natural fibres.

Night-time unwind

Your night time routine should incorporate a mindfulness practice as well as some light stretching to increase muscle blood flow before bed. Practising gratitude for all you have accomplished on your retreat, light reading or breathwork all serve to invite a peaceful night's sleep.

After a few minutes of restorative yoga stretches, focusing on slowing down your breathing and effortlessly releasing any lingering muscle tension, you're almost ready for bed.

Just before you sleep, make yourself a warm herbal tea and take a few moments to reflect on how you feel after your self-care day. Remember the intention you set in the morning? How did it go?

And finally, if you have a journal close by, list everything you’ve felt grateful for about today.

Put on a meditation or sleep story and gently drift off……
Congratulate yourself on making the time for your DIY retreat. It will have been a good day, so let go and drift off into a deep, refreshing night's sleep.

Summary

If you’ve reached the end of your DIY self-care retreat, congratulations! You've taken a decisive step to restore your physical, emotional, and mental balance and will return to everyday life nourished, restored and empowered.

Now there's no need to wait for your next home spa day! Instead, continue prioritising your self-care by integrating the activities you’ve enjoyed most into your daily or weekly routines.

We hope that this guide has helped you to get started and that you'll enjoy planning many perfect retreats that will transform your approach to handling the stresses of everyday life.