SOLO RETREATS
What is a solitary retreat
A solitary or solo retreat is a specific retreat dedicated to spending time in a peaceful setting without anyone else to contemplate our deeper internal processes.
Practitioners will typically spend several nights up to several years in a solitary retreat.
Solitude and Loneliness
In the context of retreat, it is clear the solitude is totally different from loneliness.
John O'Donohue points out that "sometimes when you're lonely, you are very taken up with the idea of your own separation. Whereas solitude, rather than being a withdrawal, is actually an entry into and a coming home to your own deepest belonging."
And I would add this is a belonging that is solely yours and is accessed when there is no "other" for us to use as an external validation for belonging.
Solo retreats and creativity
When were are on Solo retreat and you are spending time in nature in an intentional way, things can be more potent and accessible...
Our creativity is less "masked" and we can be more receptive and creative.
It is not unusual that when you are on Solo retreat your creative juices will flow and you will able to access creative aspects of your self that you normally cannot access as there is not enough room and time in the day to let them come to the surface.