If you’re itching to travel after months in lockdown, these cannabis-friendly luxury retreats may be just what you need.
Everyone needs a break. Heck, right about now, all of us do. Some prefer to climb a mountain or jump in a lake. But others savor the inward approach. The increasing popularity of retreats allows people to take a break from the routine while also working on personal development, and returning with an enhanced skill set and a solid social circle for future support. Here are five advantages of luxury retreats.
The Value of Luxury Retreats
1) Retreats Offer Long Term Benefits Over Vacations
Luxury retreats set themselves apart from a vacation in that they include a specific intention behind the urge to escape from a monotonous routine. The act of setting an intention means that you set aside the time to reflect, talk about, meditate on, or otherwise work on, a particular issue.
Basically, vacations provide an escape that often serves to release some of the built-up pressure. But they rarely induce long-term benefits. Accordingly, the science backs this theory up. In a study published in Nature (2016), researchers found that vacations only bring about short-term improvements in well-being, whereas a meditation retreat offers significant benefits to cellular health far beyond the vacation effect.[1]Epel, E., Puterman, E., Lin, J. et al. Meditation and vacation effects have an impact on disease-associated molecular phenotypes. Transl Psychiatry 6, e880 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/tp.2016.164
2) Nature Recharges the Wear Spirit
When it comes to spending time outdoors, there’s more to it than meets the eye. One of the major advantages of a luxury retreat is the time spent in nature. A study published in Environmental Health and Preventative Medicine (2017) investigated the effects on individuals after spending time in forests. Basically, the researchers noted an astounding number of benefits that included positive impacts on hypertension, cardiac and pulmonary function, immune function, inflammation, oxidative stress hormones, anxiety, depression, and emotional responses.[2]Oh, B., Lee, K. J., Zaslawski, C., Yeung, A., Rosenthal, D., Larkey, L., & Back, M. (2017). Health and well-being benefits of spending time in forests: systematic review. Environmental health and … Continue reading
3) The Power of Solid Company
Unlike a beach holiday, retreats tend to attract people of a similar mindset. Such environments are often supportive, and like-minded individuals often provide accountability and motivation to each other. What’s more, very often these people remain friends and continue to support each other upon returning from the retreat, meaning that anyone struggling is never truly alone.
4) Retreats Provide Access to Professional Help
Many retreats are incredibly well organized. Correspondingly, these include a host of activities facilitated by trained professionals. Such activities often include training, counseling, and physical exercises that help bring about improvements in spiritual, physical, and mental well-being.
This leads not only to benefits while attending the retreat, but also serve to equip attendees with the skills to cope and continue developing after returning.
5) Solitude is a Healer
Much of the healing we require is already within us. Accordingly, with meditation practices, retreats often provide the solitude we require to silence the mind and really tune into the underlying drivers of the issues we experience.
The Power of Silent Retreats
The programs of different retreats vary widely, and one important consideration is whether they’re silent or more social in nature. People attend retreats for all sorts of reasons; some require an environment to connect deeper within, while others attend to connect. Both offer advantages, with the benefits of a silent retreat being much more easily quantifiable.
A study published in Frontiers in Psychology (2016), investigated the psychological effects of a one-month silent meditation retreat. After analyzing the effects on nineteen experienced meditators, researchers noted improvements in non-attachment, cooperativeness, and reductions in reward-dependence, and self-directedness.[3]Montero-Marin, J., Puebla-Guedea, M., Herrera-Mercadal, P., Cebolla, A., Soler, J., Demarzo, M., Vazquez, C., Rodríguez-Bornaetxea, F., & García-Campayo, J. (2016). Psychological Effects of a … Continue reading
Embracing Cannabis on Retreat
For many consumers, cannabis provides a welcome escape from the day-to-day stresses of life. In some instances, the intentioned and methodical consumption of cannabis in the retreat environment can fast-track someone on the road to wellness. Due to the ever-growing legalization and destigmatization movement across the globe, cannabis retreats that embrace the therapeutic potential of cannabis are now a thing. Here are three centers offering such cannabis-themed retreats.
420 Yoga Retreats
Located in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, 420 Yoga Retreats provide a creative mix of yoga, movement, meditation, and CBD massages. Weekend retreats attract those who want to work with cannabis to release physical and emotional blockages in a supportive therapeutic environment surrounded by some breathtaking mountain scenery.
Coral Cove Cannabis Retreat
Jamaica is a country with a rich tradition in the spiritual use of cannabis. In a secluded corner of the island, the Coral Cove Wellness Resort caters to cannabis lovers who want to escape from the tourist hotspots and connect further with nature. With mineral hot springs nearby, a wide variety of home-grown cannabis on-site, and capable chefs who provide cannabis-infused dishes, it’s the place to truly connect with the spirit of cannabis for true healing.
Cannabliss
Based in California, Cannabliss organize retreats designed to expand the mind, strengthen the body, and further, to awaken the spirit. Better yet, this all comes with the conscious consumption of cannabis. Further, by having trained staff and neuropathic doctors on hand, these retreats take a holistic approach to healing by bringing both body and mind into alignment to harness the true power of cannabis.
Changing Habits
So, for your next getaway, why not invest in yourself? Correspondingly, why not opt for an experience that’ll empower you to regain control of the direction of your life. Whether it’s the time in nature, the time spent with like-minded individuals, or the teachings from trained instructors, these luxury retreats offer a lot more in terms of personal development than a beach holiday ever could. What’s not to love about it, especially if the retreat is cannabis-friendly!
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