Anahata Education Center has begun hosting solo wellness retreats lasting from three to thirty days in a variety of locations at its spacious nature sanctuary. The Center offers accommodations in private rooms at the main retreat center, rustic cabins, cozy studio apartments, a yurt turned into a sound chamber, an octagonal home, a camping pavilion next to the river, and soon to come, a tiny retreat chapel in the woods.
In addition to individual guided retreats, Anahata sponsors small group retreats, spa retreats, and weekend retreats for men, women, and couples; providing tools to enhance self-awareness, communication, connection, and celebration.
How do you envision your ideal vacation? Many dream of relaxation, adventure, and recreation. Some seek learning, exposure to new cultures, and enjoyment of the arts. Still others want to plunge into the restorative beauty of nature, enjoy a reconnection with self, and share quality time with loved ones. No matter the type of vacation, we all look forward to the delicious – even exotic – food and libations!
With social distancing and travel restrictions in effect due to Covid-19, however, many of the usual vacation activities are currently not an option. Festivals, fairs, theaters, conferences, crowded beaches, and nightclubs have been postponed, closed, or downsized.
Even prior to the pandemic, the stress of preparation, travel, whirlwind activities, over-indulgence in rich foods and drinks, and rushing home to make it to work the next morning resulted more in exhaustion than the rejuvenation many seek from their vacations. As a result, more people are looking to get away from it all by turning to nature.
In recent years, many have been ditching the traditional vacation for the personal wellness retreat! The personal wellness retreat is the perfect occasion for relaxation and stress-reduction; a time to gather tools for a healthier lifestyle or spiritual deepening.
Floyd’s Tourism Department has jumped on board a state-wide trend to promote wellness tourism. “Floyd County has always drawn tourists eager to experience its small-town friendly vibe, as well as its rich offerings of music and arts,” says Director, Pat Sharkey. “But the greatest increase in tourism of late is around its recreational opportunities, natural beauties, and wellness offerings.”
Escaping into the pristine sanctuary of nature has become increasingly appealing for city-dwellers and suburbanites alike. Reconnecting with natural surroundings can provide new perspectives, and with concepts such as ‘forest bathing’ and ‘earthing’ becoming more mainstream, Mother Nature provides the perfect setting for a wellness retreat.
Floyd provides an abundance of resources in this regard. There are over eighteen registered hiking trails in the area, with gorgeous mountain views, waterfalls, rivers, and streams. There is also river kayaking, biking, fishing, and more!
Vacationers are also increasingly opting for personal wellness activities such as massage, yoga classes, personal life coaching, or spiritual guidance. They may also seek out spa treatments such as facials and body scrubs, Reiki, sound healing, qi gong, and other modalities.
Programs at Anahata Education Center are individually tailored to the client’s preferences. Daily yoga classes incorporate stretching, strengthening, and balance, as well as meditation, deep relaxation, alignment with soul purpose, and universal spiritual teachings.
Guided activities that connect us to nature and to our deepest longings include walking through a labyrinth, participating in fire circles, movement, river swims, kayaking, nature walks, and ending the day with hot tubbing and star-gazing. Journal-writing, deepening rituals, guided imagery, sound healing, and spiritual coaching round out the itinerary.
Meals are as colorful, organic, local, and home-grown as possible; plant-rich, and tailored to vegan, vegetarian, and omni preferences. It is also possible to incorporate juices, teas, and broths for a personal cleanse.
A personal wellness retreat can offer holistic restoration on several levels. Physical Restoration can be obtained through rest, bodywork, recreation, and optimal nutrition. Mental Restoration can be gained through slowing down in the presence of nature, away from media, electronics, and the sensory overload of modern life, while practicing stillness and mindfulness.
Emotional Restoration can be found by taking time to honor life’s milestones and transitions, bringing presence to deep feelings, releasing, transforming, celebrating, and mourning. Creative Restoration can be achieved through music, play, movement, art, journal-writing, or group ritual. And finally, Spiritual Restoration can be gained by tuning into the heart, the soul, and the Divine, in whatever personal form that takes.
Please visit the recreation and wellness pages online at visitfloydva.com to see the array of resources offered in Floyd County. For a more personal, orchestrated retreat, see the retreat and wellness offerings available at AnahataEducationCenter.com, or email kathrynashera@gmail.com.
Anahata Education Center • 571-422-3024
144 Anahata Circle, Floyd, Virginia 24091
AnahataEducationCenter.com • kathrynashera@gmail.com