We just returned from our annual October retreat in Texas—three days teaching at Texas Yoga Retreat in Austin and three days of R&R in Dallas. What a delight to take some time to get away! How wonderful to relax, release and let go for a time.

You don’t have to go to Texas (or anywhere else!) in order to have a time of retreat. Retreat is not a place, but a state of mind. Here are some ideas to create an oasis of peace in your life today:

RELAX: When you relax you slow down, maybe by walking a little slower, paying attention more, or just sitting still to catch your breath. Where are you going in such a hurry anyway? I always chuckle at those drivers who are moving their vehicle at breakneck speeds, darting around the other cars only to land at the very same light I must stop at while driving the speed limit. Take your time and you’ll enjoy the journey so much more.

RELEASE: Notice those places in your body where you are carrying tension. Consciously release that tension through breathing, easy movement or gentle stretching. (Have you tried Yoga?!) You might let your inquiries go deeper to consider where this tension is coming from and what contributes to its continuing presence in your body. By being quiet and curious you can get to the source and release that tension for good.

LET GO: Yes, there are many bad things going on in the world today. Yes, we all have opinions about them. Yes, we’re going to hear all about it on the news and social media. But what benefit do these conversations, worries and accusations serve? Each of us is responsible for certain things in our own life, family, work and community. And there are specific actions we can take that will move things forward. By letting go of the things we have no control over—and that’s A LOT of things—we not only reduce stress but also free up energy for the good things we can do.

Relax, release, let go. I hope you’ll give it a try today.

I love the fall season for so many reasons, but mainly because my partner and I get to retreat! For many years in October we have attended Texas Yoga Retreat just outside of Austin. It’s got to be the best regional yoga retreat with small class sizes all taking place in an actual Hindu ashram. But you don’t have to go away to retreat; you can retreat right where you are. Here’s how:

Slow down, my friend. Yes, life seems to be speeding up due to the increasing use of technology. Yes, we are heading back into the school year and sliding into the holidays. But here’s the thing: We each have to make the decision to live our own lives with confidence and courage. Do we really want to be sheep who do what we’re told by the media and advertisers according to the demands of the calendar? Look at your own calendar this week and choose one thing to remove. Don’t you feel better already?

Take a day to be quiet (by yourself, if you can swing it). Turn off all the technology. Put away the computer, the television and the phone. Commune with nature, read inspiring books, write in a journal, make art, sing songs, dance and play. Take a nap! You’ll get more in touch with yourself which is the most important relationship you’ll ever have in life.

Be kind to yourself. This is a wonderful opportunity to cook yourself healthy, nurturing fall foods, like soup, stew or casserole. Massage your body with grounding sesame oil. Mix up an enticing essential oil blend. Wear clean, soft, comfy clothes. Practice restorative yoga, yin yoga or yoga nidra. Not only will you feel great, you’ll give a boost to your immune system which may just prevent illness this fall.

Finally, reflect on these powerful words from the poet Rumi:

Don’t go off sightseeing.
The real journey is right here.
The great excursion starts from exactly where you are.
You are the world.
You have everything you need.
You are the secret.
You are the wide opened.
Don’t look for the remedy for your troubles outside yourself.
You are the medicine.
You are the cure for your own sorrow.
-Rumi

We just returned from our Retreat in Dallas—the first one since the start of the pandemic. I really recommend annual retreat, even if it is in an urban area like Dallas. We ate great food (I’m always looking for vegetarian Tex-Mex), went shopping, took naps, cooled off in the pool, read books, and practiced daily yoga and meditation for extended sessions.

I was amazed at the many opportunities to commune with Nature in this urban oasis. Our hotel was right off a busy highway, but our room was at the back the property along tree-lined sidewalks. We met many traveling dogs, large and small. We spotted a black and white cat sitting in a window watching the bunnies and squirrels. After breakfast one morning I had leftover half a bagel that I tore into small pieces and dropped in the grass. Within minutes a sassy squirrel was following its nose to the spot. Sitting up it held the bagel in its claws and enjoyed breakfast too.

The encounter that made the biggest impression on me was the cockroach who joined me at breakfast another day. Sitting near a wall a saw something move out the corner of my eye. It was a big cockroach on the wall! Its antennae were moving all around as if it was trying to communicate with me. We sat there together for quite some time while I munched on my food. I was well aware that if another person saw the roach it would likely be destroyed, so I gently told it to get out of sight. “You have a good thing going here. Don’t mess it up!”

I have been spending more time “sitting” with things that used to scare me. Maybe it’s the uncertainty of life due to the pandemic or perhaps it’s just the evolution of my spiritual practice, but it’s been quite interesting to see things in a more detached way with less anxiety and fear.

Try this practice: The next time you see something you don’t like, rather than destroy it or move away from it, stay close for a little while longer. Do you feel anxious or afraid? What does that feel like in your body? Notice what strength it takes to do something different than you normally do. Now ask yourself, does the thing I think I don’t like have a right to be here too? How can we coexist in this world that belongs to all of us?

These are great journaling questions that will definitely get you looking at yourself, your life and others in a very different way. You might even be pleased to make friends with a cockroach.