“PHENOMENAL WOMAN, THAT’S ME.” – MAYA ANGELU
“It felt good to escape reality, recharge my battery and get back to who I am,” says Cook, a stay-at-home mom who has two daughters, ages 6 and 11. She spent time on yoga, meditation and paddle boarding alongside seven other women, ranging in age from their 20s to late 60s.
Cook’s getaway is part of a larger trend of women traveling with other women: “The women’s travel space is booming, mostly because women themselves are becoming empowered and excited to do things on their own that maybe they thought they couldn’t do previously. Cook operates a women owned travel agency that specializes in women’s travel.
Her company runs retreats all over the world. Many requests come from baby boomers, she adds. “Their kids are off to college, so they want to have an adventure. It’s like the year of the woman. Even 10 to 15 years ago, not so much,” she says.
Considering going on a women’s retreat? Here’s what you need to know.
Find the right women’s retreat for you
Some women-only retreats are luxurious, all-inclusive experiences, featuring well-known yoga teachers or famous authors. Others focus on physical challenges or adventures, and still others are more low-key with plenty of free time for hiking or journaling on one’s own.
The benefits of going on a women-only retreat, participants say, include the ability to bond with other participants and really relax.
“You can open up more than if men are there. No one cares what they look like, and you don’t need to wear makeup,” Cook says. Some of the group’s shared conversations became so intimate and emotional that they ended in tears, she added. “I don’t think the tears would have flowed quite so freely if there had been men there,” she says.
Embrace the challenge
“Travel is a way we work through our baggage,” says Catherine Smith, founder of the women’s travel website herbagswerepacked.com. She found that through traveling, she was able to challenge herself to build up more confidence and embrace independence — lessons she carried over to the rest of her life. As a result, she wants to encourage other women to do the same.
Through her website, Smith coaches women to overcome any fear they have of traveling without male companions and to embrace the hard parts, including potential loneliness and ensuring one’s personal safety.
Don’t exceed your budget
Smith notes that women-only hostels around the world make it relatively easy to seek out women-only experiences, even while traveling on a budget.
“If you have an interest in doing it, ease yourself into it,” she suggests.
Earnest notes that many retreats offer the option of sharing a room or a bathroom, which reduces the cost. Some people, she adds, even prefer rooming with someone else, for the additional bonding time.
Get ready to make close friends
“I’m always surprised by the supportive atmosphere,” [Participants] become best friends for life, supporting each other through cancer or death of loved ones.”
Maria Leonard Olsen, author of “50 After 50: Reframing the Next Chapter of Your Life,” frequently attends women’s retreats, in part because of those friendships.
“I have formed deeper connections with women than I otherwise would in my busy, daily life,” she says. She adds that other women are often similarly interested in talking about their personal stories, hopes and dreams, and looking to expand their horizons in some way. “A sisterhood feeling develops,” she says.
“It changes their lives in some way,” she says. “It’s this idea of becoming something greater than we thought we could and knowing we can overcome things.”
Women’s retreats ARE WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS
New Soul Connections
Something magical happens when women gather with women. I think it is this hormone that women release which is Oxytocin, or the hugging hormone, which plays a big role in bonding.
Women just want to have fun, connect, and enjoy the precious time they have for vacation without needing to organize it.
They want a more active, meaningful experience with inquisitive and interesting women.
It may be sitting in a rocking chair with a glass of wine or a cooking class in Umbria, shopping in Rome, walking a labyrinth or sharing stories with other beautiful women. Retreats provide the perfect venue for connecting to your soul’s essence.
Felicia Grant is a Certified Advanced Soul Coaching practitioner, Intuitive Medium & USUI Holy Fire Reiki Master.
Helping women ignite their passion!
Join us for The DragonflyExperience Women’s Retreat in Dahlonega GA at the beautiful Dahlonega Spa Resort.
Let Felicia help you create your own DragonflyExperience and Re-establish your divine connection to your spirit.
Find yourself on the nature trails, explore your own spiritual journey on the labyrinth, Enjoy the sunset from the open air jacuzzi and commune with your tribe or luxuriate in a healing spa massage treatment.
If you are ready to step into your own personal power this retreat will give you the tools you need. Helping you to discover their true soul’s mission and live an authentic life carrying out your souls purpose. This retreat will focus on deep inner work fusing in yoga, energy work and meditation to create lasting transformation.
Sometimes there are inner barriers that limit your ability to step into your soul’s potential.
It’s time to release them!
For more info: Visit my website at DragonflyExperience Retreats