Travel | Abundant~Life~Initiative

River’s Bend Retreat Center, Philo, California.

Everyone needs and deserves a retreat at least once a year. This video was filmed last Wednesday, September 6th, and I was hitting the road to go on women’s retreat. After attending a couple of women’s retreats, I’ve made the decision to go at least once a year and it is one of the best ways I express self-love.

The women’s retreat I attended was found through my spiritual organization, but there are plenty for non-spiritual folks to choose from (just Google “retreats near me” and you will be amazed!). There’s a retreat type for every person.

Here are a few reasons why a retreat should be your next getaway:

You get a chance to get a break from the monotony of life. A retreat takes you out of your comfort zone and plops you into a place of tranquility and serenity. A change of scenery offers the senses a chance to play in a new area, which allows us to recharge and to grow.
You can do as much, or as little as you’d like on your retreat. Most retreats offer several workshops during the course of the days you’re attending. During my first retreat, I attended every workshop. I skipped workshops on my second retreat because it was more important for me to recharge in solitude than to do lots of group activities.
The hustle and bustle of life falls away and you get back to your own internal clock. My one wish for the retreats I attended was to serve breakfast later in the morning because I wanted to follow my own internal wake up clock.
This is a time to get inspired. I used my oracle and tarot cards as journal prompts. I created all sorts of crafts in our retreat’s craft temple. I meditated on what how my business could grow. Inspiration was found in the conversations with other women and in my own conversations with myself. I learned I actually am crafty and now I can take that back to my regular life, as a tool to decompress when need be.
Unplug. Hopefully where you retreat there will be no cell phone service. If there is, turn your phone off. Retreat means to pull back from the world. Let the world miss you for awhile.

We all need to retreat, to go within and to sit with ourselves. Even if it means creating your own retreat by booking a hotel room or cabin for a long weekend – invest in your mind, body and spirit. You are so worth the the time, money and effort and your sanity will thank you later for it.

Much Love and Blessings,

Kim

Abundant Life Tarot

The above Youtube video captures my family’s trip to Orick, California in Humboldt County, filmed by my husband. The gentleman playing the guitar, is my father Billy Joe Cooley (that’s his original song on the “soundtrack” of our video).

Nothing can rival the beauty and tranquility that is found in the coast of Northern California. I am blessed to be a Northern Californian native and have access to some of the most amazing, most spiritual places on earth. I am a tree hugger in the sense that I love to be in the presence of big trees, the Redwoods. The wisdom of those old trees can be felt in the air. The air is crisp, oxygenized, unspoiled and sweet with the aroma of green and ocean (not that kind of green!). I have stayed in a lovely cabin twice near the Big Trees of Humboldt, County, or specifically, Orick, California. Orick is about a five to six hour drive from Sacramento. I’d much rather drive up the coast for six hours, than six hours down to grid locked Los Angeles.

Next up, you will find another Youtube video filmed on the quaint little town of Orick, California, which inspired me to detail my travels in photos I took of my trips there further down in this blog:

Check out some photos I snapped on my adventures in 2009 and 2010 in Orick, California:

Elk in the pastor near the ocean.

Elk right outside the cabin’s window.

Elk in our back yard of the rented cabin, in Orick, California.

A controversial, but fun tourist spot.

My son near the ocean.

My dad and son getting in some fishing at some of the smaller water holes near the ocean.

A must stay is at Redwood Adventures Cabins near Orick, California. Fully stocked, cozy, and at the same time expansive, three bedroom cabins will entice you to stay indoors, when there’s so much to see and do near the coast. The inn keepers have a host of activities you can do: bike rentals, hiking, site seeing, fishing, beach combing – you name it, they probably have a connection or a direct tour just for you. Check out http://www.redwoodadventures.com/cabins/ for deluxe and affordable lodging. The inn keepers at Redwood Adventure Cabins are angels and really keeps the cabin rentals in turnkey and highly comfortable conditions. There’s no “roughing it” when you’re staying in these cabins!

The pictures do not do this locale justice – it really is my go to sanctuary to meditate, clear my mind, and get in touch with the inner me. Limited to no cell phone connection means you are truly free to explore your mind and the beauty that nature has to offer.

-Curator of all things beautiful, Kimberly Jo Cooley