We all feel stressed and overworked at times, and if you need a break from the real world, a weekend – or longer – in a retreat center can be the ideal solution. Retreats were popular in Europe during the Middle Ages, and allowed those who were religious a quiet place to commune with God and to discover inner peace and harmony. Many of them were isolated monasteries, and were cut off from the rest of the world.
Today’s retreats serve much the same function, although perhaps aren’t as isolated and remote as those in Medieval Europe were. However, many of today’s retreats offer the most basic accommodation, and some also impose a rule of silence during some or all of the day. Don’t expect the amenities of a hotel, such as television, telephone and Wi-Fi, and your meals may be a lot more basic. However, a retreat stay really can be a great way to escape the stresses of everyday life and recharge the batteries, and you do not need to be at all religious to stay at one.
