Why I Love Retreat: The Most Amazing Show On Earth

Nicole Carlson
February 24, 2025

One of the wonderful parts of the AIMC community is our commitment to regular retreats. About once a quarter, we come together for a 1/2 or full-day silent retreat. To me, these retreats are a fun way to bond with sangha members, enjoy (amazing) potluck offerings, and step away from the business of life. Even better than these sweet rewards, retreats offer me a precious opportunity to touch in with my felt sense of the world.

In regular life, my mind tends to be very busy, and I can go hours or days with virtually no awareness of my body's experiences. Retreat offers the magic of multiple cycles of meditation and mindful movement, all done in silence, which allows me the space for my thoughts to slow down. With this unwinding of my thinking mind, the curtain goes up for what I consider the most amazing show on earth--the sensations of my body in the present moment.

During this show, I get a chance to learn from the wisdom of the body--whether it's in my somatic response to thoughts or happenings, or in watching how the body unwinds muscle by muscle when calmness is present. I never know what I'll see, but whether bumpy or smooth, retreat is always an amazing teacher and experience.

We hope you can join us for one of our upcoming AIMC retreats, or find one of your own to join.

Metta to you all,

Nicole