Why YOU Should Attend Harvest Retreats

This blog post is sponsored by Harvest Retreats. All opinions expressed are my own. 

If you're a woman looking for the opportunity to pause and reset, Harvest Retreats is holding an incredible space just for you. This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the ROOTED retreat hosted by Dara Laine Murray. Let me tell you, the experience was incomparable! The Rooted retreat is designed to give women the opportunity to prioritize their peace, healing, and rejuvenation through activities that are designed to refresh the mind, body, and spirit. There were also moments for downtime to connect with yourself and other like-minded women. 

The Rooted Retreat gives you an opportunity to "invest in yourself, disconnect from your duties, and recharge in an intimate location." During my three day stay, I was a part of a community of women who took advantage of the opportunity to learn and grow together. In addition, there was a professional photographer on the grounds to document each aspect of our growth and fellowship. I left the retreat with clarity, and I also let go of a few things that were no longer serving me. There were so many amazing elements to this event, so let's take a deep dive into everything the retreat entailed!

Day One: Upon walking in the door, I was greeted by our host, Dara, who made me feel right at home immediately! To be honest, I was totally nervous about attending. Walking into new social situations as a shy introvert can be scary, but when you have a host like Dara that creates a peaceful atmosphere for all personality types in mind, there is nothing to fear! We all enjoyed a family-style dinner, then set our intentions regarding our expectations for the weekend. This was such a unique moment for me, because I got the chance to develop a sense of community with like-minded women. My intention was to learn from the women around me and I was given every opportunity to do so! 

Day Two: After enjoying a great breakfast, we got the opportunity to participate in breathwork, facilitated by the wonderful Amy Kuretsky. This was my first time actually doing it in a group setting, and let me tell you...it was POWERFUL! It felt as though all of us were in alignment with the notion of letting go what was no longer serving us and that felt amazing. After breathwork, we enjoyed a healthy lunch and participated in self-guided activities. I elected to swim for a bit and spend the rest of my time catching up on my favorite shows. In the evening we enjoyed an incredible vegan meal and discussed everything from our fears, to love lives, aspirations, and struggles. I really felt a sense of sisterhood among us.

 

Day Three: Sunday was probably my favorite day and that's because we took a trip to Desert Botanical Garden! During this time we enjoyed a mocktail hour in the garden. The drinks and snacks were great, especially after venturing onto some of the trails in the hot desert heat! Speaking of trails, I made sure to pop over to the Butterfly exhibit. It was marvelous! There was an array of beautiful butterflies flying around. I even snagged a video of one they'd just release that morning!

After enjoying the garden, we went back and enjoyed a sound cocoon. If you've never experienced a sound cocoon, I have one word for it--otherworldly. This guided meditation was hosted by the incredible Suzanne Wigginton who played an array of instruments as we flowed into a state of healing and relaxation. We ended our time together with a community style dinner, then discussed what we were letting go of once we returned home. During this time, I let go of some of the lifelong stories that I'd been carrying with me that were no longer serving the woman that I've become. 

What are my takeaways from this Harvest Retreats experience?

This was an incredibly rewarding experience for me. As an introvert it's pretty easy for me to isolate out of comfort, but being in the presence of other women reminded me that we are so much more alike than we are different. I also vowed to continue to create moments of rest for myself. As an solopreneur, it's pretty easy to fall into 'hustle culture' and neglect self-care. The retreat reminded me how important it is to to take time for self and pour back in.