What benefits can be had in a one day retreat, for the organizer and the participants?
In part two we discussed the importance of choosing the right location to truly capture the feeling of a retreat.
The benefits of a one day retreat for the organizer is the golden opportunity to collaborate with your peers, offer a transformational experience that is easier to fit into a busy schedule for attendees, and be responsible for a much smaller commitment of resources.
It is actually a great way to get your feet wet with a local event, no travel logistics, and a shorter curriculum than the traditional 5-7 day retreat. This format is a huge learning and growth opportunity for you, and will result in elevating your expert status.
We go back to the workshop analogy for the real benefits that can be achieved for the individual who is attending. How many of us have attended a workshop and come out with ideas bursting out of us to try! A great workshop inspires the passion, gets you thinking and lights the fire of action. And that is a beautiful thing.
A retreat delivers the opposite results. A great retreat solves a problem, explores emotions and leaves you in peace. It becomes a day out of time that gives each attendee the feeling of professional support with one- on-one experiences and a safe supportive group experience.
Many people who cannot do a full week would appreciate a one day experience that solves a problem they struggle with. And don’t forget to follow through with an email and some support materials. The effects of an amazing retreat will continue sometimes for weeks and your attendees will appreciate you checking up on them.
I want to share a great example of a one day retreat I was recently invited to collaborate on.
Theta healer and master organizer Brandy Deutsch, created Metamorphosis, a one day retreat with the theme to transform the effects of drastically shifting energies that the Earth has been experiencing. Her goal was to explore and shift the buried pain and deep level stress that is getting stirred up individually as a result of the Earth’s changes.
She brought together an eclectic group of healers, teachers and storytellers, and created a collaborative program with such artistry and support that it was a huge shift for everyone there. There was a synergy between movement, small focus groups, stories of deep pain and healing and creating a group consciousness.
She was very wise not to oversell it, and maintain the right number of people for the space and the experts available. If someone had questions there was support, and the shift was on, let me tell you.
I was impressed with how many people Brandy brought together to participate, but I have to admit, I wondered how she would be able to make it all work into a cohesive experience. Brandy did just that, seamlessly and with great organizational skill. Ok, it wasn’t her first time, but making it look easy is not easy.
The venue, Habitat House, right in heart of Houston, felt like entering a magical fairy land. She mixed it up with one-on-one practitioners being available and plenty of healthy food and water available all day.
I was a presenter, and I came prepared to teach and serve, but when I left I was a changed soul, just like everyone else. The energy was unbiased, undeniable and transformation was a palpable force. Brandy embraced her role as Divine Hostess and held a space for us all to come in and heal.
She closed the day with a guided Theta Healing meditation journey that was a perfect ending to a perfect day.
This example of creating a one day transformation destination retreat for healing shows all the elements we have discussed in this series.
1. What makes my one day retreat different than a class or a workshop?
2. How can you create a true destination feeling if it’s just one day?
3. What healing transformation (problem) do my clients want to experience (solve) in one day?
So are you interested in creating transformation? I offer retreat facilitation for heart centered professionals who teach programs of change and transformation, in the holistic healing, artistic and intuitive arts.
