I had a 2-year lack of running fuel, and only finally scheduled the trip after a year. I haven't shared with many what I was going to do. A spiritual retreat in Maui was like, "Oh, you're going on a spiritual retreat, you'll find it very interesting. So, I explained to people that I was taking some vacation. Which was true. However, it's not all that.
The whole story was that I've been going through motions of work, attendance, meeting deadlines and feeling more empty than I should be, at the same time.The whole story was working, showing up, meeting deadlines and feeling hollow all while I was doing these things. It was like something important was silent and I couldn't find it! I had been on to therapy. I've been using meditation applications. I have been to 2 different weekend workshops. It was not in contact with what I had on me.
One of my friends, who has had this type of spiritual experience at Maui Spiritual Retreats says just that, the land does something. You won't be able to tell what it's all about. Just go. So I went.
What I was not prepared for,
The first thing that I noticed: It is not a program or session. This occurred en route to and from the airport.
The air was different, the weather was different. Not warm, alive! I had visited Hawaii on holiday before, and experienced a good feeling. This time it was like being recognised by something, this time there was a genuine intent and it felt like that. I know you're thinking that, "I know how that sounds. I wouldn't have thought it would be this way, before that drive.
On the second day, all the things that I had carried for months, the anxiety low hum and the squeeze in my chest, which I had grown accustomed to because it never ceased, began to relax. Not because of anything that I did. So, only by being there.
It's at that time that I began to comprehend the meaning of people using Maui as sacred land. What the indigens people of Hawaii call “mana” is not a fancy word for energy – it's the living energy that permeates the Islands, the Volcanoes, the Ocean, the Forests. It's a sensation you experience when you stop and listen to what is happening in you.
The Moments that Changed Something
We were part of a small group on a tour to Haleakalā crater, before sunrise. In total darkness and silence, we stood on the edge, at 10,000 feet, looking at the stars slowly disappearing behind the horizon, as it began to glow.
20 minutes is enough time to fill with anything I can't possibly write that makes it justice to what happened. I can only say that I released something that I had held on to for years, some part of me that I had been protecting. Not dramatically. Quietly. It was as if I'd been holding my breath for so long and then suddenly it came out.
We toured ancient temples (heiau), which the Hawaiians used to hold ceremonies at for centuries later in the week. We conducted some breathwork in the forest above a waterfall. All of us were silent at the Ocean's edge and the sea rolled below. Every site was unique and had a completely different feel. There was a quality to each of them, each had an ask of you.
I was most impressed with the healing not being done to me, or by a person or program. It was like it was coming out of the ground; it was just my time in retreat to allow me to receive it.
What I Brought Home
I thought that the retreat would help me to feel better. I didn't expect to be in a different position on a fundamental level.
It's the weeks following my return that I saw things changing which I didn't imagine. The father and I had a conversation about things which I was not able to have for 3 years and now it just happened. Abundantly, a creative project that I had left for dead resurfaced. The sense of worry that had been in the background of my life that I had felt for a long time not only was absent but also had been removed from me completely, not managed, but removed. Gone.
I don't really know what went on in those days in Maui. I won't bother telling others what was happening, as they were not present. I know that Maui Spiritual Retreats are truly unique–I have encountered many things, and they are one of the best experiences I've had.
This is a land that has a lot of substance. It pays you if you take the time to really listen.
Spend time in prayer and meditation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: No, all are welcome to participate in a retreat in Maui.
A: Not at all. People who come to Maui on a spiritual retreat have no knowledge or experience of the shamanic modality or ritual practice. Experience is not the issue but readiness is. If you're feeling a certain attraction for such an experience, then that is enough. Sacred Voyages is open to those who are new to the practice and experienced alike.
Q.What is the minimum period of time it takes to make Maui spiritual retreat worth attending?
A: Most people will need at least 5-7 days to get out of their daily life and the deeper work can start. A weekend is a refreshing experience, but it's not enough to change. The land takes time to do its work on you and the process of assimilating what arises is the same.
Q: A shamanic retreat differs from a traditional wellness retreat in that it focuses on the spiritual component.
A typical wellness retreat focuses on the body and the mind — yoga, meditation, sleep and healthy food. A shamanic retreat is more deep, looking at the energetic and spiritual patterns and wounds that a person is carrying. The idea is to get you to feel better for the short-term, but ultimately to make a permanent change. Shamanic retreats are a time when many people feel the first time that they've released the something they've been carrying fully.
Do a sacred voyage by beginning your own journey in prayer and meditation
If there's something in this story that resonates with you, then that's what you need to listen to.
Sacred Voyages is a shamanic retreat experience led by shamanic guide, Greg "Magick" Bernstein, and his 25+ years of experience in multiple indigenous healing traditions, which takes place in Maui's most powerful sacred sites and energy vortexes.
Year-round both private and intimate group excursions are offered. Please don't come as a tourist. Visit as "Sacred Voyages.
Tags : Maui Spiritual Retreats
