Guilt…
Is the word that consistently comes up when I ask people why they are reluctant to go on a holiday or my retreat this year.
This guilt is very real for many Aussies, who understand and feel remorse for our contribution to climate emergency we all experienced this summer. This emotion is intense to the point that we can’t celebrate life anymore.
So what is guilt and how to deal with it?
Guilt says “I made a mistake”, therefore, the first step of action would be to reflect on lessons that need to be learned from the situation.
And so I did.
When I sat down with this emotion, I realised that I need to become more skilled and intelligent in how I spend my money. Like the other day, when I was at a shop and found a pair of pants that actually fit. I am tiny and always struggle with finding my size.
So there I was debating whether I should buy 2 pairs, because who knows - I might not be able to find another pair like this in a long time. I had to really pull back and re-think this impulse. It took an effort to turn on my climate-conscious mind and remind myself that I have got a few pairs of pants at home that I can still wear, too.
Today I am urged to support farmers and make an effort to go to a market on Saturday morning instead of Coles. I am compelled to buy from small businesses and this way support people who run them.
As you might know, my Blue Mountains Retreat is on the verge of being canceled. I had a chat about it with the owners of Vanam Retreat about a week ago. They shared that the Blue Mountains community was hit really hard this year. I am not only talking about fires and drought but also businesses suffered a lot as many events got canceled and fewer tourists visited the mountains.
What I am trying to say here is that going on a retreat is not a guilty pleasure. It is a noble one.
Because you go into silence, introspection, reflection and work on self. You invest not only in your health, longevity, but also support community and small business that does things the right way.
Vanam Retreat is fully off the grid with its own solar power and rainwater. You will stay at an architecturally-designed home, made of straw, cob, recycled timbers and earthen renders.
You will eat healthy vegetarian meals and will be taken care of by two beautiful humans and two gorgeous doggies.