5-Minute Retreats
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Ohio
Posts: 444
5-Minute Retreats
I treated myself to a new book yesterday. It's called "Stress-Proof Your Life with...... 5-Minute Retreats for Women" by Sue Augustine. (I'm sure most of these would work for men, too).
So, I thought I'd post the first retreat and perhaps post one a week. We could all use some de-stressing! I'm just going to give the highlights, as it would be a lot of typing to do each whole chapter.
Breakfast in Bed:
Bright and early some morning, go to the kitchen and prepare a simple breakfast. Take a tray, add a doily, a pretty cup and saucer, and your favorite teapot (or coffee pot--Ann) and some fresh flowers. Make your favorite tea or coffee. Some suggestions for food are fresh fruit in season, could top or blend with french vanilla yogurt or cream, muffins, or even just a simple English muffin with strawberry jam. Or you could be really ambitious and make a small cobbler the night before or quiche. Anything that doesn't take much knife and fork action--keep it simple. Then take the tray, perhaps your favorite pet, and a stack of your favorite gardening magazines or a good novel--back up to bed. Light a small candle on your nightstand and put on some soft background music. Best of all, give yourself permission to stay put for a while.
I can hardly wait to try it--perhaps this Saturday!
Lyn
So, I thought I'd post the first retreat and perhaps post one a week. We could all use some de-stressing! I'm just going to give the highlights, as it would be a lot of typing to do each whole chapter.
Breakfast in Bed:
Bright and early some morning, go to the kitchen and prepare a simple breakfast. Take a tray, add a doily, a pretty cup and saucer, and your favorite teapot (or coffee pot--Ann) and some fresh flowers. Make your favorite tea or coffee. Some suggestions for food are fresh fruit in season, could top or blend with french vanilla yogurt or cream, muffins, or even just a simple English muffin with strawberry jam. Or you could be really ambitious and make a small cobbler the night before or quiche. Anything that doesn't take much knife and fork action--keep it simple. Then take the tray, perhaps your favorite pet, and a stack of your favorite gardening magazines or a good novel--back up to bed. Light a small candle on your nightstand and put on some soft background music. Best of all, give yourself permission to stay put for a while.
I can hardly wait to try it--perhaps this Saturday!
Lyn
Queen of one liners
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: walking beside you! Not in front of you.
Posts: 658
5-minute retreats?????????
I don't know about anyone else but with a spouse, 2 teenagers who are very busy.....I don't see how I can just take 5 minutes....
BUT I can and DO take 3 minute breaks....How??? A tv commerical I am told is generally 3 minutes long.....when I need a break and some serenity I leave the house , go out and look at my fish or I go out the other door and look for a flower blooming, or I look out the patio doors to see if the deer are here...Or at night I turn on the flood lights and look for the raccoons....Most of the time I just look for a sunbeam....
No I don't get a 5 minute retreat but I can find 3 minutes to stop and be Thankful for the gifts my Higher Power has sent...It just takes my willness to look..
Where do you have a sunbeam in your life today??? Have you really been aware that there is one????
Living with Alcoholism for so many years I had stopped even looking, my world was gray, gray, gray (so I thought) then Mt St Helens blew gray ash every where and in the rain that followed the whole world was truly gray...my sponsor told me to look out the window for one bright thing...All I could see was one really bright yellow danilion in my yard...She told me then that my HP was trying to show me that it's the little things that brighten our world if we just look for them....
Guess what happens to the 3 minutes.....sometimes they turn into 30 minutes...
Love and prayers, ~~A~~
Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,955
This sounds great
I need to pick up some doilies at the store. And I think I will wear my tiara while I enjoy breakfast in bed.
Gabe's hint to make this a shorter process: Prepare what you like for breakfast the night before. Then all you have to do is microwave it warm in the morning. Me...I'm thinking a ham, egg and cheese omelette, a croissant and some fresh ground hazelnut coffee.
Gabe's hint to make this a shorter process: Prepare what you like for breakfast the night before. Then all you have to do is microwave it warm in the morning. Me...I'm thinking a ham, egg and cheese omelette, a croissant and some fresh ground hazelnut coffee.
Learning to love life...
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 529
wow... sounds wonderful.
Any suggestions as to how to keep my 2 and 6 year old quiet during this retreat?? I am wondering how darn early I would have to get up before THEY get up and start jumping on the bed, and my breakfast flies everywhere
Meg
Any suggestions as to how to keep my 2 and 6 year old quiet during this retreat?? I am wondering how darn early I would have to get up before THEY get up and start jumping on the bed, and my breakfast flies everywhere
Meg
Supply Manager
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Cleaverville
Posts: 2,898
Meg,
Be creative.
How about the evening when the kids are in bed? Take a tray with some magazines and snack and a noncaffinated beverage and have at it!
I go to my tub with candles and a book and Jasmine/Vanilla bubbles (my fave today) and no one bothers me.
I was imagining my tray, with a cinimon bagel and honey walnut cream cheese, my first cup of coffee, a flower and a magazine on the patio on a summer morning.
JT
Be creative.
How about the evening when the kids are in bed? Take a tray with some magazines and snack and a noncaffinated beverage and have at it!
I go to my tub with candles and a book and Jasmine/Vanilla bubbles (my fave today) and no one bothers me.
I was imagining my tray, with a cinimon bagel and honey walnut cream cheese, my first cup of coffee, a flower and a magazine on the patio on a summer morning.
JT
Learning to love life...
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 529
Thanks JT
I hate it when I reside to my "stinking thinking" and someone calls me on it... but I appreciate it.
Hmmm.... a bath sounds wonderful. We have a hot tub on our deck, overlooking the ocean (and a few rooftops
). Maybe I'll have a soak, and bring Melody Beattie with me 
It seats 6 if anyone wants to come!!
Meg
Hmmm.... a bath sounds wonderful. We have a hot tub on our deck, overlooking the ocean (and a few rooftops
). Maybe I'll have a soak, and bring Melody Beattie with me It seats 6 if anyone wants to come!!
Meg
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