There are ten questions here. Answer as many as you want and skip the rest. A few words is fine. So is “no idea.” It gives us something to work with as we develop your solo retreat scaffold.
Purpose: Think of this question as the start of your solo retreat. Solo is the key here. The question is asking you to think about yourself. Your needs, your wants.
Today’s society labels spending time and/or energy on yourself as selfish. But that’s not how nature behaves. The kererū will eat berries and fruit to feed itself. It’s the only bird big enough to swallow and spread the seeds of the taraire, tawa, karaka and pūriri. The forest thrives when the kererū is selfish.
Purpose: It’s easy to think busy is the way it’s supposed to be. Writing it down is a good way to see it objectively.
In spring, the Pipiwharauroa flies about 4,500 km to New Zealand. When it gets here, it doesn’t suddenly think it needs to get the washing on or mow the lawns. How far have you flown in the last few months?
Purpose: Not the baggage in the boot of the car, the baggage of life.
Leaves, branches, whole trees get dropped onto the forest floor. The forest turns it all into soil. It will do the same for you if you let it.
Purpose: Everything could probably do with fixing. But where do you start?
When a plant wilts, it doesn’t need fertiliser. It needs water. What’s your water?
Purpose: Everyday life is the yang. Rest is the yin. Name your yin.
To switch off, you need to know how to find the switch.
Purpose: Working out what you don’t want is half of working out what you do want.
Everyday habits have a habit of creeping back in. When they try, just say no.
Purpose: Life doesn’t always include permission to be yourself, but it’s still in there. Time to reconnect.
Nobody is watching you here. Nobody wants anything from you. Time to let the ‘you’ shine.
Purpose: When you’re doing nothing, but start thinking you should be doing something, a reminder can help you start doing nothing again.
It’s easy to drift away into thinking about the to-do list. A few words can act like an anchor.
Purpose: Your feelings don’t have to agree with each other. Sometimes when they don’t, it’s a sign that something is shifting.
We respect all life here. For seven years we’ve also controlled possums, which means taking lives. It never gets easier. Since we started, we hear more kiwi in the forest, and there’s no possum damage in the bush. Both things are true, and the hard feeling stays. It’s a tangle we’ve learned to live with.
Purpose: The first nine questions are from us to you. This one is from you to us.
This retreat is for you. There may be something, big or small, that we should know. Please don’t hold back.
Only fill in your name and email if you'd like us to follow up (gently of course). You are welcome to leave it blank.
