The retreat you really need (Silly Season series 2 of 3)

"I have too much to do. I can’t keep up. But I need a break." I hear this all the time and I often feel the same way.

Recently, I realised I needed to step away from it all. I planned to return to a yoga ashram... organic vegetarian food, a vow of silence, and yoga in a majestic rammed-earth hall overlooking the forest.

But each time I visited the booking page, I couldn’t bring myself to click 'confirm'. That hesitation was a clue. In true Aikido fashion, it was telling me: don’t push, blend instead. Don’t force a solution; observe what’s really needed.

So I paused and asked myself: what would a restorative retreat actually look like for me? I realised what I wanted was simple: time in nature with my horses and dog, off technology, and the freedom to go with the flow. Driving several hours away didn’t feel right.

Then inspiration struck... the beautiful biodynamic farm 15 minutes from home where I keep my horses has a cozy AirBnB cabin, overlooking my horses’ paddock. Divine. I booked it, wrote a loosely structured retreat plan, and packed my bags. The result? A retreat that was restorative, joyful, and exactly what I needed.

This experience reminded me of something I often share in my work: energy used wisely accomplishes far more than force applied blindly. Just as in Aikido, pushing too hard creates friction. Stepping back, noticing resistance, and moving in harmony with what’s present whether it’s a horse, a project, or a team, creates flow, clarity, and sustainable results.

So here’s my encouragement: if you need to interrupt the pace of daily life to recharge, pause and ask yourself: what do I actually need? And then, how can I create that simply, without force?

Sometimes, the retreat we need isn’t in a faraway ashram, it’s much closer than we think.