In my twenties and early thirties–my life Before Kids–I spent a lot of time in retreat. Three or four months of intensive, formal meditation retreats each year, where I sat in a little mud hut at a retreat center in India, or a meditation hall at a monastery in Nepal, and meditated in silence for fourteen hours or more each day.

I’d emerge from these retreats feeling deeply connected to my inner world. Peaceful, quiet, as still as a mountain. Unshakeable. Until I disembarked into the neon wild of JFK airport and my breath became ragged, my heartbeat uneven and jangled by the sight of security guards with guns, by the clamor of lights bouncing off shiny stainless steel surfaces.

I realized then that I needed to find a way to be present, open, loving and peaceful in my daily life.

Back home in Canada, I experimented with ways to keep the gifts of retreat alive in my everyday world of work, friends and play. Sundays were retreat days for me.

I’d follow the rhythm of a silent retreat. Up before dawn. Meditation. Yoga. A light breakfast. More meditation. One-hour sessions of sitting with my mind, with my breath. Followed by mindful walking in my back yard.

Sitting. Walking. Being. No phones, no reading or music, no distractions of any kind. Just me, my body, my mind, my breath. And the vast universe behind my closed eyes.

By the end of the day I’d feel restored to my self. Slip into bed feeling deeply rested. Sink into dreamless sleep. Wake the next morning, ready for my week. Which unfolded with a greater sense of calm well-being because I’d taken the time to return home to myself.

Once I had children, Sundays became family days. I still sat in meditation each morning for an hour or two, but anything more than that was an unimaginable luxury.

Now, my life has come full-circle. My children are grown and off living their lives. My time is my own. And technology has changed the face of retreats, as it has changed so much else.

Next month, Jen Louden–author of The Woman’s Comfort Book, The Life Organizer and several others–is holding a virtual retreat. One you can participate in from home, in your pajamas.

It starts on Friday, February 12th, and continues throughout the weekend, with sessions led by several wonderful teachers. Jen has created and taught retreats for women for over twenty years. She brings her lovely, down-to-earth presence and an array of processes to help each of us settle more deeply into our bodies, into our hearts. Into connection, peace and openness to the truth of our inner being.

I will be teaching a session on Opening to the Sacred, along with my sound-healer friend, Fabeku. Patti Digh, Christina Baldwin and Julie Ann Turner are some of the other wise women who’ll help you get in touch with your creative essence, restore your heart and spirit, and find your true voice.

Won’t you join us? You can take part in as many or as few sessions as you have time for. The cost is $108. You can register here.

The gifts of retreat have never been more necessary. Or more accessible than they are now, thanks to the magic of technology and the world-wide web. I look forward to meeting you there!