What I Learned at Miraval Arizona: 3 Powerful Retreat Lessons to Transform Your Daily Life

When’s the last time you purposefully invested time off to go deeper within yourself? I’m not talkin’ unlimited tiny umbrella boozy drinks on the beach. I’m talking, all you can explore within the depths of your own being. That kinda retreat.

I’m fortunate to say that I just came back from one of the best in the world… for the third time. Lucky me, right? (Luck = living under cosmic knowledge)

You see, Miraval in Arizona is ranked #4 in the world for retreat centers. At any given hour, you can choose from 20+ experiences like a spa treatment, an adventure course, a past life reading, an art class, or healing with horses. Or just sit by one of 4 pools or the river that runs through the whole place. Not to mention the gourmet healthy food and coffee bar that’s all included. And that doesn’t even scratch the surface of the depth and breadth of offerings they have.

I’ve gone as a guest, a retreat host, and now as a seasonal employee. And every single time has been life-changing.

It’s one of those “you need to experience it yourself” kinda places.

So while I can’t transport you there right now, I sure can do my best to bring back the wisdom I gained from going again as a guest just last week. And trust it will serve you too!

Here are the 3 Tools I’m Bringing Back to My Clients from Miraval:

1.🌹Psychic protection is a daily, intentional practice. One of the most transformative classes I took was on psychic protection – the act of creating an energetic barrier in which no low-vibration energy can reach your field. Empaths (super emotionally intelligent people) often take on and absorb energy that isn’t ours. It can be draining, overwhelming, and a constant battle to just feel “okay.” Energy protection is the best way to shift from everything happening to you to being in complete control of what energy comes your way and what is repelled.

Key takeaway: This isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it kind of practice. It’s a daily ritual that allows you to set your intention and know that you are protected and will not take on anything that isn’t yours.

Check out my track on just that:

2. 💃Dance through the scary thing and transmute the fear. There’s an adventure course called “Out on a Limb” in which you climb up a 25-foot log and then walk 25 feet across the limb to the other side and back.

I would never choose this for my own journey. But at orientation at Miraval, this was part of our experience. And I decided that I was going to try and be proud of myself no matter what. Well, I did it! I was shaking, scared, and overwhelmed, but I made it across. One small inch at a time.

I wanted to go again so I could see if there was any shift inside me, doing it a second time after knowing I could. My goal was to walk one foot in front of the other. Nothing more, nothing less.

I was shocked that I was still extremely afraid of falling. But I shook it off (literally), and the facilitator said, “Why not just dance across?” Within moments, I found myself floating across the log, doing tai chi-style dance moves, allowing my body to be taken over by the joy of movement rather than the fear of taking the next step.

Check it out here: First Time. Second Time.

Key takeaway: When you bring fun and play into the hard, scary things in life, it becomes less scary. Next time you’re afraid, see what happens if you dance through it. I bet you’ll find a new possibility!

3. 🦄Child’s play is overdue for adults. Something I’ll remember for the rest of my life was a 1×1 private sand tray session I did with Leah Bolen. I was invited to simply choose a series of figurines and use them to create a scene in an adult sandbox. Together, we were able to tap into my subconscious and the messages I have for myself as I set them up (unknowingly) in the sand.

My scene was so on point that I was hitting the chair with my hand over and over again in pure joy of the depth of meaning and importance that it had for me in that exact moment.

Here’s a snapshot:

Key takeaway: We’re so focused on doing life with our mind as the master. But when you choose a creative outlet, you can stop strategizing and start delighting in what’s unfolding naturally.

I encourage you to go on a retreat for yourself. Even if that’s just a few hours in nature, taking in her wisdom and being present. You can choose to go within now. And trust me, you’ll come out with a lot more than you would scrolling social media.

You get to choose. How are you showing up for yourself?