This week’s Retreat highlight is less a specific place and more an ideal. The Retreat started as a small garden getaway in my life, someplace to rest, relax, and recuperate along with friends and family. While I would have loved to spend a significant amount of time at one or more of the isolated locations we have discussed, it was just not plausible. That being the case, I attempted to create my own. It has been an ongoing process.
Each person should have a place they call their own, a short term retreat from the trials and stressors of everyday life. Whether this is a garden retreat like mine, a library, a sitting room, or a workshop having this “inner sanctum” can act as an anchor.
Many cultures have similar opinions along with ideals for doing so. For the most part, all of the retreats and sanctums act as a different space away from the normal daily space. Whether this is accomplished through the use of walls or different decorations, it should be a place that we would not normally spend all of our time.
As an aside, in the bustling world especially urban areas, some people are beginning to use a virtual presence as a retreat. Online games have, for some time, offered a certain amount of escapism. With the advent of online iconic worlds such as SecondLife©, there is now the possibility of not only escaping your working world but also your working self. Some see this level of escapism as dangerous, others see it as simply taking on another role similar to father, worker, brothers, etc.
Xiong Nai Xin Retreat 
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