You’re going on a retreat. You’ve purchased your airline ticket and arranged transportation to the retreat center. You’ve made sure you have the proper documentation to enter the country where the retreat will be held. You have all your outfits picked out. You’ve made sure that all things that need taking care of back at home while you’re away are arranged. Excellent, you are ready!

Are you really? All the things mentioned above are essential to preparing yourself for travel. However, there is one more thing that is imperative you do and that is to take some time to set your intention for attending the retreat. Prepare yourself mentally and emotionally.

To help you do that answer the following questions:

  • Why did you choose this retreat?

  • What do you hope will be the outcome?

  • How will it transform you?

Once you answer these questions, you’ll be able to write your intention statement. It can be as long or as short as you want it to be. The important thing is to have one. This way you are clear on what you’d like to get out of the retreat and you can check in with yourself to see if you are on track.

When I started attending retreats, I didn’t have intention statements. I wish I had had them. I remember not being able to sleep the first night of a retreat because I kept asking myself what I was doing there. I wasn’t clear in my heart and mind, so I spent part of the retreat trying to figure this out instead of being present and enjoying my experience.

Here’s an example of an intention statement:

I chose this retreat because I’ve always wanted to travel to Costa Rica. I hope to learn about the culture and be around the local people. I look forward to being with like-minded people who enjoy photography as much as I do. I’m look forward to making friends. I trust that by being present everyday I am there, I’ll receive what I’m meant to learn from this experience.

What will be your intention statement for your next retreat? Let me know in the comments.