Retreat
Welcome to my monthly newsletter, Attunement!
Each month we “tune into” a theme related to mindfulness and
explore a creative practice and tune based on this theme!
This month of September we’re TUNING INTO the frequency of:
RETREAT.
Vallecitos Mountain Retreat Center (near Taos, New Mexico)
“Within you there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time.” -Hermann Hesse.
The Call to Retreat
Just yesterday I returned from attending a 4-night Meditation & Music retreat at the Vallecitos Mountain Retreat Center near Taos, New Mexico.
Nestled in the mountains, far from cell service and everyday busyness, I spent the days meditating, hiking, listening to/singing beautiful Dharma-focused music from Jennifer Berezan, and hearing Dharma talks from Vallecitos guiding teacher Erin Treat.
Dharma is a term that refers to the teachings of the Buddha and the practices that support awakening (notably the Eightfold Path).
How Retreat Can Support Well-Being
Retreats don't have to be Dharma-focused to be helpful (though I highly recommend trying one --Vallecitos does offer some scholarships, and though it's perhaps one of the most picturesque, it's not the only Dharma-focused retreat center out there!).
When we retreat--meaning taking time for ourselves out of our normal everyday routines--we're able to clear away the noise that so often crowds our attention and create the conditions to hear ourselves more clearly. To notice what’s asking to be released, and what’s longing to be nurtured.
We can engage in mini-retreats close to home, or literally AT home. This might look like turning off your phone notifications for an hour, deeply listening to a piece of music, or walking slowly through the park without an agenda. These mini-retreats can be powerful ways to reconnect with ourselves in the midst of daily life--no plane ride or mountain view needed!
Meditation teachers like Jack Kornfield and Thich Nhat Hanh remind us that a retreat offers a pause from the urgency of time—a space to refresh the mind, soften the heart, and return to life with centered compassion.
Whether spacious or small, retreats can nurture the practice of mindfulness, which is what my retreat at Vallecitos did for me, and what I aim do for you through my offerings.
Retreating Together
If this theme speaks to you, I'm holding a weekday evening workshop later this month and a Saturday afternoon experience early next month to support you in the practices of tuning in, accessing clarity, and letting go of habits that no longer serve.
Click on links in above paragraph or see the "September Events" and "Upcoming Events" sections for more info on these!
Creative Mindfulness Practice: Your “Retreat Postcard”
Sometimes a retreat is simply stepping back enough to see life with new eyes. For this practice, you’ll create a postcard representing inner retreat.
Set the scene. Take 5 quiet minutes. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and imagine yourself in a place that feels like retreat for you—it could be a mountain, a cozy room, a favorite park bench, or even a moment of silence.
Make it visual. On a blank notecard or piece of paper, sketch, collage, or use colors and shapes to capture the essence of that inner retreat. No art skills needed—let it be expressive rather than “pretty.”
Write the message. On the back, write a short note to yourself as if you were sending a postcard from this retreat space. What do you want to remember? What wisdom or calm do you want to carry back into your daily life?
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🗓 SAVE THE DATE: Sat. 11/8, 7pm
EP Release CONCERT! 🎵
First Unitarian Universalist Church 2025-2026 Concert Series
Location: First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus in Clintonville, OH
I'm so excited to be part of this concert series for the second time, and to be able to perform some NEW MUSIC for you! This concert will serve as the release celebration of my new EP of mindful folk-pop original songs about interconnection, entitled WEB. I hope you'll join me!
This Month’s Tune 🎵:
Each month I share a tune that resonates with the newsletter theme.
For this month’s theme of RETREAT, I've chosen my original song Walden. I wrote this song during COVID when I was in my house, staring out the window at the trees and wanting to be transported to a retreat center or a forested fairyland where I could rest my mind and replenish my spirit. Thoreau's "Walden Pond" was the inspiration behind the title. Watch the music video here on YouTube (my only music video...so far!), or listen wherever you stream your music.
Wishing you some moments of retreat this month!
