Category: Retreat

Explore a State Park to Enhance Your Outlook

A visit can help you slow down, enjoy nature.   The cold and dark days of winter are mostly in the rearview mirror these days. As we move into longer days and warmer temps, Linda Radimecky, an interpretive naturalist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Parks and Trails, reminds us that spring and summer …

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Hiking Her Way to Healing

The entry point into our best selves, as addicts, starts with sobriety, but it doesn’t end there. The Phoenix Spirit interviewed Kara Frahm, Director of Business Development at Horowitz Health, to capture her story of how the Superior Hiking Trail healed her. In her words, “Hiking has given me back so much of myself. I’ve …

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Retreat Time

“Life can only be understood backwards but it must be lived forwards.” Soren Kierkegaard Here at The Phoenix Spirit, we take time each spring to reflect on and explore the practice of retreating. Retreats, like most rituals, come with a familiarity and a structure that can mask the magic of the experience. Whether you take a retreat …

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Having Had

Just after takeoff from Minneapolis-Saint Paul airport (MSP), a seatmate asked my destination. I was visiting a cousin in Germany. He was on his way home from an Oregon vacation. We were both relaxed and free of the scowls on the faces of business class passengers. Finding common ground with friendly people is a bonus …

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Where to Go When You Need a Break

The Phoenix · Where to Go When You Need a Break (In Minnesota) Sometimes I just have to get away. I’ve lost my bearings. I find myself whining over the stupidest little things. I need a reset. Especially now, with the tug of spring exploding with new life all around me. “Up North” cabins and …

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Retreat Revisited

The Phoenix · Retreat Revisited Within you there is a stillness and sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself. —Hermann Hesse I love retreat time. It renews my spirit, refreshes my mind, and relaxes my body. Haven’t the last two years felt like an emotional roller coaster? COVID, politics, war, …

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A Retreat for Grieving

The Phoenix · A Retreat for Grieving “Give the sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o-er wrought heart and bids it break.” William Shakespeare, Macbeth Each year I look forward to writing a piece for our Retreat Issue. Often, I compose it on my way home from my annual retreat. However, this year …

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Where the Heck Can I Go On Retreat This Year?

With virus-related restrictions in place, you may not have access to a resort or retreat center for a quiet time of self-reflection this year. But closer to home are some pristine, tucked-away woodlands that invite relaxation, gently adventurous discoveries, and communion with self and nature. Waking up in Crystal MAC Wildlife Management Area The northwest …

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Corona Retreat

“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” — Parker Palmer Retreats. I usually schedule retreat dates with care, finding calendar space with little disruption to my life. I aim for a good chance of pleasant weather–Arizona in January, …

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