What is a Retreat?

Ellie Taniguchi
Aug 22
2 min read

As evening falls, the sky unfolds like a watercolor—soft hues blending into one another, fleeting yet timeless.

The summer has passed its peak, and the quiet arrival of autumn can be felt.

The cicadas sing more gently now, and from the garden, the first notes of autumn’s song begin to emerge.

It is often asked of me: “What exactly is a retreat?”

For me, a retreat is “a sacred journey away from daily life, where you can meet the voice of your soul.”

In the rush of modern living, we are swept away by noise and endless information.

We bend ourselves to fit into expectations, racing at society’s pace, and in doing so, we forget the deeper rhythm of our own being.

A retreat is the pause.

It is the moment you step out of that current, surrendering yourself to silence and to nature’s embrace.

In stillness, the outer noise begins to fade, and the quiet, subtle whisper within—the voice of truth—slowly returns.

Perhaps you’ve been feeling weary.

Working tirelessly, yet not finding the fruit you hoped for.

This may be the sign that your heart has been silenced, overtaken by the mind’s demands.

The soul’s voice is delicate, easily dismissed, hidden beneath old beliefs and habits of striving.

But when you cannot move forward, it is often because the deeper self is gently placing its hand on the brakes, whispering: “Not this way… there is another path.”

In the sanctuary of nature and stillness, that whisper grows audible.

And here, you are invited to listen—to respond tenderly to your own heart:

“It’s safe to be yourself now.”

“Tell me your truth.”

The air of Osaki-kamijima carries this invitation beyond words.

The silence of Souan cradles and welcomes every part of your being.

Here, retreat is not about “doing” or achieving.

It is the practice of remembering—of releasing, allowing, and softening into the essence of who you truly are.

To listen deeply.

To let fear fall away.

To come home to yourself.

So that the life ahead may be lived in alignment with your truest nature.

As Risshū (the first day of autumn) passes and Shosho approaches—the season when the summer heat finally begins to soften—we enter a time that is perfect for retreat.

It is a season of transition, of quiet thresholds, when the soul is ready to be met anew.