Why Going on a Retreat?
Is a good idea
Generosity is taking care of yourself
Maybe you’ve been noticing it for a while: you don’t feel like going on yet another vacation that leaves you exhausted afterward. You don’t want more sensory overload or to do a million things; instead, you’re looking for a break that brings you peace and clarity.
A retreat is just that kind of break. You step out of your daily routine and create space again in your mind and body.
And no—a retreat doesn’t have to be all “woo-woo.” In fact, it can be very simple. Just: peace, nature, good food, and a pleasant setting. Combined with a lighter or more streamlined schedule that helps you dive deeper into tranquility and reset from your daily hustle and stress.
What is a retreat?
Reconnect with yourself, others, and nature
A retreat is a stay in one place (often in nature) with a program designed to help you find your center. This could involve mindfulness, yoga, silence, a digital detox, hiking, writing, dancing, creativity—or something more practical, like permaculture and living in harmony with the seasons.
The most important thing during a retreat is that you can just be yourself. You’re not there to perform, but to recharge.
Why do people choose
a retreat?
People come to a retreat for various reasons. Some are seeking insight; sometimes it’s an annual tradition (much like going to the sauna regularly at home); and some are seeking introspection and self-awareness. So it might be to deepen your sense of relaxation, or it might stem from a sense of urgency: “I don’t want to keep going like this.” Because you’ve been relying on willpower for too long. Because your mind is never truly at rest. Because your body is sending signals. Or because, somewhere along the way, you’ve lost sight of yourself a bit amid all the roles you play.
A retreat helps because you don’t have to do it alone. A good retreat program supports your needs:
- You’ll find deeper peace than if you had to organize and plan everything yourself.
- Fewer distractions (and often less screen time) bring greater clarity almost immediately.
- You’ll sleep better, and your body will relax naturally through nature, movement, and rhythm.
- You’ll gain practical tools you can continue to use at home (so it doesn’t “fade away” as soon as you’re back).
- Traveling alone becomes easier: you’re in a safe setting, surrounded by people—or you can choose silence and space instead.
- You’ll meet like-minded people in a way that often goes deeper than small talk.
And perhaps most valuable of all: you’ll remember what it feels like to be okay without having to do anything.
A Retreat Abroad
A vacation and a fresh start all at once
Of course, you can also go on a retreat in the Netherlands, but when you go abroad, you really do get a complete break from everything. Friends, family, work—everything is farther away, giving you extra space to look at things from a distance and see if there’s anything you might want to change in your daily life.
In addition, a retreat abroad also has a vacation element to it, making it the ideal mix for many people: the vacation feeling of being away—and the true reset of coming home to yourself.
A retreat in France
At Simply Canvas Farm
There’s something about the French countryside that naturally makes you walk more slowly and stop rushing. More space. More fresh air. Less rush. Outdoor living. Food that’s pure and wholesome.
You’ll find it all at Simply Canvas Farm. We’re a small-scale retreat center on a permaculture farm surrounded by nature, so you can truly disconnect from it all. Owners Sandra and Santi were once a Buddhist monk and nun and have led countless retreats. The mindfulness that was the foundation of monastic life still runs like a common thread through their lives today. So they know from personal experience what you need for a good retreat.
In addition to the program, there’s also room for the simple, good life that makes your retreat feel a bit like a vacation:
- swimming in the pool
- reading in the hammock
- walking along country roads
- enjoying delicious food
- gathering around the campfire in the evening
You don’t have to be anyone else here. Above all, you can just be yourself.
Our Program
Wondering which retreat is right for you? Here’s our program
More About Sandra and Santi
Meet owners Sandra and Santi
Where do you stay at Simply Canvas Farm?
Discover the accommodations at Simply Canvas Farm—safari tents, cottages—or bring your own tent or camper van.
Not to be overlooked: the food
Almost every review mentions the delicious food at Simply Canvas Farm—find out why.
