Academic literature on the topic 'Spiritual retreat centers'

This study aims to describe the aspects of wellness tourism development in Ubud. Adopted from Corbin theory (2006) which states the body, mind and spirit as part of the five dimensions of wellness, namely physical wellness, emotional wellness, social wellness, intellectual wellness, and spiritual wellness, authors would therefore to identify product wellness, wellness activities, wellness dimension and life cycle of development of wellness tourism in Ubud. This study uses qualitative research methods, starting with literature studies related research about wellness tourism and in-depth interviews with wellness service providers in Ubud. In this study, the authors reviewed the literatures and analyzed the information collected from eight wellness service providers. The eight informants are determined by considering the type of wellness service scale such as spa resorts, health resorts, retreat centers, and wellness centers, located in Ubud. The results showed that wellness tourism in Ubud had fulfilled aspects and dimensions of wellness. This is reflected from the identification which was resulted where the highest-demanded wellness products in Ubud, namely yoga retreats, meditation retreats, spiritual retreats, detoxes and spa resorts. While wellness activities in Ubud are considered more relevant to Balinese-Hinduism lifestyles such as customs, cultural-religion activities and valuable-local knowledge of Balinese herbs in which are part of the wellness experience offered in Ubud. While in the terms of phase of development, the current situation of wellness tourism stays in development phase.

Для рассмотрения ретрит туризма и разработки проекта ретрит парка выбран такой регион Российской Федерации, как Республика Алтай, являющаяся сокровищницей природных и культурно-исторических богатств. Мировой опыт показывает растущую роль рекреационного туризма в решении государственных задач по созданию условий для жизнеобеспечения деятельности человека, которая направлена на восстановление и развитие его сил, как физических, так и духовных в местах, не относящихся к месту постоянного проживания. Рекреационно-оздоровительный аспект положен в основу ретрит туризма, развитие которого в регионах Российской Федерации осуществляется через создание «ретритов» в различных формациях: ретрит парков, ретрит комплексов, ретрит и йога центров. Многовариативность ретрит туризма является площадкой для реализации долгосрочных проектов внутреннего и въездного туризма в регионах, которые могут стать существенным источником, как основного, так и дополнительного доходов населения. Ретрит туризм в России находится в стадии формирования, при этом активно развиваются оздоровительные, тематические и духовные ретриты. Актуальность работы с учетом ресурсов Республики Алтай заключается в том, что ретрит туризм, являющийся направлением рекреационного, а точнее, такой его разновидности, как оздоровительный, создает перспективы для развития внутреннего и въездного туристского потока; также алтайцы - невероятная смесь различных племён, благодаря чему у алтайских народов возникли свои, уникальные и неповторимые обычаи. To consider retreat tourism and develop a retreat park project, such a region of the Russian Federation as the Altai Republic, which is a treasury of natural, cultural and historical riches, was chosen. World experience shows the growing role of recreational tourism in solving state tasks to create conditions for the life support of human activity, which is aimed at restoring and developing his strength, both physical and spiritual, inplaces that are not related to the place of permanent residence. The recreational and health aspect is the basis ofretreat tourism, the development of which in the regions of the Russian Federation is carried out through the creation of "retreats" in various formations: retreat parks, retreat complexes, retreat and yoga centers. The diversity ofretreat tourism is a platform for the implementation of long-term projects of domestic and inbound tourism in theregions, which can become a significant source of both basic and additional income for the population. Retreattourism in Russia is in its infancy, and wellness, thematic and spiritual retreats are actively developing. The relevance of the work, taking into account the resources of the Republic of Altai, lies in the fact that retreat tourism,which is a recreational direction, or rather, such a variety of it as a wellness one, creates prospects for the development of internal and inbound tourist flow; Also, the Altaians are an incredible mixture of different tribes, thanks to which the Altai peoples have their own, unique and inimitable customs.

Do spiritual retreat centres have a role to play in fostering environmental awareness and action? Using an interpretive case study methodology, this research study explored the perspectives of staff members working at two religiously based spiritual retreat centres in Western Canada to explore this question and to determine how this is translated into practice through educational programming and daily operations. The findings reveal that while place based pedagogical approaches is relied upon as an entry way into environmental adult education, there is a realization that more overt programming, focused on the environment, is required to catalyze awareness and action in their retreatants. In addition, the level of alignment between espoused environmental values and operational practices played an important role in communicating, implicitly, each retreat centre’s level of commitment to fostering environmental citizenship.

TO THINK CHRISTIANLY: A History of L'Abri, Regent College, and the Christian Study Center Movement by Charles E. Cotherman. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2020. 320 pages. Hardcover; $35.00. ISBN: 9780830852826. *How do Christians studying at secular universities, where religion is either ignored or attacked, achieve an integral Christian perspective on their areas of study and future careers? Charles Cotherman presents a first-rate history of one way that Christians have sought to answer this question, namely, in establishing Christian study centers on or adjacent to university campuses. *The Christian study center movement (CSCM) in North America arose to teach and guide Christians in how to think and behave Christianly in all areas and professions of life, by drawing upon the insights of biblical and theological studies. Cotherman defines such a study center as "a local Christian community dedicated to spiritual, intellectual and relational flourishing via the cultivation of deep spirituality, intellectual and artistic engagement, and cultivation of hospitable presence" (p. 8). He rightly contends that the roots of the CSCM movement are found in two institutions: L'Abri Fellowship in Switzerland (founded 1955) and Regent College in Vancouver (founded 1968). In Part 1, Innovation, he presents the history of these two institutions. *In chapter one, Cotherman gives an account of the birth and development of L'Abri under the leadership of Francis and Edith Schaeffer. As missionaries to an increasingly secular Europe, their encounter with its culture, art, and philosophical ideas led Francis to contextualize the gospel--as an evangelical Presbyterian minister rooted in the Reformed faith--in an intellectually honest fashion to people influenced by this culture. L'Abri's ministry was so effective because of two other equally important features: the practice of a deep spirituality amidst the rhythms of everyday life, and the practice of relationships in a hospitable community, both of which Francis and Edith were instrumental in shaping. As more people visited L'Abri and were helped in their faith or accepted the gospel, it became known in the wider evangelical Christian world. This gave rise to branches of L'Abri being established in other nations, and to Christians seeking to establish communities on university campuses that embodied L'Abri's intellectual, spiritual, and relational strengths. *In chapter two, Cotherman presents the history of the rise of Regent College and its progress toward financial and academic stability at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. The first principal, James Houston, played a key role in attracting good faculty and in shaping the curriculum to educate laypeople in the Christian worldview for their secular careers. It provided students with a strong sense of community and vital spirituality. Regent also sought to be a witness to and partner with the university by purchasing property on the campus and by obtaining university affiliation. With the decline in enrollment for lay theological education in the 1970s, Regent survived by offering the MDiv degree (1978), attracting new students preparing for pastoral ministry. When other attempts at establishing Christian colleges and Christian study centers were initiated at other universities, Houston served to encourage and guide such ventures by drawing upon Regent's experience. *Inspired by the vision and community of L'Abri and by the success of Regent College, Christians ministering at other university campuses sought to establish "evangelical living and learning centers" on or near the campuses of state universities (p. 91). Part 2, Replication, gives an account of three such CSCM ventures: (1) the C. S. Lewis Institute (initially at the University of Maryland, later in downtown Washington, DC); (2) New College, Berkeley; and (3) the Center for Christian Study at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. Cotherman also includes in this section a chapter on the history and progress of Ligonier Ministries under the leadership and teaching gifts of R. C. Sproul (initially in Pennsylvania, then in Orlando, Florida). Although originally modelled after L'Abri as a lay-teaching retreat center in a rural setting, Ligonier's move to Orlando marked a shift to a ministry focused on Sproul's teaching gifts in (Reformed) theological education that concentrated on video and print materials. The history of Ligonier is clearly the outlier here. Perhaps Cotherman includes it because it began as a retreat center for students, but it gradually became focused on general lay theological education, especially after its move to Orlando. *The three Christian university learning centers all began with grand visions of providing university-level education to aid students, studying at the large universities, in formulating a worldview to enable them to integrate their Christian faith with their academic and professional education. Although these three sought to become free-standing colleges with high-quality faculty, to teach courses during the academic year, and in summer study institutes, the challenges of raising funds, attracting full-time faculty, and finding permanent facilities resulted in all of them having to scale back their plans. The Lewis Institute turned its attention to relational learning, eventually establishing regional centers in eighteen cities; New College, Berkeley, became an affiliate, nondegree granting institution of the Graduate Theological Union, being the evangelical voice there; and the Center for Christian Study shifted its focus to being an inviting and hospitable place for study, formation, and relationships in its building on the edge of the campus. All three found that replicating a Regent College was a much more difficult project than they had originally thought. *Cotherman notes that all four attempts of the CSCM, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, ran into the new reality: American Christians were not willing to take a year off their careers to study for a nonaccredited diploma. Students were more interested in getting degrees that had financial payoffs. The most successful venture was the Center for Christian Study, which used the building it purchased as a hub for various Christian ministries at the university, and as a center for hospitality to Christian and non-Christian students. The Charlottesville Center became a catalyst for the formation of the Consortium of Christian Study Centers across North America. This included not only the three university centers mentioned above, but also numerous others that had arisen on university campuses. Many of the centers became convinced that "the path forward was more a matter of faithful presence through deeply rooted, engaged and hospitable relationships and institutions than it was about the apologetics or cultural bluster that had defined some aspects of the movement in its early days" (p. 252). *Cotherman's concluding chapter notes that the CSCM has largely focused on ministries of faithful presence and generous hospitality, with the goal of holistic flourishing at the universities that they serve. Such flourishing includes helping Christian students to cultivate the ability to think Christianly about current issues and their vocations as they engage the pluralistic ideologies, cultural practices, and neo-pagan practices on university campuses. Cotherman rightly observes that, while both L'Abri and Regent College inspired many to establish such centers, it was Regent that had played the prominent role as a model for those aiming to guide students and to interact with modern secular universities. L'Abri was focused around the unique community that the Schaeffers created and the giftedness of Francis and Edith, but L'Abri failed to interact with the wider academic world. In striving to be a Christian presence on campus, Regent was the appropriate model for the CSCM. *The details of the historical accounts in the book serve to remind the reader that, while grandiose visions and goals drove many in the movement, their reduced aspirations led to the CSCM being better suited to effective witnessing, appropriate educating, and faithful service to students and lay-people today. Any who would start such a Christian study center or who wonder how an existing one can survive should read this book and learn the lessons from the history of the ventures presented. Humility in one's plans and small beginnings are appropriate for any such ministry to avoid the mistakes of the centers presented. *While Cotherman touches on the rising antagonism to Christianity and Christians on university campuses, he fails to provide significant treatment of this new challenge that the CSCM faces. I think we can imply from this fine book that, as the CSCM movement adapted to the new realities in the latter part of the twentieth century, it can also adapt to the intensified attacks on the Christian faith in the twenty-first century. While the challenges ahead are great for Christian university ministries, Christian witness has the resources of the word of God, the wisdom of the Spirit, and the motivation of the gospel which continue to guide biblical discipleship and faithful witness. This historical survey by Cotherman can serve as an encouragement to campus ministry for our increasingly secularized western culture. *Reviewed by Guenther ("Gene") Haas, Professor Emeritus, Religion and Theology Department, Redeemer University, Ancaster, ON L9K 1J4.

One common problem today is the lack of a Third Place gathering place that is a place other than home (First Place) and an office (Second Place), so that Third Place is made as a place for people to gather, feel calm, and avoid the saturation of daily habits, namely first place and second place issues that exist today in daily activities that cause people to become unproductive, namely the problem of stress, without us knowing, now the problem of stress has been experienced by anyone, not affected by age, because there are many stressors , so that it is a problem that is experienced by everyone, and can be one of the targets that must be overcome to create people who have good lifestyles and productive in doing something, the design goals of this project itself are also made to address current global issues , starting from the region that is most affected by the issue of stress, because it has many things becoming a trigger for someone to become stressed, this can create a project that can be a place for people to gather and overcome the issues of stress that affect this life together, this stress issue can also be overcome by changing the stressed population to join the Wellbeing or welfare program individuals, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Wellbeing can improve physical and spiritual health based on the results of positive activities carried out by an individual or group that is continuously carried out, so that it can have a big impact such as, the habits of someone who will do good activities, application of 5 ways to wellbeing is a theory used to improve one's life habits for the better, and this can be maximized with programs related to activities in nature based on the book The Tao of Architecture, the method used is also based on typology methods, by applying design based on common formations that can be fun, and soothing to relieve the stress of visitors, and the Spatial Relations method used to provide a unique design that does not yet exist from combining the formation of healing patterns, with a pleasant pattern formation. Therefore the Retreat can have a pleasant and interesting impact on the community to carry out positive activities to make the population have a better life. A place that has many natural elements has a function to calm a person, so that person can become calm. Abstrak Salah satu masalah yang umum saat ini adalah kurangnya tempat berkumpul Third Place yaitu tempat selain rumah (First Place) dan kantor (Second Place), sehingga Third Place dibuat sebagai tempat orang berkumpul, merasa tenang, dan terhindar dari kejenuhan kebiasaan sehari hari, yaitu first place dan second place isu yang ada saat ini dalam kegiatan sehari hari yang menyebabkan orang menjadi tidak produktif, yaitu masalah stress, tanpa kita sadari, saat ini masalah stress sudah dialami oleh siapa saja, tidak terpengaruh oleh umur, karena terdapat banyaknya faktor faktor pemicu stress, sehingga hal itu merupakan masalah yang dialami oleh semua orang, dan dapat menjadi salah satu target yang harus diatasi untuk menciptakan manusia yang memiliki pola hidup baik dan produktif dalam mengerjakan sesuatu, tujuan desain proyek ini sendiri juga dibuat untuk mengatasi isu global yang ada saat ini, dimulai dari kawasan yang paling merasakan pengaruh isu stress ini, karena memiliki banyak hal yang menjadi pemicu seseorang menjadi stress, hal ini dapat menciptakan proyek yang dapat menjadi tempat orang untuk berkumpul dan mengatasi isu stress yang mempengaruhi kehidupan ini secara bersama sama, isu stress ini juga dapat diatasi dengan cara mengubah penduduk yang mengalami stress untuk mengikuti program Well being atau kesejahteraan individu, menurut CDC (Centers for Disease Control And Prevention), Well being dapat meningkatkan kesehatan jasmani dan rohani berdasarkan hasil dari kegiatan positif yang dilakukan oleh suatu individu atau kelompok yang terus menerus dilakukan, sehingga dapat memberikan dampak besar seperti kebiasaan seseorang yang akan melakukan kegiatan kegiatan yang baik, penerapan 5 ways to well being merupakan teori yang digunakan untuk memperbaiki kebiasaan hidup seseorang menjadi lebih baik, dan hal ini dapat dimaksimalkan dengan program yang berhubungan dengan aktivitas di alam berdasarkan buku The Tao of Architecture, metode yang digunakan juga berdasarkan metode tipologi, dengan cara menerapkan desain berdasarkan bentukan bentukan umum yang dapat menyenangkan, dan menenangkan untuk meredakan stress pengunjungnya, dan metode Spatial Relation yang digunakan untuk memberikan desain unik yang belum ada dari penggabungan bentukan bentukan pola healing, dengan pola bentukan yang menyenangkan. Oleh karena itu tempat Retreat dapat memberikan dampak kesan menyenangkan dan menarik masyarakat untuk melakukan kegiatan kegiatan positif untuk menjadikan penduduk menjadi memiliki hidup yang lebih baik. Tempat yang memiliki banyak unsur alam memiliki fungsi untuk menenangkan pikiran seseorang, sehingga pikiran seseorang dapat menjadi tenang.

This article attempts to reveal the prospects of yoga tourism in Nepal. Yoga is gaining popularity worldwide due to its inherent quality to transform a person from illness to wellness. This is the reason yoga tourism is studied in academia under the umbrella term of wellness tourism. There are potentialities how Nepal can be one of the best destinations for yoga tourism. Nepal is spiritually saturated country being the birthplace of Gautama Buddha and playground of Lord Shiva, the Yogishwara. At the same time, Nepal is a Himalayan country including the highest mountain, Mt. Everest. The cultural heritage is another attraction. The simplicity of people attracts tourists who aim to learn yoga practices while visiting places for refreshment. This article has dealt about how yoga tourism is spreading, what are its theoretical and philosophical background, prospects and potentialities and so on. The major methodology applied in this article is library research, case studies and visiting actual places where yoga tourists from all over the world gather. Yoga retreat survey has revealed actual scenario of yoga tourism. Historicity of yoga philosophy is uncovered using original Classical Sanskrit Cannons. A sample survey identified yoga retreat centers in Kathmandu, the facilities available and potential aspects of tourism and income generation. The finding section documented the actual problems and prospects faced by the hosts, i.e., travel agencies, owners of yoga retreat centers, hoteliers, and yoga masters. The research has reached in conclusion: if right policies and facilities are generated, Nepal will gain a new identity as best destination for yoga tourism in the world. There are potentialities to develop internal yoga tourism as well. One can visualize Nepal being famous and prosperous from yoga tourism and Nepalese people gaining health, wealth and wellbeing by living yogic lifestyle and collecting reputation as yoga masters by guiding tourists into yoga life.

The research project "New Faces of the Folk Church – Lived Religion, Spiritual Practices and Theological Legitimacy" aims at investigating everyday spiritual activities laypeople engage in within an ecclesial institution, the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Sweden, and how these practices are linked to notions about religion and health. In this article we give an account of our preliminary findings. In a netnographic survey of the websites of the parishes in the diocese of Stockholm, counting all activities except services and concerts, we found that there is a plethora of new activities going on which have emerged during the last fifty years. Many of these activities were geared towards community building, and 15 percent of them fall into the category of holistic practices. Such practices, comprising of, for example, meditiation groups, yoga classes, and dance, can be found in eight out of ten parishes. Our material indicates that the church has quadruple functions: (1) theological, (2) life cycle related, (3) ordinary community building, and (4) holistic everyday spiritual practices. These new spiritual practices were first offered in exclusive settings like retreat centres, but have now moved into ordinary parish life, accessible to all parishioners. Some of the practices, like zen meditation and yoga, have been contested but are now broadly accepted. In the next step of the project, we will conduct interviews and participatory observation to investigate how these practices are integrated in individuals' lives, as well as how they are negotiated and legitimized on the institutional level.

AbstractThis chapter deals with practices that traditionally have not been found within the Lutheran Church and how these are integrated in its activities. Here Katarina Plank, Linnea Lundgren, and Helene Egnell draw on data from an ongoing research project that explore how, since the 1970s, spiritual practices labeled as “New Age” have become more widespread, and lately practices with a focus on “body-mind techniques” have especially been given more space within the Church of Sweden. Their netnographic survey of the homepages of the parishes in the diocese of Stockholm shows that there is plethora of new activities going on which have emerged during the last 50 years. Many of these activities were geared toward community building, and 15% of them fall into the category of holistic practices. Such practices, comprising, for example, meditation groups, yoga classes, and dance, can be found in eight out of ten parishes. These new spiritual practices were first offered in exclusive settings like retreat centers, but have now moved into ordinary parish life, accessible to all parishioners. Some of the practices, like Zen meditation and yoga, have been contested but are now broadly accepted.

Abstract A growing number of transnational Buddhist groups in contemporary Britain engage with “spiritual tourism” through the provision of introductory retreats targeted at a non-Buddhist audience. These retreats, either over a weekend or longer, typically focus on teaching the basics of meditation and adjacent “beginner” Buddhist practices, while aiming to develop community, deepen and solidify Buddhist practice on British soil, and respond to demands for improved mental, physical, and spiritual well-being within wider society. This chapter, drawing on detailed examples from qualitative work conducted within Buddhist organizations in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, investigates the role that introductory retreats play, giving focus to the ways that these retreats intersect with spiritual tourism. Underpinning this investigation is a fundamental question: How does an examination of the introductory retreats provided by British Buddhist centers highlight the ways that Buddhism is expressed, represented, and experienced in the contemporary world?

This chapter talks about the cast that had been assembled to make Brainstorm, noting that the lead role was assigned to Christopher Walken, who was a recent Academy Award winner for The Deer Hunter. The most surprising casting announcement was Cliff Robertson due to his involvement in a recent Hollywood scandal that had cast a dark cloud over his acting career. In 1977, Robertson testified in the criminal investigation of David Begelman, who was convicted of embezzlement. The chapter details how director Douglas Trumbull staged the first official cast meeting of Brainstorm at the Esalen Institute, a spiritual retreat center in Big Sur, California, in the summer of 1981. It analyzes new dialogue about the transformative effects of using the mind-meld machine, which stimulate a cultural paradigm shift away from traditional Western philosophy and toward a more holistic view of life.

This chapter explores contemporary everyday utopias that embrace the central values associated with Edward Bellamy, William Morris, Edward Carpenter, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman—institutions, sites, and practices that are committed to political, sexual, and spiritual egalitarianism; that promote simplicity and sustainability; and that explore new forms of family and community. Here the author describes his visits to the isle of Erraid in the Scottish Hebrides, Findhorn in northern Scotland, Twin Oaks in rural Virginia, and Occupy Wall Street. He also discusses the turn against utopia and the triumph of the literary dystopia in the twentieth century; how literature, social theory, and communities—the three distinct faces of utopianism—thrived from the late 1950s through the 1970s; utopian literature in the twenty-first century; Carpenter's influence on gay men's retreats and on the Radical Faeries; and the role of education in utopian vision.