Renovation
Somewhere way above me there must be an aeroplane.
It’s possible that nobody else would even notice it but that hearing of mine…hyperacusis works in various ways.
Other than that all I can hear is the buzz of cicadas, in April, and the breeze in the trees. Oh, and an intermittent combination of birdsong and baaing sheep. Blossom is landing on me; a couple of lizards are playing in the endless carpet of flowers; the sun is shining off the tower in front of me; I’m doing nothing other than breathing and being.
I think I might have found my new place.
I’ve long felt rather over-sensitised to loss. It’s probably part of my neurodiversity: sudden unexpected changes can really throw me. I’ve written before[1] about my, now deep, experience of detoxing and retreating. My place of choice over many years went out of business during lockdown. That was a gut punch. Since then I’ve been seeking not the same place, for that wouldn’t be possible, but something or somewhere as good. As good for me.
I suppose I’ve reached some kind of advanced level with detoxing. It’s a place for me in which I find myself, in which I develop personally, where I change & renew, and where I enrich my coaching practice.
Yes. It’s professional as well as personal development…
I’ve been told that I’m at a mastery level of coaching, whatever that is, and I interpret that as meaning that much of what I do is down to who and how I am in the coaching room. It follows that ensuring that I am in the best possible place personally is mandatory development.
And who hasn’t felt at least partially de-energised over the last few years? I have had Covid, followed by a succession of ailments. Long Covid? I have one or two medical conditions which really drain my energy. I’m 58, so not quite as young as I used to be. And my clients are keeping me busy with some totally fascinating assignments. Thank you.
In other words: I was knackered.
I landed upon Maison de Lunel, in the most beautiful corner of France, a department (Lot) I hadn’t visited before.
As soon as I was picked up at Bergerac airport, I sensed that the week was going to be special. The vibe, the countryside, the enchanting medieval towns, the sunshine.
And then we turned into a secluded estate that I now see as a small part of heaven.
Ross, the host, is a force de la nature. Her energy is really quite remarkable. Neil, her husband and co-host, is relentlessly calm and encouraging. They’re quite the team and have realised their vision, their dream, in this beautiful place.
The thing is: I’ve learned that there are those in the wellbeing and detox world, as in all walks of life, who are actors. They don’t personify it all. They are not what they preach. Ross and Neil, on the other hand, really are it to an extent which exceeds any reasonable expectations.
“People may say that what we do here is unnatural; I say that the world out there has become unnatural.”
They’ve built a place, and assembled a team, to offer really rather special detox weeks. Their knowledge is deep, their offer is generous, their rooms are luxurious and the site is one of the most gorgeous places I’ve stayed for a retreat.
Inevitably, I’m doing it my way. I’m here to recuperate, to enjoy solitude, to sleep, to join in with the programme as I see fit, and to retreat. Everyone has their own priorities for the week and, alas, one or two even see the place as some kind of co-working location so are on their phones incessantly and very audibly. Without wanting to inject negativity into this blog: don't be interference for others.
Juices, soups, massages, yoga, talks…
Lovely fellow detoxers, meditation, sunbathing…
Saunas, shots, teas, water, endless water…
Playlists of my favourite clubbing tracks from the 1990s and 2000s, letting the memories flood back…
Playlists of chill-out music, allowing me to empty my mind and focus solely on fluffy white clouds skating across a deep blue sky…
Bucolic surroundings…
Nothing on my mind…
I feel better than I have in a long time and, as I said, I think I have found a special place once again.
A place for personal renovation, one might well say.
Notes:
[1] See chelsham.com/insights/zen and chelsham.com/insights/equilibrium