www.square1med.com DIY Retreats. For a home reprieve, follow this simple guide, or create your own space and time to realign, reflect and renew: Create your sacred space Location ideas: • A cozy cabin, yurt or Airbnb in nature • A dedicated space in your home—unplugged, candle-lit, cozy • A tent in your backyard or a quiet, rustic getaway Atmosphere tips: • Clear clutter and bring in natural elements (plants, stones, wood, soft fabrics) • Diffuse essential oils (lavender, frankincense, cedarwood) • Turn off your phone or put it in airplane mode • Add sacred objects: journals, crystals, altar items, books that nourish Nourish yourself with clean, intentional food Retreat food philosophy: Eat simple, whole, plant-based meals that are lovingly prepared and mindfully eaten. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, sugar and processed foods to allow clarity and vitality to arise naturally. Suggested staples: • Herbal teas (chamomile, peppermint, tulsi) • Warm lemon water in the morning • Fresh fruits and vegetables • Brown rice, quinoa or millet • Leafy greens, sweet potatoes and lentils • Soups, stews and smoothies • Nuts, seeds and nourishing broths Daily nourishment practices: • Eat without screens or distractions • Offer gratitude before meals • Chew slowly, taste deeply, listen to your body Move from the inside out Daily organic movement: • Gentle yoga (sun salutations, yin, intuitive flow) • Walks in nature or barefoot grounding • Stretching while listening to calming music or silence • Dance or free-form movement if it arises organically • Breath-led movement: inhale to expand, exhale to release Sample practice flow: • Morning: Seated breath work, yoga sun salutations and cat/cow stretches • Afternoon: Nature walk and mindful body scan • Evening: Legs-up-the-wall, twists and a long savasana Go inward: meditation and reflection Simple daily practices: • Morning meditation (10–20 minutes): Start in silence or with a guided track • Journaling prompts: • What am I ready to release? • What do I long to feel more of? • Where in my life do I feel most alive? • What whispers is my soul offering today? • Evening gratitude practice: Write three things you’re grateful for each night Optional practices: • Breath work sessions • Sound healing (bowls, playlist or tuning forks) • Fire ceremony or symbolic letting go ritual Suggested schedule Morning • Rise without an alarm • Drink warm lemon water • Breath work and movement • Journaling or meditation • Light breakfast Midday • Nourishing lunch • Nature walk or creative practice (painting, writing, vision boarding) • Rest or nap • Optional workshop or reading Evening • Light movement or restorative yoga •Dinner • Reflection journaling • Candlelight meditation, sound bath or warm bath • Early to bed Closing your retreat Before reentering the world, ask yourself: • What do I want to carry forward with me? • What boundaries, practices or intentions will I honor? • What will I not return to? You may want to write a letter to yourself, light a candle or do a final meditation to seal the experience. Returning renewed. When you emerge from retreat, the world hasn’t changed, but you have. You return with clearer eyes, a calmer heart and a deeper sense of connection to what truly matters. And from that space, your presence becomes medicine for others, too. Alison Mullins is a certified holistic life and health coach, yoga therapist, sound healer and founder of Coppermoon Rising. She can be reached at alison@coppermoonrising.com or www.coppermoonrising.com. www.DesertHealthNews.com May/June 2025 Author Alison Mullins practices yoga at Xinalani A moment of solace at Xinalani retreat near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Cherokee Elder Abe shares Native American wisdom at a Takota Alchemy retreat. Yoga and sound bowls help ground and center. Integrative Medicine The Valley's Leading Resource for Health and Wellness 13 Bachir Younes, MD, MPH •••••••••••• Roula Younes, DNP • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • • • •••••••••• • ••••• •• ••••••••• ••••••••••••• ••• •• ••••••• • • •••• • • •••••••••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••• Desert Hyperbaric Medicine is a part of Younes Medical offering comprehensive care for patients. The company encompasses aninfectious disease clinic, a state-of-the-art wound care center and the largest independent IV fusion therapy facility in the valley—Desert Infusion Center. •• • ••••••• • ••••• •••••••••• ••• ••••••••• Let’s Retreat Continued from page 6
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