Your Best Vacation—Ever!

By Kay Taylor

You fly into a small airport in the south of France. A friendly face meets you and helps you load your luggage into a waiting car for a short drive towards the mountains. As you step out of the car you hear the rush of the river on one side of the property and you feel crisp air vibrant with moisture — so refreshing you wonder if you've ever breathed before. As you enter the 18th century converted B&B, greeted by the young couple who are thrilled to have Americans in their home, a roaring fire is blazing and you are shown to your cozy room, which does not have a telephone nor a television.

As the group settles around the fire for the aperitif avant le diner, you meet a bright-eyed conscious group of people who are friendly and engaged. Dinner is superb. Throughout the week there are workshops exploring the current state of your life, your soul's purpose, your relationships — all from a spiritual, metaphysical and healing perspective. Healing, insight and deep conversations ensue. Friendships become deep and real very quickly. Every day there are possibilities: excursions to local markets where delicious foods and local arts and crafts are sold, painted ancient caves, medieval villages. There's lots of free time to read by the river, nap in the peaceful afternoon and there's no pressure to do what the group is doing. One night you are driven up an almost one lane road winding up through wooded hills — and suddenly you arrive at a candlelit restaurant owned by an Italian chef with a Portuguese wife serving amazing French food.

Now maybe this year you didn't fly to France, you arrived in Spain and spent the week walking the sea walls, amazed by the views of the Mediterranean while chatting with new friends who are burning off the paella calories of the night before. Later that afternoon you're relaxing in a beach side cafe, walking through the town shopping and eating gelato. Possibly some of your friends from the Tuscany retreat are there, and you reminisce about learning to do spirit releasement in the castles and ancient buildings, clearing the energy as well as learning about your past lives in Italy.

Closer to home? Calistoga, soaking in mineral waters while learning about intuition. Hiking in the redwoods. International adventures? Crete, the next destination? Or maybe Lisbon. Always to France though — every year as long as the airplanes will fly us. After that, perhaps teleporting. We are one world and the veteran explorers of the Wisdom Moon Retreats will tell you these are their best vacations ever.

FEEDBACK: CLICK HERE to email comments and feedback. Please note the title of the article or the author's name. Include your own name or type "name withheld" by request. Thoughtful responses will be published in our next edition.