spiritual retreat and reflection essay

During the first half of the semester visit a religious or secular institution that offers a program designed to promote spiritual healing of the mind, body, and/or spirit. As an observer or participant, please engage in or witness the spiritual experience for no less than one hour. Please submit a 3-page reflection paper describing in detail what you witnessed or experienced during this session. Examples of the types of places you can visit are as follows: a mindfulness meditation center, a yoga center, a Tai Chi session, a spiritual retreat center, a wellness center, any house of worship in any faith tradition, a sacred landmark, a nature center, an outdoor sanctuary, a garden, an arboretum, a sacred or spiritual music, dance, or spoken word performance, etc. You can also be creative in your interpretation of the types of places that you think promote healing. If possible, interview the professionals who are leading the healing/wellness practice to get a better understanding of the work being performed from the practitioner’s point of view. Speak with other participants who are sharing the experience with you and state in your reflection paper what you have learned from others. Describe in detail your understanding of how this activity relates to the mind / body / spirit connection to healing we have been learning about in class and in the readings. Offer your own reflections on why you did or did not enjoy engaging in or witnessing the experience. State your reasons for why you feel the way you feel about the experience. State whether you would or would not continue with that experience in the future. Describe how you felt before the experience and after the experience. As you are writing, consider the alternative/integrative/complementary medicine themes that have been discussed in class and discuss how your experience connects back to the theories you have been learning about this semester. Be sure to include the name and address of the place you visit.