Posted February 9, Reviewed by Jessica Schrader. We often treat retreats, festivals, and workshops like magic spells—disappear for a weekend, return transformed. Yes, these "peak experiences" can feel profound, even life-changing. For a few days, you feel more open, more connected, more you. But then Monday rolls around. The glow fades. The to-do list looms. Other people get on our nerves. Nothing truly changes in a weekend. They help us slow down, shift our perspective, and connect with others.
Take my friend Carina who went to Burning Man after one of the hardest years of her life. I had a similar experience with silent meditation retreats. I used to think frenetic doing equated to a life well-lived. But a bike accident forced me to slow down, and that pause led me to mindfulness. I started prioritizing weekly meditation groups, listened to countless mindfulness and self-help podcasts, and explored short retreats. Each small choice helped me shift from anxious doing to a deeper sense of stillness.
Not all experiences unfold this way. Last year, a friend attended a meditation retreat with sky-high expectations, hoping it would fix his restlessness and loneliness. But he came back deflated. The pressure to be changed by the experience made it hard to be present and trust the subtle, mysterious ways growth happens.
I know I have. How do we reconcile this idea with the undeniable magic of peak experiences? It starts with giving ourselves more credit. You leaned in, were vulnerable, stayed present—and yes, put down your phone. The festival, retreat, or adventure may have amplified, distilled, and encouraged that energy—but the magic is always a co-creation. But when I show up open to whatever unfolds, trusting that just being there is enough, the pressure fades.
And ironically, I get more out of it. After attending a festival called Interfusion, a friend invited me to a WhatsApp group where we share local events—meditation sessions, dance gatherings, and more. Instead of chasing the next big thing, try bringing the same reverence to your daily life:. We all deserve to feel connected, inspired, and alive—not just during retreats and festivals, but in the everyday rhythms of the so-called default world.
