Personal retreat day spa ideas for a day at the beach

Get thee to an island! -- That's my answer to stress, anxiety and being completely overwhelmed. How about you?

One of the best R&R recipes is to have a simple, easy day at the beach. Not only is it an opportunity to reset my calcified thinking and reinvigorate my aching body but it gives my brain a good workout, too. I'll share my approach and also offer some ways to bring the beach to you.

Know thyself

Have you ever given a lot of thought to what type of sensory stimuli relaxes you? Some folks are mountain people, they crave that sense of being connected to the earth amid forests, land, and height. Others are reinvigorated when they enter into the urban landscape and engage in whatever a city and its people have to offer. Then there are the more extreme among us who find relaxation running marathons, skimming ski slopes, or pedaling their way to nirvana. Me? I'm a water baby.

The healing magic of water

I love the water in all its magical forms. The excitement and electricity of a good storm, the streaming lullaby of a nearby creek, or the still tranquility of a pond immediately moves me into a state of relaxation. The best is when I'm totally surrounded by water. Therefore, I am an island lover.

Island Fever

I've been known to catch Island Fever more than once in my life. The year I turned fifty I made a sudden mad hop down to Honduras for a week at Roatan. Now that was a trip! Luckily I live about a half hour from Galveston Island, so when things get too much for me--and I'm able--I hop in the car and head for the water.

When is it time for a day at the beach?

Well, I'd say almost anytime. I've gone to the beach to meet the sun coming up and to watch the sun going down. I've enjoyed the water at night and during the day, in the spring and summer as well as fall and winter. Each has its own delights. Whenever I go, I return refreshed and relaxed. For the majority of these trips I travel solo.

I've had a lifelong habit of making my birthday a personal retreat and the landscape often changes but you can bet there's water nearby. Even when I spent a decade of trips going to Sedona, Arizona I made sure my cabin faced Oak Creek Canyon Creek so I could be surrounded by the sound and laughter of the creek night and day. Today I'm sharing how I spend my time when I go on my stress-reducing getaways to Galveston Island.

• Image credits: Photos of Feet at the Beach and of Galveston Island below copyright 2010 Vikk Simmons

The benefits of being by the sea

Many are lured by the sea. For me it's all about the movement, the coming and going of the tide, the in and out of the waves. It's almost hypnotic as my anxiety and stress slip away and i slide down into a more peaceful, meditative state. I love watching the sea lace that rides on top of the waves.

Experiencing the outdoors

Being outside is another benefit. For people like me who are housebound, having a day out of the house is a wonderful change of pace. Staring at a computer tires the eyes and life is already image-laden that a trip outdoors is a great way to stimulate all the senses.

Opening up the senses

In many ways a day at the beach is a sensory explosion. All your senses come into play. Breathing in the salt air triggers both taste and smell. Walking barefoot on the sand is strongly tactile. Listening to the seagulls or the lapping sounds of waves stimulates hearing, and, of course, looking out over the ocean toward the horizon brings strong visuals.

At the same time that all the senses are being stimulated and those often ignored ignited, the mind is easing and muscles are loosening. All that unexpected interplay brings about a new state of being.

Image credit

Have you ever given yourself a day at the beach as a personal retreat?

Experience Galveston beach

Want to experience a little bit of my world? This video captures the sound and the images that greet those who travel to be by the sea in Galveston, Texas. In fact, you can listen up to an entire hour and let that stress melt away right now>. Enjoy.

I have a bit of a drive before I reach the water so I always make sure I load the car with any and all things I might want. (I always overdo it and generally need far less but....) Even if you don't need a lot or plan to head to the beach immediately upon reading this page, there are a couple of things you might want to take along.

1. Suntan oil - Even if it's winter in many places you can still get too much sun so grab some along the way.
2. Beach towel - Always comes in handy even if you don't plan to sit on the sand. Accidents happen and big waves come along.
3. Water - Grab a few bottles if you have them at home or pick them up on the way.
4. Snacks - It's good to pack a few snacks that way you won't feel pressed to gather up your stuff and leave the idyllic beach scene before you're ready.
5. Camera - There's something relaxing when it comes to taking pictures and if you have a video you can record those moments and thoughts as they occur.
6. Beach read - Lounging on the beach is a good time to do a little light reading.
7. iPod - If you're musically inclined, you'll want your iPod or phone loaded with your favorite relaxing music.

I'm fairly territorial by nature and pretty influenced by my immediate surroundings, so I'm not the type to just plop anywhere. Nope. I'm worse than my dogs when it comes to picking out the perfect spot.

Location is everything

When I'm flying solo at the beach, I'm in search of a vantage point that connects me with the sand, the water, and the sky. One reason I like the sea wall area in Galveston is because there are any number of places where I can go to find the perfect perch to take in the view and breathe in the sea air.

1. I look for the solitary place where I can sit quietly and take everything in.
2. I scout for the perfect rock that provides the vantage point I want that day. It's a gut thing.
3. I seek the water so I want to be as I can.

As much as I love the beach, sand can become an issue. Yes, I like the feel of sand between my toes when I'm walking the water's edge but I can't say I'm as fond of sand clinging to my clothes and body. It's nice to know someone's thought of that and come up with a helping hand.

Do you like to fly solo?

Since I prefer to fly solo when I go to the beach for a personal retreat, you won't find me hanging with my BFF. I do enjoy the glide and swoop of seagulls and the teetering and bobbing of sandpipers.

The one-legged sandpiper

Last time I was at the beach I spent some time watching a one-legged sandpiper making his way through the wet sand and the recurring waves. He had a much bigger bobble as he hopped along.

The saga of Johnathon Livingston Seagull continues

I don't know what it is about seagulls but they do hold a certain fascination and I have to watch them as they swoop and soar around me. Perhaps its heightened by the fact that I came of age during the Johnathon Livingston Seagull era. Loved the book and could listen to the Neil Diamond music for hours.

Image credit

The Beach Boys surfing music may drive me to the beach but it's the music of Johnathon Livingston Seagull that takes me home.

This isn't my sandpiper and it's not one-legged but its actions are similar.

Beach activities for a retreat

While it's always nice to stop and sit and be still, going for a walk along the beach is a great activity and stress reducer. If you're someone like me who sits in front of a computer all day, physical exercise doesn't happen much, so a day at the beach coupled with the opportunity for a walk along the water is pure bliss. And, of course, you never know who you might see.

Image credit

If you love to watch the ebb and flow of the water as it laps against the sand, this video is for you.

There are many ways to enjoy a day at the beach when you're flying solo and looking for a little rest and relaxation. Here are a few I've done but the best outing consists of doing things that are close to your heart and feed your soul.

1. Take a book to the beach and read. This is a time-honored favorite as evidenced by the bazillion "beach reading lists" that are published come summertime.
2. Give yourself a vision rest: Grab the suntan oil and the big beach blanket and spend some time--but not too much--lying on the beach with your eyes closed and take in the sounds of the world around you.
3. Be spontaneous and have lunch at a restaurant that wouldn't normally try like maybe Thai or Greek. Don't be in a rush. Slow down and enjoy the food and the experience.
4. Walk the boardwalk, or in my case the seawall, and watch as your muscles relax and the tension eases out of your body. Be sure you take the appropriate shoes.
5. Plan a picnic for one so you don't have to leave the beach. This way you can soak up the environment to the max and eat while listening to the waves and the accompanying sounds.

With the electronics available today, anyone can make a video of how they spend their time. Reading at the beach is a favored way of relaxing for many people. In this video the book mentioned is Tribes by Seth Godin.

It doesn't always have to be hot and sunny to enjoy a day at the beach and to reap the rewards. If waves accompanied by soft jazz is your idea of a stress-free moment, you'll enjoy this.

Alternative ways to experience a personal beach retreat

Okay, I know many people, a huge chunk in fact, can't get to the beach unless they live along the coast. So what do you do if you don't have a beach option?

Recreate the beach retreat idea

I say, head for the nearest water. For me, another place I've gone for a personal retreat is to the San Antonio Riverwalk. The city has done a fantastic job of creating an island retreat in this Texan town by creating the riverwalk experience.

I spent a day in the riverwalk walking along the water, taking photos, and opening up to the different experience. That, in itself, is relaxing and refreshing.

Image credit

Build your own beach hut where you are

Sometimes you simply can't get out of the house or carve out time for a trip to the beach . . . or anywhere else for that matter. Then what do you do?

Create an in-house beach retreat

Well, if you've made it this far you've found some hints along the way. Through the video and music, I've tried to recreate some of the major aspects of the experience for you. Of course, I can't take you outside--but you can do that if you're reading this on a tablet or other portable device.

Take a cue from the home day spa efforts and apply that to creating a day at the beach.Today you can download the sound of waves to lull you into that relaxed state. You can watch videos to add the visual aspect to the sound of the waves. You can even add music.

Do whatever helps you relax. If lighting candles does that for you, go for it. (They have ocean-scented ones now.) Slip into a hot tub, turn on the music and close your eyes. Imagine yourself at the beach, walking in the sand, watching the seagulls glide by and feel yourself getting more and more relaxed.

No hot tub? Lie in bed, plop into that recliner, hit the couch or the floor. Use your imagination to fly to the coast and soar above the waves. It won't be long before all that stress will be gone, gone, gone.

Image credit

I've been listening to David Lanz since he first came on the music scene many years ago. His albums are among my favorites and Cristofori's Dreams is, without a doubt, my all-time favorite. I've written many pages while listening to him play.