Disconnect to Reconnect: My 48-Hour Digital Detox

I planned a day retreat, and I received more than I expected...

A couple of weekends ago, I had the pleasure of retreating to the middle of the Sonoran desert to Miraval Resorts and Spas. The goal was to disconnect from the world and reconnect with myself.

Upon entry, I was advised of the digital device policy and invited to nourish myself and my appetite. Miraval encourages guests to unplug by not being on their mobile devices on the property. I happily placed my phone on airplane mode, threw it in my gifted souvenir bag, and enjoyed my first meal of the day.

As I began to eat breakfast, I felt a moment of Deja Vu. It was the feeling of peace and my surroundings that my body somehow remembered, possibly from lifetimes ago. With each bite of my breakfast, I promised myself that I would allow myself to relax and release and that I didn’t need to do anything to earn this day retreat—a neverending lesson.

I started my day with morning meditation and yoga. The mountains and birds watched me as I released what no longer served me. With each stretch and breath, I gave myself permission to step more into the intentions I had set and to step into who I already am. The fragrance of wood and botanicals was reminiscent of the temples in Thailand I had once prayed in. The aroma felt like another invitation to release.

After morning meditation and yoga, I shed an unhealthy version of myself, the mental chatter ceased, and I felt more present.

After a workshop on sleep rituals and manifestation, I nourished myself with another meal and walked the sacred grounds. I sat silently at a sacred tree and made an offering; I walked the labyrinth and communed with the energy and elements.

My intuition led me to the tranquil streams, where I let the water speak to me, seeing how beautiful the stacked rocks remained still, and in their fullness was a reminder for me to do the same. I found my way to the pool, sat on the edge, and allowed my feet to move softly through the water. One of the most challenging things about moving from the Midwest to the Southwest is the lack of bodies of water; it felt soothing to just be and sit with the water.

Water is one of the elements I find most grounding (Cancer sun here!), and when I am grounded, and the mental chatter is silenced, messages and creativity flow through me effortlessly. Because my mind was clear, I was calm, and I felt present, I could effortlessly write several poems for my upcoming book scheduled for release in Spring 2024.

“Wow,” I thought to myself. That felt so easy.

I heard a voice say, “Creativity comes naturally when you’re free of distractions. This is the original state of humans: a flow state.” I felt warmth within my body and effortlessly drifted to sleep in the beach chair next to the pool.

I ended my time at Miraval with a coconut horchata and another walk around the property. When my husband came to pick me up, I expressed how much it felt good to be disconnected from the world for ten hours and that I had no desire to rush back to logging onto social media. A resistance I didn’t mind.

The anxiety I felt the previous days before the retreat melted away, the mental chatter disappeared, and I felt more present in my body.

Although being offline for a few days hurts the algorithm, constantly being online is a betrayal of my mental health. I’d much rather be at peace and present than constantly overwhelmed and partially present. This day retreat was a reminder to regularly disconnect to reconnect to myself so I can show up fully as my authentic self.

Questions to Ponder | Journal Prompts

1. When was the last time you took a digital detox? How did it make you feel?

2. How does constantly being online affect your mental health?

3. What steps can you take to become more present with yourself and others?

Sending big love wherever you are in the world and extending the invitation to disconnect from technology to reconnect to your authentic self.