Have you experienced pangs of anxiety and overwhelm over the past three years? We’ve all had long days, even months, and dare I say years, of low-grade anxiety about the state of the world and our place in it. Is it any wonder the world of wellness is now a 4.5 billion dollar industry? One thing I know for sure, we can’t control the outer world, but we can understand who we truly are to remain at peace in a world of chaos and uncertainty. For many of us, a wellness retreat is the answer to connecting back to the Who, of who we really are. But how can you choose the right style of wellness retreat–one that suits your unique personality type?

What if You Get into the Wrong Retreat? Travelers Shared Why Their Wellness Retreat Was a Miss

For more than a decade, I worked in the world of luxury travel. To my surprise, many well-heeled travelers were miserable.

Over the years, I spoke with hundreds upon hundreds of travelers who said they weren’t happy with things; retreat sessions, spa, food, beach, room, or really, anything. Seriously, I didn’t get it. So I questioned them further.

Almost all the travelers I spoke with finally came to this conclusion: they didn’t know themselves. They didn’t how to choose the right style of wellness retreat that actually fit their personality or preferences because they didn’t actually know themselves well.

When this truth was revealed, I understood why so many were unhappy.

It was a harsh awakening for many, and for others, a new beginning.

Why am I so adamant about personality typing?

Within your personality are traits that give you answers to life’s most pressing questions. Your personality type is a highly personalized GPS system. It even helps you choose the perfect wellness retreat for your type.

Do you know your personality type?

If not, may I recommend using Myers-Briggs®? It’s $49.95 for an accurate test.

Personality Max is also a good choice, and it’s free.

Explore Your Traits to Figure Out the Right Style of Wellness Retreat for You

Here’s a cheat sheet if you don’t know your type or if you need a quick refresher. Realize your personality type offers a distinct set of indicators identify personal preferences. Of course, there is so much more to your story.

For now, this is a good place to start.

• Do you welcome the outer world (extrovert) or the inner world (introvert)?
• How do you gather information through the five senses (sensing) or through the five senses into the world of imagery (intuition)?
• Will you decide based on how you or others feel (feeling), or do you use a more objective approach or do you use a more objective approach (thinking)?
• Are you a list maker, a planner, an organizer (judging), or do you prefer spontaneity, going with the flow, (perceiver)?

Once you understand your personality traits, you’ll be lit-up with ah-ha moments!

Understanding yourself includes how you can choose the right wellness retreat for your personality type.

These 16 travel personality types provide an exclusive sneak-peek into personality typing with a spiritual understanding.

As a personality type shaman, I’m showing a revolutionary new way to put your soul self back into psychology. This appears in my upcoming book: 16 Personalities Unpacked – Get to Know the Real You and Travel Happier!

The list below is a must-read to plan an ideal wellness retreat based on your personality type.

Who doesn’t want to book the perfect getaway to soothe the mind, body, and soul?

Wellness Retreats for Introverts

Introverts gravitate to retreats in quiet settings and intimate learning opportunities. They relish time for solitude, reflection, and inner mind exploration; studying sacred texts, self-directed meditation, solo hikes to explore nature, and much more.

Grounded Travelers (ISTJ)

Grounded types like slow travel and trust authority. You’re likely to visit a tried-and-true wellness retreat. A good option is Canyon Ranch, one of the leader in wellness retreats since 1979.

Unassuming Travelers (ISFJ)

Unassuming travelers prefer structured retreats in peaceful surroundings discussing spiritual matters or taking part in prayer circles. You learn by doing, which makes Genesee Abbey worth a look–the 1,200-acre property is swoon-worthy.

Insightful Travelers (INFJ)

Insightful travelers are old souls, highly intuitive, and desire ongoing personal growth. You like a group retreat setting and have much to share. Consider International Re-Entry* a top choice for your type.

Inventive Travelers (INTJ)

Inventive travelers are talkative and engaged in intellectual topics of interest if you can get them to travel. They prefer structure and will opt for retreats, searching for the truth of all things. The self-guided retreats at The Monastery In Christ may be interesting to learn and worship with insights from Benedictine Monks.

Active Travelers (ISTP)

Active travelers are the definition of extreme adventure travelers. They seek action-packed wellness retreats: Castle Hot Springs, Arizona, fits the bill, where adventures await in the Sonoran Desert.

Aesthetic Travelers (ISFP)

Aesthetic travelers want active travel experiences to stimulate the five senses. Take a look at Casa Alternavida, Puerto Rico, with movement classes, guided nature hikes, and beach adventures. It’s so you.

Seeking Travelers (INFP)

Seeking travelers are attracted to retreats that provide quiet settings, time for journaling, and other reflective activities. This creative writing and yoga retreat in Scotland is worth exploring.

Autonomous for INTP on Vacation

Autonomous travelers want to understand the unbiased aspects of spirituality or religion. They may find the Rishikesh Retreat Center, Uttarakhand, India, interesting as it dives deep into the ancient religions of Asia.

Wellness Retreats For Extroverts

Extroverts typically seek retreats to engage with others and favor more activity options and time to make new friends. Typically, active and action oriented, these travelers are typically on the go.

Spirited Travelers (ESTP)

Spirited travelers are likely to take an annual retreat to disengage from the world to reengage with the nonphysical aspects of self, a healthy option, The Way of the Heart – Wild Bloom.*

Playful Travelers (ESFP)

Playful travelers engage with other retreat goers in joyful spirituality. They bring vitality to whatever they do. They may choose Palmaïa, The House of AïA. In Playa del Carmen, Mexico, this location offers yoga, meditation, art, and healing with nightly dance music and beachside bonfires.

Versatile Travelers (ENFP)

Versatile travelers are lively, energetic and travel for novel experiences, try to keep up, as they are like the Energizer Bunny. They slow down long enough to gather in a community with time for discussion and spiritual discovery; Lake Austin Spa and Resort, Austin, Texas, is a fabulous choice, with activities galore.

Inquisitive Travelers (ENTP)

Inquisitive travelers are novelty hunters, curious about all things, and love to learn. They’re likely to choose a learning-based wellness retreat, that’s far removed from conventional retreats. This 4 Day Luxury Yoga, Detox & Bokator Retreat in Majestical Cambodia, is worth a look.

Dutiful Travelers (ESTJ)

Dutiful travelers are likely to book structured learning retreats. Then enjoy camaraderie with other like-minded participants. Passion in Paradise* may be an option for those who want to cultivate healthier intimate relationships.

Attentive Travelers (ESFJ)

Attentive travelers love tradition and are often the ring leading in gathering a group of friends for a wellness retreat. A good pick is Dunton Hot Springs Retreat: Dolores, Colorado. It’s cozy and comfortable, just like you like!

Harmonious Travelers (ENFJ)

Harmonious travelers are fairly scheduled, highly interactive, want to learn and make new friends. Rancho La Puerta, Tecate, Mexico, is ideal. Take sunrise hikes, schedule activities, and try the meditation labyrinth. You’ll be served sumptuous organic treats plucked from the onsite sustainable, organic farm, so you!

Assured Travelers (ENTJ)

Assured travelers want to be challenged and will opt out of inactive and trivial travel adventures. A visit to Ashiyana, India, fits the bill as it’s all about finding your “Best You,” a challenging task for even the most experienced yogis. Don’t worry; you’re up for the challenge.

The intention of this post is to awaken you to spiritual personality typing.

This is self-exploration from the inside out.

It helps you choose the right style of wellness retreat so you can actually enjoy your vacation!!

We’ve provided retreat options to help you take inspired action through best-matched wellness experiences.

Isn’t it time to travel from the inside out?

Time to explore your nonphysical self, which is always eager to experience the physical world?

* These retreats are sanctioned through LA Yoga Magazine without affiliation to the writer.

Nina Zapala

Nina Zapala is a personality type shaman and a certified Myers-Briggs® instructor with decades of travel experience. Hundreds of travelers worldwide shared their unhappiness stories, claiming a lack of self-awareness about their true self. Zapala is on a mission to reshape personality typing, layered with spiritual insights to enable beautiful souls from around the globe to unveil the who of who they really are. Please visit Nina Zapala  to learn more.

www.ninazapala.com

The post Choose the Right Style of Wellness Retreat for You! appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Know Yourself Fully to Celebrate Freedom in Your Life

Celebrate freedom and truth in being you this July 4th. I speak to the idea of truly knowing yourself to bring about unimaginable freedom of being you. Many of us will see times of clarity, truth, and freedom in our lives, yet other times we deny our reality, pretending we don’t need to change or become what our ever-knowing inner Being is leading us to be. This weekend, take the time to examine the truth of you, celebrate you, and be grateful for who you really are. All eight billion of us, individual souls not two alike, are on a journey of becoming what Divine Intelligence intended us to be. It all begins with accepting yourself and knowing your truth.

A Fish With Arms, What?

A brilliant metaphor to describe the awakening of who we really are, getting to the truth and accepting ourselves, is about a fish with arms. When the fish finally realizes it will never have arms, it grows fins, which keeps the fish thriving and surviving.

How many of us desire, pray for, fight for arms, metaphorically speaking? In reality, we need to accept the idea of who we really are, our truth. This acceptance of self allows us to survive and thrive beyond our wildest dreams. Many of us cling to who we think we need to be, or we fantasize about a life that’s beyond our innate capabilities.

Often, we look out into the world, ignoring our inner truth. And instead, our attention is immediately drawn to what is culturally relevant, thinking I want to be a celebrity, CEO, basketball player, fashion designer, chef, or the next tech megastar… None of this is wrong, but it must align with our innate self.

When A Personality Type is Healthy, it Eagerly Supports Our Inner Beingness

It’s only when we tap into our true nature, who we really are, that we become what we are meant to be. What Divine Intelligence intended us to be. We begin to see that what works for others doesn’t have a place in our lives. We begin to accept who we are, which starts with intimately knowing our personality type. As we unfold our personality type, aspects of our unconscious self become conscious, allowing us to discern what is truly in our best interest. Even more important, when our personality type is healthy, it eagerly supports our inner Being, spirit, soul, higher self, and we begin to live an enlightened life.

An Awakening Through Acceptance of Who We Are

As soon as we accept our innate selves versus thinking I could be or should be, then our inner beingness works with Divine Intelligence, sending us an abundance of resources to transform ourselves into the self we’ve been aching to be.

What’s Your Truth?

As you find your truth, acceptance and personal freedom come about naturally. You’ll begin to see the truth is a tool by which you can work out your life and define your specific virtues and values.

It enables you to endure challenges, struggles, and misfortunes. The truth also shows you what you think about the world around you and how you relate to others. In a nutshell, your personal reality will unfold, revealing the truth of YOU.

Did you know each personality type has a primary truth, a life path, which is discoverable within personality type indicators? I’ve compiled a list of the 16 personality types (see below) and revealed truths inspired by a dominant trait.

Please know this is the first step to start your truth journey — the path you’ll need to take to find real meaning and fulfillment in life. It puts you on your life path to become what the Universal Creator, Divine Intelligence, GOD, Allah… intended for you in this life. Note: these truth theories are mine and mine only. Take what resonates and leave the rest behind—truths for each type.

Types of Extroverts

Spirited Types, ENFP – Their truth is motivated to pursue and understand the big picture of life, with a particular affinity of serving the individual over the collective.

Curious Types, ENTP – To understanding the world they live in and create from this truth to bring about change, new thinking, and new possibilities.

Altruistic Types, ENFJ – They live in a world of people and possibilities, and their truth is to aspire to bring about the best in others.

Assured Types, ENTJ – Their truth lies in their ability to lead, defeat and overcome challenges for the best possible solutions.

Playful Types, ESFP – To live fully in the world of people and possibilities, their truth lies in expressing their joys, talents and rejoice in it all, embracing the world around them.

Affluential Types, ESTP – Their truth is in doing something using their innate abilities to see the details and knowledge in the world around them.

Harmonious Types, ESFJ – They truly are a people person, and their supportive judgments nourish those around them, as what they see for themselves is what they value and see in others.

Grounded Types, ESTJ – Their truth lies in social order and creating dynamic and lasting principles to withstand the tests of time.

Types of Introverts

Laidback Types, INTPs – These types are thinkers, and they are probably the most passionate about seeking truth, respecting both the metaphysical and logical aspects of the world.

Resolved Types, INTJs – Their truth lives in science and math, always seeking a greater comprehension of the essential elements to improve beyond what they now know.

Seeker Types, INFPs – Their truth is finding meaning in life and then applying this deep bed of knowledge to humanity.

Insightful Types, INFJs – The truth for these types is sharing a deep knowingness in service to others with an innate ability to create a plan of action to put their knowledge into action.

Reliable Types, ISTJ – Their truth is in the value and structures of society; family, church, and community while the hard-working characteristics uphold these institutions.

Abstract Types, ISFP – They believe in the uncompromising truth of unconditional love and a person’s rights to be themself without judgment for who they are.

Practical Types, ISFJ – Their truth is often reflected from their inner world, of beauty, security, and growth, which brings ease to others.

Active Types, ISTP – They find their truth in the environment, becoming one with it and fully experiencing it through the five senses and in nonphysical ways, too.

Rise From Post-Pandemic Times

As we start to awaken from these post-pandemic times, many of us have come to a startling realization that we’ve been asleep. We’ve awoken to began the examination of our lives. The long stretches of isolation slowly lured us from our slumber into a new normal.

Two billion people have asked, “When will things get back to normal?” I believe the better question is, how can we apply what we’ve awoken to during our time in isolation to our lives today?

Back to the beginning. What lessons have we learned from the fish who accepts that it will never have arms and is now swimming happily because of its new fins? What have our new truths revealed during the past two years? Do we believe going back to normal really is the path option for yourself or society at large?

We’ve all been given the gifts of slowing down, evaluating our lives, and asking complex philosophical questions; How can I know if something is true? Does God exist? What are my values and virtues? Why am I here? What is the purpose of life?

What steps are you taking to answer these questions and begin life anew? Or will you choose to remain asleep? Either way is not an easy decision, but it is a decision that will change your life forever.

Take the First Step

Finding your truth, which I will boldly say, is your purpose in life. Once you’ve found your truth, everything in life unfolds; your power, passion, and purpose. Choices regarding relationships become clear—your health, where you live, and what you choose to value and uphold become crystal clear.

Now is the time to take the first step: knowing who you really are and accepting this truth. You see, clarity, confidence, and courage revolve around knowing your authentic self, your truth. One of the most important and most accessible places to start is understanding your personality type? Do you know your personality type beyond the four-letter archetype? Take the first step to establish a deep understanding of each type’s functions and learn how they weave together to create your personal reality.

If you don’t know your type, the official Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is an excellent place to start. There are plenty of free tests, but be wary, as I’ve learned quite a few are inconclusive.

Three Journal Prompts to Celebrate Freedom and Truth In Being You

1. Sit quietly and ask yourself this question; what is the most authentic aspect of myself. Say it out loud, looking into a mirror. What are you feeling? Journal on it. Come back to this question until a calm, knowingness comes over you.
2. Notice through the upcoming days when this knowingness comes over you and your reaction to it; again, journal your responses.
3. Again, notice how this knowingness is reflected and revealed when interacting with others.

I hope you found “Celebrate Freedom and Truth In being you this July 4th?” eye-opening. You see, I’m passionate about introducing the idea of spiritual understanding as a component of personality typing. The 1950s model is fantastic, but as we awaken to our spiritual needs, we must incorporate the gifts of a healthy personality type to align with our signature, SoulSelf. When we do this, we express our soul’s intentions through our personality. As a result, we show up in the world in our truth with great clarity, full of joy, passion, and purpose. It is the way of enlightened living.

Nina Zapala

Nina Zapala is a personality type shaman and a certified Myers-Briggs® instructor with decades of travel experience. Hundreds of travelers worldwide shared their unhappiness stories, claiming a lack of self-awareness about their true self. Zapala is on a mission to reshape personality typing, layered with spiritual insights to enable beautiful souls from around the globe to unveil the who of who they really are. Please visit Nina Zapala  to learn more.

www.ninazapala.com

The post Celebrate Freedom and Truth In Being You This July Fourth appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.