What is Luxury?

I wrote in my eZine last Friday that I was off to a back to basics retreat with no luxury!  Now I have just come back with the thought, well what is luxury?

Luxury can mean so many things on so many different levels.  For sure, there is the obvious one of the goods we buy with luxury meaning quality, attention to detail and exclusive.  To perhaps be indulged in a beautiful luxurious opulent surrounding.  Maybe it could be in the service you recieve.

But what got me thinking was why had I immediately thought the retreat would not be luxurious.  Was it the thought of sleeping in a bunk bed, sharing a room with 5 others, sharing a bathroom with 11 others?  Was it the idea of lack of space, that 30 plus of us would be in one communal area?

Probably.

Yet, what got to me was yes, I do love a pampered lifestyle, but luxury is more than that.  Luxury is saying yes to yourself.  It is having that opportunity to have time out.  The ability to reflect on where you are at in your journey of life.  The luxury of being in the moment, of being present and setting your intentions.

Luxury is being surrounded by like-minded people with similar aspirations yet achieving them in their own unique and special way.  Luxury is having the support of love and being honoured by friends.

Luxury is people believing in you, of making the time to listen to you, of caring enough to share their story with you, of inviting you in to hear their vision.

Luxury is the commitment you make to yourself, of seeing the strides forward you make towards achieving your desires.  Luxury is the wonder of new ideas and solutions to challenges.

Luxury is being in the presence of people who can impart knowledge and wisdom, of having an ability to pass on healing and enlightenment.

Luxury is eating wonderful food and dancing and talking and laughing. 

 
Me with the flower in her hair, giving the wonderful Shazzie a kiss for her birthday on the idetox holiday retreat.

Luxury is the bliss of life.

So was the retreat I went on luxurious, most definately yes as it delivered on all of the above and I think just a little bit more.

And did it matter that I shared a room and a bathroom, that we were living communally?  Well no, not at all, I loved it!