If you’re thinking about going to an Ignation retreat center, you want to get away from your daily life to really focus on your faith. You need that break, and you know that it’s something you won’t realistically do at home. While many people advocate doing this within the daily schedule, the reality is that the separation is, for some, all that makes it possible.

That said, most retreat centers offer retreats for varying lengths of time. Some will invite people to come for three days, which is a standard weekend retreat, starting on Friday and running through to Sunday. Other people will come for a four-day retreat, which is very similar, but it provides the long weekend. Still others will come for an entire month, or 30 days, which is the longest standard retreat. So, which one is right for you?

The Weekend

Many people choose the weekend retreat to the Ignation retreat center because it fits so easily into their lives. They may take work off a bit early on Friday, but that’s not hard to do, and they can be back by Monday. They don’t have to use any vacation days, and they don’t fall behind at all. They still get the break, but it’s the easiest option to use if they don’t have too much freedom in their schedule.

The Long Weekend

The four-day retreat is often picked by those who are fine with using just a single vacation day from work – that’s not much for most people to give up – and who want a more complete escape. Sometimes, getting away for just three days really makes the retreat feel short, but that one extra day helps you relax.

People who have to drive a long distance to get to the retreat center will also choose the long weekend. They don’t want to waste an entire day of their retreat on the road, and they also don’t want to leave feeling like they were on the road more than they were at the center. That extra day actually makes them feel like they were there long enough to justify the trip.

The Month-Long Retreat

Most people will say that the month-long retreat is the best one, if you have the time to do it. It’s very popular with business owners, who can set their own schedules, and with teachers and college professors, who do not have to work at all in the summer months.

The biggest benefit here is that you can really immerse yourself in the retreat. It often takes a few days to stop thinking about work, the bills and the rest of your daily life. All of that stress may never leave on a weekend retreat, but you can actually get away from it when you have a month. You can settle in and take your time, and you don’t feel any pressure to get everything out of the retreat as fast as possible. You just let it come to you, and you benefit easily in this way.

The month also gives you time to focus on a few different things within the same retreat. You may have different areas of focus, different goals for yourself. In one weekend, you may be forced to pick just one thing to consider, but the month allows you to devote multiple days – or even a whole week – to numerous areas. You’ll leave feeling like you have actually accomplished what you set out to do.