I attended a yoga retreat last weekend hosted by Yoga 4 You. I have been attending semi-annual retreats with this group for many years. These retreats stir up all the feels! I always have a relaxing, fun, exhausting, exhilarating, enlightening experience. I am so grateful for these events. I found many of my life-long friends during these retreats. You know who you are, and I love you!
Of course, during the retreats we do lots of yoga. There are also cool spiritual enhancing activities such as meditation, art, nature walks, and sound baths. Beyond the scheduled activities, simply being away from our daily routine and connecting with people presents so many opportunities to learn and grow.
As I reflect on my weekend, I wanted to share a few impactful moments.
Change is hard. Like holding chair pose for what seems like forever… change is hard. It is uncomfortable and it can hurt. But the release into forward fold is like moving forward with the change. Relish the moment you begin to move out of the hard shit.
We are not perfect, we are beautiful. Try creating a mandala. Even with stencils, rulers, and lined paper, (and a caring instructor) it is nearly impossible to get perfect symmetry. With that said, the process of creating can be so soothing, if you allow yourself to let go and enjoy the ride. Let go of expectations. Not perfect. Always beautiful.
Words have meaning. Beyond the dictionary definition, words have an impact on us. Our interpretation of words is based on our life experiences. How we feel about a word and the emotions tied to that word, changes its definition. For example, the word connection can have different meanings. Some people may value connection, so they are not alone. While others choose to value connection because they believe they are stronger together. Consider the impact of the words you choose. Seek to understand the meaning others have for words to ensure collective awareness.
I have no rhythm. Okay, I already knew this, as does everyone who knows me. But I learned to accept myself a little bit more. Doing something I am not good at (imagine Grease Lighting and a choregraphed yoga sequence) made me a little uncomfortable and self-conscious but gave me an opportunity to accept me, just as I am. Acceptance of my whole self, quirks and all, makes me stronger. Knowing where I am strong, enables me to also know where I need a little help from my friends. In this case to join me in a laugh and try to keep in synch.
Take time to disconnect. A respite from life is essential. A simple Google search of “self-care” gives you nearly 6 billion results. We are all searching for how to self-care, perhaps simply disconnecting from time to time is essential to your mental and physical health.
Slow down.
Press pause.
Catch your breath.
Relax, allow, and observe.
Whatever your choice is to disconnect, do it, take time for self-care. Love yourself.
Take time to really connect. We are connected to everyone and everything. We can forget this connection as we rush through life, getting things done, and being terribly busy. Real connections happen when you slow down and become aware of our impact on others and in turn, their impact on us. I experienced this oneness during the closing sound bath. We collectively chanted OM, the universal sound. I could feel the connection, the energy and vibrations resonating through my body. The energy flowing from the group. It was a truly beautiful and moving moment.
My weekend retreat experience (and writing this blog) reminds me to take time to be observant. Every moment is an opportunity to observe, learn, and grow.
I encourage you to take a few minutes to reflect on a recent experience, something simple like, a meeting at the office, an encounter at the gym or grocery story, a walk in nature, a dinner with family or friends.
What did you learn?
How connected were you?
What could you do next time to deepen the connection?
What words impacted you, good or bad? (No judgment, just observe)
How do you think your words impacted others? (Hint: ask them!)
I would love to explore with you! Together we can design your unique path to live fully.
Schedule 30 minutes with me today!