As a business owner in the yoga and wellness arena, I practice what I teach. Through meditation, yoga and Health Yoga Life coaching I find a quicker connection to self, can eradicate limiting beliefs and move forward with choice and action confidently. And still we live in world (perhaps cosmically and consciously designed) to take us far from center almost on a daily basis.
Recently, I was given the gift from a dear friend to attend a retreat. As I am usually the one leading the retreats these days, I must confess, the first day or so I was continuously nagged by a feeling that I needed to do something. Whether that was to check-in with my sisters about our yoga studio back home in Boston or teach a yoga class to my peers at the program, my mind was like a ping pong ball, back and forth, back and forth "what can I do now to distract myself from being present". As I observed this in my mind and body, I noticed a rushing feeling of thoughts and sensation. It was a slow-leak of my own energy, and it was time I stopped the drain.
Retreats are a wonderful opportunity to slow down and see what is really going on behind the scenes of our own life; what gives us energy what takes it away. If we never pause we simply do not have the time to be with ourselves long enough to know what makes our hearts come alive or what hinders or grows our light. Retreats like the "Ultimate Liberation: Free the Mind, Empower the Body, Awaken the Soul" retreat in Tulum allow for self-exploration at the deepest level. The resort is right on the beach and the ocean waves provide the melody for the week. The water moves in the water moves out. The breath moves in the breath moves out. The perfect reminder that there is an easefull flow to life, and if we feel like we are constantly swimming upstream it's a calling to change direction.
As my time went on at the retreat, I paid full attention to what I needed to do that week to receive the most from my experience. As my life outside the retreat is spent surrounded by people and in constant communication with others, I knew I desperately needed alone time. So I gave myself permission that week to be with me and created lots of moments of being quiet with myself. Through this, pain and grief that I was carrying that was blocking my freedom of being was released and healed.
I didn't think I needed a retreat when my friend gave me this gift. Of course I was excited to spend a week in a beautiful place, but I didn't have any intentions for the week. However, as retreats will do, this time away gave me so much more than I ever expected to receive. I am refreshed, more present, and have more energy for the things that are important to me.