Jamaica Dreaming...

It’s been a month since I left our little island home of Coral Cove. I still dream of waking to the warm sun rising over the Caribbean, snorkeling in our own private cove, and teaching in the open palapa where every night we’d pause practice to feast on the blazing sun as it set. Nestled within the safety and care provided by our fabulous hosts, we were able to drop into practice and challenge ourselves to dig deep into the contours of our soul. The spaciousness of retreat counters the frenzy of our daily lives and enables what often feels difficult to confront to rise to the surface. Each day we breathed in the elements and risked asking ourselves the more difficult questions: What are we doing with our precious energy?

What motivates our choices? What does it mean to live authentically? We shared laughter, tears, but mostly our humanity as we explored and confessed our habitual tendencies with one another. Everyone left touched, changed, transformed in some way through the combination of meaningful conversation and practices that asked more of us than mere Sun Salutations or a fun vinyasa flow. For me, it was a reminder of the infinite possibility of Self available when we are willing to challenge our limited beliefs, a reminder of the importance of heartful companions to hold us accountable and love us within our vulnerability. And also it served as a reminder that taking ‘time-out’ often provides the impetus to ‘tune-in’. A week away is nice, but not always possible. How about this moment... right now… today? Can you take a ‘breather’? Stop doing and and simply feel yourself. Here. Now. Ask yourself what matters most? Are you living your truth? Are you in alignment with your heart? Do your actions reflect your intentions? Retreat can happen anywhere, anytime. This is the invitation of yoga practice and this is how we roll at EYT, whether in zoom club, in a training, or an exotic location. We believe transformation happens when we lean into truth, into the wisdom teachings, and fully become ourselves.