In a couple of weeks I'm going to Kripalu Center for a teacher's conference and a week-long workshop, and I'm really looking forward to it. I want to learn some new things to pass on to my students, and I'm looking forward to being completely immersed in yoga, yoga, yoga. When I did my teacher training there several years ago, I stayed for a month. The training was fantastic, but one of the most wonderful benefits was to be able to spend a whole month doing only that one thing. I had no other responsibilities -- no shopping, cooking, cleaning, going to one of the several jobs I had at the time, paying bills, trying to take care of everyone and everything. It was an amazing gift of time for myself because I could really focus and think and grow without the myriad distractions of daily life. Although the certification process was intense, the fact that I could devote all of my time and attention to it made it much easier.
Vacations are wonderful, but a yoga retreat is something else because you get to keep filling up: There's always another class, another dose of prana, another chance to go inside and go back home to yourself -- back to the well, to the Source. I'm going to miss my family while I'm gone, but I intend to savor every opportunity to just "be."
Thinking about a retreat for yourself? Click these links:
Yoga in Costa Rica, Jan. 17, 2009
Yoga in Costa Rica, Jan 24, 2009
Yoga in Italy, Sept. 13, 2009
For a mini "retreat," check out the new fall workshops.