Ten months ago when I decided to embark on my yoga teacher training journey – on a day when I had taken a day off work because I needed a ‘mental health day’ to escape the dread of going to work each day – I had no idea how I was going to make a retreat to Bali work as part of the course. However, I knew that something would work out and went for it.
Nine months later, having quit my job thus freeing me from any other obstacles to heading to our yoga retreat, I was on a plane to a place that goes beyond expectations.
In 2011, (almost five years ago to he day) I spent about 20 days in Bali’s southern area, Kuta, which is tailored towards tourists. The time then was different in terms of why I was there, who I was with and my stage of life. This time, I was in Ubud, which is well-known as being more traditional and a yoga-center.
Although I did not have that much time to be ‘touristy’ on this trip, I have to say it was one of the most fun and rewarding experiences I have had. Getting to know my yogi compatriots more was a major highlight along with finding my gem of accommodations at the Manada Guesthouse.
The yoga itself was a common thread for us, but not necessarily the central aspect of the retreat. How can this be, you ask, wasn’t it a yoga retreat after all?
Yes, it was. We did do a lot of yoga, teaching and learning of anatomy. However, each individual person there grew whether it was physically, mentally or emotionally. This growth occurred within the person, but because of the unity of the group. We discovered things we liked about each other, things we didn’t like about each other and overall how to accept each person just as they were despite likes or dislikes.
So, it was indeed a beautiful and excellent time away. It was also a good break away from the summer stresses and a chance to take a bit of a breath from reality. π
~T π
