text and images by guest blogger, Marianne Elliott
In your gypsy fantasies, do you ever dream about stepping out of your daily life and retreating to a place where someone prepares delicious, healthy food for you, where someone leads you in hours of daily yoga and meditation practice, where you are surrounded by like-hearted gypsy seekers of truth and love and beauty? Do you ever wonder what might happen to you and to your life if you could find the time and the space to retreat into a place like that?
I first went on a yoga retreat almost three years ago. In the course of a week of cleansing, releasing, paying attention and being ‘un-distracted’ I realised that I could finally let go of a lover who had lost his love for me. It was by far the most refreshing, restoring and life-changing holiday I had ever been on and I swore that I would commit the time, space and resources to do the same every year from then on.
Last month, a little behind schedule but better late than never, I went on my second yoga retreat. What I learned this time around was that regular, consistent, deep practice will lead you to the truth that you need to face. But that it will also settle you so deeply into the love and peace that resides always within you that you will have all the support you need to face that truth with ease.
I went on a yoga retreat organised by BodyMindLife yoga studio in Sydney, Australia. The retreat took place at a stunningly beautiful resort in near Ubud in Bali and featured the teaching of two very different yogis – Twee and Mark.
Twee Merrigan is a teacher with whom I have been studying for some time now and with whom I am undertaking my yoga teacher training. Twee is a globally respected teacher and trainer of prana flow, an empowering, transformational style of vinyasa flow yoga that was developed by Shiva Rea . Twee’s teaching style is potent and energetic and her classes flow freely and rhythmically, encouraging us all to find and follow our own internal teacher.
Mark Breadner brought the yin to balance Twee’s yang. Mark’s focus in his yoga teaching is to help people heal themselves. He teaches people to recognise where they are out of balance, and to apply practices that restore harmony, balance and the natural flow of energy (prana). Where Twee’s morning classes were energetic, dynamic and potent, Mark’s afternoon sessions were gentle, healing and restorative.
Both Mark and Twee teach yoga as a holistic practice, encompassing all eight branches of yoga. During the retreat, as well as the two daily asana classes we were guided through pranayama (breathing) practices, prepared for meditation through practices to still and settle the mind, and provided with opportunities to offer daily devotional practices in the form of traditional Balinese flower offerings.
Perhaps most deliciously, we were also treated to evening sessions of kirtan, a traditional form of Indian music, which is also a form of bakhti or devotional yoga. For anyone like me, whose busy mind takes some time to settle even using Mark’s very best meditation practices, kirtan or chanting can offer an extraordinary short-cut into a place of settled awareness or presence. Chanting or singing is widely recognised as being one of the easiest ways to experience a quieting of the mind and an opening of the heart, two of the ultimate benefits of all forms of yoga.
On this retreat we had the very particular pleasure of being led in kirtan by Edo Khan and his angelically-voiced partner Jo Mall. Back in Sydney Jo and Edo lead regular kirtan evenings and run workshops for people with special needs in which the healing power of chanting and meditation is a central component.
What all of these different but complementary practices added up to, for me, was an extended and sustained experience of resting easily into the deep well of love, joy, equanimity and compassion that resides within us all. It may sound a little trite to you, or perhaps even like something that is lovely in theory but which in practice happens only to other, calmer, people than you.
I’ve been there too. I’ve been in the place of believing in theory that our essential nature is love and equanimity whilst harbouring a secret suspicion that I’m a little less filled with love and peace than some others, like the Dalai Lama or my meditation teacher. But, as it turns out, even a distracted, busy, knee jiggling soul like me is made of the same good stuff. I too, like the Dalai Lama, could see the goodness in everyone. I too could rest secure in that place of love and peace, even in the face of news of the death of a friend’s husband or of another friend’s motorcycle accident.
It was powerful stuff. Enough to convince me that it was time to quit a great job. A job doing good work for a very good cause, but a job that kept me too busy to sit still as often as my soul desires.
So if you ever wonder what would happen if you found the time and space to retreat into a space of quiet, open-heartedness and dedicated practice, then let me share my secret with you. You come face to face with the truth that lives deep within you, and at the same time you find that you already have all the strength you need to act on that truth.
***
How about you? Have you ever dreamed of attending a yoga retreat? Or have you ever participated in one?
***
Find about more about Marianne in her blog, Zen and the Art of Peacekeeping, where she shares extracts of her book project “Zen and the Art of Peacekeeping: The Sensitive Girl’s Guide to Life in a War-Zone”, her reflections on a mindful life, links and resources about yoga, eco-activism, Buddhism and human rights.
Gypsy Life: Yoga Retreat
July 5, 2009
So, so beautiful! Yes, I have participated in a yoga retreat. Not for an entire week, but for 3 1/2 days. And you’ve just made me ache to go back again. Just thinking about it is calming . . . thank you.
Sounds intriguing. How well versed in yoga does one need to be for such a retreat? Are yoga retreats mainly for hardcore practitioners or do they come in different varieties for people of different skill levels?
Gosh that’s wonderful that you did that! I have heard there is a surf/yoga retreat in Mexico and I’d love to do that. I do dream of getting away where you are doing something healthy that you love all day and fresh delicious food is prepared for you. Heaven!
I had an email from one reader asking if retreats like this were only for ‘hardcore’ yogis or whether they came in different levels for people who were newer to the practice.
On this retreat the range of experience extended from people like me (after five years of regular practice I’m now starting to teach yoga) to several people who had never been to a yoga class in their life. The lovely thing about yoga is that it operates on so many different levels that you can keep learning and getting new things from even the most basic posture so that long-time practitioners can practice alongside beginners and both can be learning and growing.
Many retreats will cater to all levels, but if you need a certain level of previous experience then that should be clearly indicated in the information about the retreat. If in doubt check with the organisers. You certainly don’t need to be an experienced yoga practitioner to get wonderful benefits from a retreat like this.
One of the women on this retreat had never done yoga before but she was at every session, morning and afternoon. The teachers generally offered different options for people working at different levels, but she was also wise enough to simply sit things out when that was right for her. She had a great time, although her muscles were aching a little by day three (as were mine!) and was inspired to find a class and keep up the yoga when she got home.
Namaste,
Marianne
om marianne, lovely pictures and great article. brought back memories of our time together in beautiful bali. nice to see the picture of you in ‘down dog’ I took of you. namaste, sankara
correction: meant ‘up dog’, of course! woof and namaste, sankara
Great article Marianne.
Retreats are so potent… congrats on making such a huge life change. Excited to see how it unfolds for you!
Peace and love,
KL
What a beautiful story- the pictures are magnificent! Yes, I have been on two yoga retreat getaways. Both in Costa Rica. Lush countryside, fresh,scrumptious, organic meals, wonderful yoga practices, and much needed mind/body healing through a variety of massage body treatments. But best of all?- Meeting wonderful people also on a journey to finding their own personal truths. This experience opens up the opportunity to creating human to human contact. Engaging meal conversations with new friends at a long outdoor table overlooking the Costan Rican countryside-aah, it just takes me back!
Linda Maria
Oh, this piece really makes me want to go on a yoga retreat! I have a lot of trouble slowing down and keeping still. I need to learn to stop and just be. Gorgeous photos accompanying your article! xoxox
Ummm, I’m booking my yoga retreat tomorrow! ;-)
This Spring break March 6th through March 13th 2010. Take a journey with Bamboo YogaPlay in Dominical, Costa Rica, for a unique beach yoga experience. For more information visit here: http://www.costaricaviews.com/come-play-come-relax-come-dive-into-yourself/
Bali is Central Indonesian Time, the same as Singapore, eight hours ahead of GMT and four hours behind Australian Eastern Standard Time. This means when it is noon in London, 10 PM in Sydney, 7 AM in New York and 4 AM in Los Angeles, it is 8 PM in Bali.
There are three spoken languages on Bali : Balinese and its dialects, Indonesian and a kind of old Javanese called Kawi. English is widely spoken in the tourism areas as well as for business.
It’s important to note that compared with many places in the world, Bali is fairly safe. There are some hassles from the avaricious, but most visitors face many more dangers at home. Petty theft occurs but it is not prevalent.
Nifty post on Gypsy Girl’s Guide – travels and musings – and solid domain by the way!
What’s the tick field for at the end of every post? I can choose it however it will not seem to accomplish anything…
Marianne- I very much enjoyed this post! I’m 24 yrs old and feel like I’m coasting through everyday life trying to catch up with this whole “rat-race”. I’ve been feeling for a long-time that I need to travel around- go on a retreat or two and start on a life-fulling path while I’m still young. Although it feels tough because for some reason to let things go here and start a new path. It’s inspiring and calming for me to read about people like you. Thank-you!
Hi Riley, I absolutely encourage you to follow your heart while you are still young. Find people who share your commitment to living a heart-full life and encourage and support each other. In community with others we can do so much more than we can alone.
Namaste
wow that sounds absolutely divine! Where could I find information on future retreats held at the same place?