Om Sweet Om
Retreat baby, and surrender to the possibilities
I was sitting with my daughter, Lauren, on the patio of the Casa Tara Hotel in La Ventana, Mexico as the sun was rising over the Gulf of California. It was Day 2 of a yoga retreat that she was co-running with a colleague, and we were sipping our first coffee, shoulder-to-shoulder on the steps.
“I’m so proud of you,” I said. “You’re creating an amazing experience here for everyone.”
“Thanks, mom.”
It was an intimate moment and one of many memorable ones from a week filled with yoga, meditation, amazing people, sun, sand, and warm Baja breezes.
We all arrived on a Monday evening from various parts of the U.S. After two flights, an hour-long slog through immigration (good times), and a 2-hour ride along a winding road through the desert, I was pretty exhausted. But a quick breath of the salty air and a peek at the muted, dusky sky over the Gulf helped me rally for the evening class and dinner.
Staying centered
Our yoga schedule consisted of a challenging morning practice at 8:00 and a lower-key meditation or yin restorative class at 5:00. There were people of all levels of experience. You’re not supposed to compare yourself to those around you, as your practice is your own. The only one you should be focusing on is YOU; cultivating your inner peace, your grounding, your skill. But of course, out of the corner of your eye, you spy the more advanced ones doing things that you can’t. Yet.
It’s like life, right? There are always those who have and do more than you and those who don’t. You may feel superior or inferior depending on the comparator. By the same token, don’t let what others think of you worm its way into your headspace. There are those who admire you and those who will put you down. Take the admiration with a grain of salt and ignore the detractors.
Just be you.
Going with the flow
When I go on Lauren’s retreats I like to do as the Romans do and partake of the local activities. This area of Baja is a mecca for kitesurfers, as it’s hella windy. You’ve got to be a super-strong badass to hold on to that crazy thing as it pulls you up into the air and whips you around. I was pretty sure I’d either recreate the Fall of Icarus or get airlifted to Oz like Dorothy. So that was a hard no for me. But paddleboarding and snorkeling? Yes, please! I had never done the former and only done the latter a couple of times and loved it.
The winds would pick up in the afternoon but it was generally calm in the morning, so sunrise paddleboarding became a thing. What an amazing experience! The rippling, pre-dawn water a silvery blue. Turtles poking their heads up for a sip of breath. Jumping Mobula rays making a quick cameo, flying fish scuttling across the surface.
Once the orangey-red sun started to inch above the horizon, we stopped paddling, and sat in awe as its golden, lighthouse-beam reflection shimmered on the water. Another day dawning. Another chance to live and love and laugh and breathe it all in. Watching it all unfold, I was filled with gratitude.
Our snorkeling trip later that afternoon was equally soul-satisfying. We took a boat to the nearby Isla Jacques Cousteau (named after the famed, French oceanographer who led many expeditions there). After a delicious picnic lunch of ceviche and homemade tortilla chips, we got back in the boat and moseyed closer to the reef. I found a mask and pair of fins that fit, then jumped off the boat into the cool, clear water.
I love to take photos when I travel (actually when I do just about anything) but I had no waterproof camera. I would have to take mental snapshots now, then write about them later to seal the memory. I swam above the reef, floating, peering every which way. There was the vivid blue fish with black stripes wiggling out of its little hiding spot, the neon blue and yellow one with black stripes just poking around, and the black one with white polka dots and fluttery fins that called to mind my VS bikini underwear. I felt like I was inside a giant tropical aquarium; yet at the same time felt an exhilarating, wide-open freedom like I’ve never known.
How is your heart?
During one of the meditation sessions, we were asked to pair off with another person and take turns answering a series of deep, probing questions while the other person simply listened. One of the questions was “How is your heart?”
My partner was a lovely guy from Montana with large, expressive blue eyes. He was the only one of us wearing a mask, so I could only see his eyes. As I spoke they conveyed empathy and care, so I felt comfortable sharing my innermost thoughts with him. And hearing his as well.
Afterward, we talked as a group about the exercise. I noted that we often ask someone how they are, and usually the answer is “fine, how are you?” These exchanges only scratch the surface, and rarely lead to deep discussions or disclosures, especially if you’re in a public setting. Next time you really want to know how someone is, ask them, “how is your heart?” Then lean in and really listen.
Home sweet home
Like the other retreats I’ve been on, this one will stay in my mind and heart for a long while, along with the new friends I’ve made. When you’re in an idyllic place you often wish you could stay longer, or stay forever. As wonderful as it was, I was ready to come home. I’ve got lots of exciting things happening this year, and I’m looking forward to getting on with them.
For one, I’m renting a house at the Jersey Shore this summer that’s just steps from the beach. I’ll be catching the sunrise as often as possible, and doing yoga on the beach several times a week with a wonderful group that I found last year. It’s also steps from an inlet where I can watch the sunset, too. It’ll bring me back to La Ventana, but also ground me in the present as I greet each new day with joy, and honor its passing with gratitude.
In between, I’ll be ever-ready to embrace and surrender to the endless possibilities that each day holds. Namaste.
