It’s not often we take the time to slow down, quiet all the noise around us, and look inward. In 2023, I had the opportunity to do this twice, with life-changing yoga retreats. I do not practice yoga regularly, but knowing who was leading these retreats, and hearing from her that there would be much more than daily yoga practices, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and attend a retreat in March. After that experience, it was easy to say yes when a similar retreat was offered again in September.
During some free time at this recent retreat, we were encouraged to venture out into nature with some writing prompt ideas. Given the heaviness on my heart going into this weekend, this was what I needed to process some hard and big emotions.
I wandered around on the retreat grounds until I found a place that called to me. This would be my temporary writing office for this short time frame. It was an unusually warm fall day in the middle of North Dakota. Here’s an excerpt of what I wrote at that time:
The sun is now covered by dark clouds looming above. The Earth knows what is to come.
I feel helpless
yet strong.
I feel a knowing for a family
that is lost.
I feel peaceful for myself
yet conflicted for them.
I feel empowered
grateful for where I’m at in my life.
The work I’ve done
the career I let go of
to facilitate current life. and death.
I feel I am called for
this time, this moment.
I’ve felt anxious, depressed, stuck
But it is becoming more clear and peace-filled.
I feel helpless
yet strong.
I feel a knowing for a family
that is lost.
I feel peaceful for myself
yet conflicted for them.
I feel empowered
grateful for where I’m at in my life.
The work I’ve done
the career I let go of
to facilitate current life. and death.
I feel I am called for
this time, this moment.
I’ve felt anxious, depressed, stuck
But it is becoming more clear and peace-filled.
Just like attending the March retreat, after this September retreat, it took a bit to get reacclimated back to the real world again. Here’s what I wrote when I got home:
How was the retreat?
Four words I hear over and over.
I can’t find the words to explain
the experience though.
Inner work of healing and growing,
but I feel like many in this world
don’t understand that.
It’s just words,
unless you can truly embrace,
feel,
let yourself enter a world so different
from our society.
Four words I hear over and over.
I can’t find the words to explain
the experience though.
Inner work of healing and growing,
but I feel like many in this world
don’t understand that.
It’s just words,
unless you can truly embrace,
feel,
let yourself enter a world so different
from our society.
I am grateful for a supportive husband who is always encouraging me to take weekends away. He knows how much these mean to me and that I come back refreshed and a better version of myself. I am grateful for Christina, who uses her expertise and wisdom to lead these retreats and pours into all those who attend. I am grateful for learning and being reminded that:
I am strong and healthy
I am gracefully and peacefully
at ease.
I am gracefully and peacefully
at ease.
Little did I know then, how quickly my life would enter a season of winter. And how important this retreat was for me to lay the foundation for inner strength and knowledge.
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