I have really been MIA lately. One reason: I was on a yoga retreat for 4 days the weekend before last. We did the same retreat last August and loved it so of course we signed up as soon as registration opened this year.
I took no pictures because we left our phones in our cabin the whole time – completely technology-free weekend. It was wonderful!
Here is one picture via Instagram (Bobby and I are in there, not sure if you can see…)
Source: http://instagram.com/raghunathyogi
Bobby is in a black sweatshirt behind the girl with the yellow scarf. I’m to his right in a grey sweatshirt behind the girl with a red plaid scarf. We went with another couple who are into yoga just as much as we are – Bobby’s coworker and his girlfriend. We all loved it!
This was definitely not your typical yoga retreat – it could be very spiritual, but also very much “take what you want and leave the rest” at the same time. I would say about half the people there were there for the spiritual part and half for the yoga. It was a great mix of very kind and warm people.
Incredible teachers:
- Yoga – Raghunath
- Yoga – Bryn Chrisman
- Yoga – Sondra Loring (who studied with the father of Mysore Ashtanga yoga, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois)
- Guru/monk – Radhanath Swami
- Guru/monk – Dhanurdhara Swami
- Musician – Gaura Vani
- Ayurveda specialists – Bud Tansey & Jai Giridhari
- …And others that I did not have a chance to meet.
All 3 yoga teachers were amazing – each offering something different but valuable. I listened to a couple talks by the two swamis, who were both inspiring and wise. We learned to play the harmonium with Gaura Vani, who was so talented. Bobby and I took 2 workshops in “Marma Therapy” (ayurvedic massage) with the ayurvedic practitioners. Marma and yoga were definitely the highlights of the retreat for me.
Buffet line + salad bar! (Source)
At the retreat we were treated to 3 vegetarian buffet meals a day. Most of the food was grown on the grounds of the retreat center (Pumpkin Hollow Farm in Craryville, NY – about 2 hours north of the city). It was delicious and Bobby and I totally overate the entire time. But neither one of us came back even a pound heavier, so we must have been burning it off with the 2x a day yoga sessions.
Here is a video from last year’s retreat.
Another reason I have been MIA – I have been working on a new project! I’ll share soon.
