Day two of our retreat started with another permaculture walk with Lucy at 7:30am. This time we stood in a circle before heading off on our coastal walk to do our check in with each other and then Lucy guided us through a visualisation where we invited our ancestors to come on the walk with us. Throughout the walk we were to be mindful of the many generations of people that have come before us, it was such a beautiful practice. We walked through the very sleepy town and then around the cliffs to a rock pool and natural swimming pool where we could go wild swimming later if we felt the call. We then headed back to Seaways for an hour and 15 mins of Core strength vinyasa yoga followed by another hearty breakfast. Again, the morning was then free for people to wander, sun bathe, swim or book in for a massage and we gathered for another wonderful lunch, this time grilled halloumi, salad and roast potatoes followed by homemade plum crumble! Our second yoga session of the day was Shivananda yoga which I think may well be my new favourite. Emily explained that this was a restorative style of yoga whereby you start in savasana and make your way up to standing. the poses that make up the sequence are meant to represent our journey from birth up until the present moment. Each pose is held for a long period of time giving you chance to release stored emotional hurt and physical tension. I found this practice deeply moving and very clearing. Emily then guided us through a dreamy relaxation meditation which left us all very floaty...and some of us asleep.
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The day started with a 7:30am coastal walk, short permaculture talk and group check-in and share of how we were feeling and our intentions for the retreat. After a stunning walk led by Lucy we headed back to the Shala for our first yoga session which was a beautiful grounding modified ashtanga class with Emily. Feeling stretched, grounded and centred we headed in to the kitchen for breakfast where we were greeted with porridge, plum compote with fresh plums from the garden, more freshly baked bread for toast and tea and coffee. Over breakfast we gave a bit more explanation about the retreat and the timetable. The morning was then free for people to do as they pleased, it was another gloriously sunny day so some people headed in to Polperro for a boat trip, others sat in the sunshine reading by the pool and I had my first massage client of the retreat and then had time to sit and paint in the sunshine. We re-grouped for a delicious and heart warming homemade lunch of vegetarian quiche, coleslaw and potato salad. Lucy introduced the practice of pausing before the meal to generate a feeling of gratitude for the food in front of us and for the people and the environment involved in bringing this meal together. I really enjoyed this mindfulness practice and realised how strong a habit I have of taking things for granted.
We then had our Reconnection group session. This was our first permaculture session with Lucy where she introduced us to the three main ethics - Self Care, Fair Share/People Care and Earth Care and the 12 main principles. I found this talk incredibly inspiring and am hoping to learn more about permaculture when I get back, it seems to link really beautifully with the ethics and practice of yoga and also my Buddhist faith. We then headed in to our Yin Yoga session which was led by me. I guided the group through a small set of poses that we held for longer periods of time than we're used to, using blankets, blocks and straps to support the body and then focusing the mind on the breath and the art of letting go. We then finished the session with a mindful awareness meditation where we witnessed the various sounds taking place around us, the waves, the seagulls, the noise of the town, our own breath. It was particularly special to do this meditation in this seaside setting with so many of the sounds we associate with being happy and feeling relaxed. We then floated in to dinner which was soup, homemade bread and leftovers from lunch. I enjoyed taking my yoga mat outside and doing some of my own practice under the moonlight. I then went to bed feeling inspired, relaxed, and so so grateful that my job enables me to be part of something like this. I'm pleased to say our journey down to Cornwall was smooth and traffic free and interspersed with some fabulous services along the way, my favourite being the Gloucester services which is probably one of the prettiest stop offs I've been to. It had a farm shop and healthy cafe inside and seated area outside with a beautiful pond, why can't all services be like that? I was delighted to be able to get an almond milk latte and cacao energy bite rather than the terrible tasting black coffee and overpriced sugary muffin that I normally have to settle for. We also stopped off at a garden centre for tea and scones and to purchase some wonderful bright green bean bags for the garden. We arrived at Seaways in glorious sunshine and to the sound of happy voices from the harbour and beach below as people enjoyed the summer weather we've all been longing for. We quickly set to work getting the house and garden ready for our guests, setting up the yoga Shala and massage room and getting food prepped. We had just enough time to hop in the pool to get refreshed after a hot and sweaty day of travel and setup. Our retreaters arrived late afternoon and it was lovely to see the look on their faces as they saw seaways and the view of Polperro for the first time, you could see them instantly melt in to a feeling of relaxation and enjoyment. After a brief orienteering of the house and grounds we settled down together to share our first meal which was Happiness Soup and home baked break. It was an early night for all so we could rest after the long day and be up early the following day for day 1 of our retreat. One of the things I love the most about summer is the chance to get stuck in to a good book, or 3 or 4. I love browsing book shops in seaside towns, making exciting purchases and then snuggling down with a cup of tea for a few hours of me time. I thought it might be nice to share with you some of the inspiring reads I've been enjoying this summer so far and the ones that are on my wish list. Enjoy xx CURRENT READING ........................................... THE LITTLE BOOK OF SELF CARE - Mel Noakes I picked this little book up in Cornwall as inspiration for our self care new moon circle in July, it's packed full of wisdom and great ideas for implementing self care in to your life. BIG MAGIC - ELIZABETH GILBERT ........................................................................ Eat, Pray, Love was my holiday read a few years ago and I really fell in love with elizabath's raw honesty and inspiring journey. I haven't started reading this yet but I'm excited to get stuck in. YOGA AND BODY IMAGE - MELANIE KLEIN & ANNA GUEST-JELLEY ............................................................................................................................................... This book is an honest and inspiring collection of personal stories about beauty, bravery and loving your body. NOT THAT KIND OF GIRL - LENA DUNHAM ........................................................................................... This one is left over from last summer, didn't quite get chance to finish it. I'm a big fan of Lena and her show girls and am really enjoying this witty and brutally honest book. WISH LIST ..................... CURVY YOGA - ANNA GUEST-JELLEY ............................................................................... If you're not familiar with this ladie's work yet I recommend giving her a quick google, she has been instrumental in the movement towards making yoga accessible to every body. HAPPY - FEARNE COTTON ......................................................... I keep picking this book up in different book shops and almost buying it, it really does look happy when you flick through, next time I see it, I'm getting it :) GOOD NIGHT STORIES FOR REBEL GIRLS ........................................................................................ I came across this book at Wilderness Festival and it made me smile so much. So positive to see a book for younger girls that isn't all about mermaids and princesses but about strong and brave women who have changed the world. Would make a great gift after you've finished flicking through and getting inspired yourself :p WOMEN IN SCIENCE ............................................. Along the same theme as the previous book this a beautifully illustrated children's book about 50 women who were pioneers of science, another great gift for a youngster or your own bookshelf :) EVERY BODY IS A YOGA BODY Another theme you might have picked up on in my reading list is body positivity in yoga. I'm currently enrolled in the Yoga 4 All teacher training and the philosophy component of the course has inspired me to do more reading on the subject. |
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December 2019
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