Crestone Yoga Retreat – July 2016 Reset

Time spent in retreat is beneficial in so many ways. We are often busy tending the needs of our relationships whether that’s with family, working colleagues, friendships, pets, or other relationships.  To sustain our vital energy, it’s important to tend to our own personal needs as well to refresh, rejuvenate, reflect, and nourish our being deeply.

 

This past week, I had the good fortune to be able to travel up 9,000′ into the mountains above Crestone, Colorado (south of Denver about 4 hours) to the Crestone Zen Mountain Retreat Center with my yoga teacher, Scott Anderson and several other folks for a week-long retreat of meditation, yoga, pilates, food and fun.

 

Here’s a link to view pictures from our trip. Note:  The bird pictures at the end are NOT my pictures; I copied them from a birding app I use called, iBird Ultimate.  They represent the birds I saw and/or heard while on retreat at CZMRC.

 

This is where we did our daily meditation, yoga, and pilates practices.

This is where we did our daily meditation, yoga, and pilates practices.

 

Allow me to share a few “take-aways” from this retreat.

 

One gem that comes to mind is that, according to research Scott recently read, time spent in a meditation retreat is more beneficial for the brain and the immune system than the same amount of time spent in a home meditation practice.  The brain circuitry actually improves significantly while on retreat.  COOL!  Need a reason to get away?  There you go!

 

Another gem of wisdom I am beginning to appreciate is that when it comes to yoga, often times, less is more.  Many of us tend to push into end range of poses in an effort to achieve some ultimate expression of a pose or increase our flexibility.  However, making this a regular habit can result in chronic pain.  If you’re a chronic pain sufferer, ask yourself if it’s possible you are over-stretching.

 

Many of us would benefit greatly if we would spend more time strengthening the muscles that support our joints than continuing to stretch them.   The good news?  Pilates is an amazing compliment to yoga to help us strengthen intelligently.   Give it a try for 6 weeks and see how you feel.  See if you feel less depleted or anxious, and more energized, confident, and grounded. I’d love to hear about your experience!

 

If you’re interested in going on retreat with me and Diane Butera, owner of Eugene Yoga, sign up soon for our Luxury Yoga Retreat in Maui, Hawaii – February 5 – 11, 2017.   We only have a few rooms left. 100 steps from the beach.  Private chef.  Two and a half hours of meditation and yoga each day with an open schedule offering optional  snorkeling, whale-watching, hiking and other activities.   Here’s the link with all the details. Be sure to check out our villa, the Wailea Inn.

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