It has been two weeks since returning from one of the most transformative two days of my life, Joy of the Yogini with Colleen Saidman Yee.
It’s challenging to convey aptly what happened, but I’ll give you a laundry list of my loves: Beautiful souls Kari Harendorf (Yoga Shanti), Gillian Cilibrasi (Urban Zen Integrative Therapy Program), Danika Marie Hendrickson (astrology consultant, etc.), Shari Auth (massage/acupuncture), sweat lodge, amazingly tasty vegetarian/vegan meals prepared by Menla‘s chef, a sweat lodge, drumming, bonfire, four 2+ hour heart, hip and soul awakening asana sessions with Colleen, and a group of women whose sisterhood and oneness–even in such a short time–is pure love.
The love you experience at any time with any person is not coming from them: it’s coming from inside of you. It’s your experience of your true self. In other words, the other person is a stimulus that allows your own love to be uncovered. –Steve Ross
Sunday afternoon, before heading home, I sat by the waterfall and wrote. Pen and paper, still enjoying the technology-free life.
Sunday, September 21, 2012: Day 3. Heading Home.
Here I sit. At top of little waterfall.
So at peace with being here. Really here.
No need to be anywhere but here, listening to the rush of water against stone, churning and twisting, bubbling, eventually weaving its way to calmness.
To a meandering but peaceful path.
Like me.
I came to this, my first retreat with my “somebody” front on; shed that skin, revealing a heart and mind with a simpler path. It’s service. That’s what it’s all about.
Beautiful.
What a gift you received to have that moment of serenity. This gets back to your topic of contentment – it sounds like you experienced that moment fully. Thank you for sharing your peaceful and fun pictures – as well as your simple words to remind us to just “be.”
Gail, I’ve been floating on earth and have just started to feel myself falling into the old grooves. What’s so nice is that now I have a new frame of reference to summon, building upon the foundation with Jennilee and my sisters in teacher training. Right on, and thank you!