Since losing my job in September I had been wanting to travel, but when you are the only one out of work it's kind of hard to get people to commit to a nice vacation from "life," which I was desperately in need of. As someone put it ever so eloquently, "the universe gave me a swift kick in the ass" when two big doors closed on me at roughly the same time last year, which I could not agree with more and why I felt it was important for me to get out of town for a bit but if I couldn't get anyone to commit where would I go and what would I do? That's when I started to seriously consider a yoga retreat -- it combined one of my favorite hobbies with travel and an opportunity to meet new people!
After researching a few yoga retreats, I finally bit the bullet last December and booked Deborah Lee & Mia Togo's Recalibrate & Restore Maui Retreat as a "little" Christmas present to myself. Mia is one of the most sought after yoga teachers at YogaWorks in Santa Monica. She is known to pack a class of 80+ students, which is likely due to the warm heartfelt energy she exudes on top of her yoga expertise. I have been taking Mia's Vinyasa Flow classes on and off for the past couple of years, so when I heard that she was leading a retreat in Maui I was sold on the idea. It wasn't until the retreat that I met Deb -- an equally kindhearted and popular teacher from San Francisco -- which can be confirmed by her self-confessed "Deb-heads" (aka her groupies).
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| Deborah Lee & Mia Togo |
The weeks leading up to the retreat I had no idea what to expect since I had never done this sort of thing before. All I knew was that we were going to practice yoga four hours a day (8-10a/5p-7p) and two meals were provided (breakfast/dinner), but what about the "big" questions? Who were the other people attending the retreat? Would they be traveling alone like I was? Would I fit in? What would I do with my free time? All the questions that I asked myself over and over again before stepping onto the plane in Los Angeles that would not be answered until I arrived in Maui for my 5-day retreat. Somewhat nerve-wracking for someone who was once painfully shy as a kid. I was really stepping outside of the box on this trip.
All my fears were set aside when I arrived at the beautifully quaint Lumeria Maui in late February and we gathered for our first yoga class as a group in the retreat center's Yoga Shala. I could feel all the positive energy in the room as I walked through the door before we sat down for introductions. As we went around the room all those "big" questions I had were slowly answered. I was not the only one traveling alone but one of many, while others were there with family and friends. People not only came from Los Angeles and San Francisco where Mia and Deb reside, but also from places such as New Hampshire and North Carolina, and one traveled from as far as London. There were people from all walks of life, ranging from their early 20s to 60s, but at the core there were two things we all had in common. We were all sitting in that room because we all had a love for yoga and an appetite for adventure, which grew more evident as the days went by.
As I look back at the conversations I had with people over our daily meals I am still in awe. From one's journey through the Congo to another's experience living in Botswana and one's childhood in Tahiti. I have to admit I felt a bit inferior sitting amongst this group at times, but they were all such inspiring storytellers that their spirit for travel was infectious. They were also very encouraging with "a you can do anything you want" mentality whether it related to travel or your life's calling but the key was that you have to do it with an open heart.
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| Retreat Group Shot |
An open heart was a major theme weaved in and out of this retreat both literally and figuratively. We practiced heart opening poses and discussed how they translated off the mat because leading with an open heart isn't always easy. Let's face it, shit happens and our gut instinct is to close off, but that will never get us anywhere. Chances are there is someone sitting across the room from you who is going through what you are going through, but you will never know unless you have an open heart. Finding the comfort in the discomfort is a step in the right direction because in the end living with an open heart will lead you to freedom and love.
Attending Deb & Mia's retreat was definitely a step in the right direction for me. I walked away meeting some pretty amazing people and a more open heart. It was one of the most liberating experiences I have had in my life, so freeing in fact that I was in no rush to get home (very uncharacteristic of me). I spent an extra couple of days in Maui hanging with some of my new yogi friends and doing things I had never done before. All-in-all this trip was one for the books!
I hope you enjoyed reading about my experience and if I inspired anyone my job here has been done. Until next time...
xo
Jen
If you're interested in attending a yoga retreat, check out The Travel Yogi, which facilitated Deb & Mia's Retreat*Recalibrate*Restore in Maui.
