Being at the Sivananda Yoga Retreat in Paradise Island for the past two weeks reminded me of just how much I love being outside in nature and in discovery-mode. It is the reason for organizing the yoga, meditation and chanting retreat each year in a tiny village in the Swiss Italian Alps called Soglio. More than anything, life is about adventure and choices that promote health and well-being.
My home at the Yoga retreat was a very comfortable tent close to the roll and rhythm of the ocean, within smelling distance of the (mostly outdoor) kitchen that produced the aroma of baking bread each day. A gorgeous palm tree provided shade from the heat of the sun and I was surrounded by every kind of imaginable blossom – flowers and people.
This vacation was spontaneous even though it is the 10th time I’ve been to the Sivananda yoga retreat in Paradise Island. I return each year to step into the quality of life that I love to take back home. The way that each day unfolds through the early morning practice of meditation, the loud, heart-felt singing, the hearing and re-hearing of stories, insights and wisdom filled with humor and light-heartedness is no different than swimming downstream. These shimmering people, the daily yoga practices, the varied and healthy food builds prana, eased and effortlessness that is charged with inspiration and creativity. Starting each day this way, balances, energizes and brings me into a kind of aliveness that I recognize as home. The beauty naturally inherent in this kind of discovery process is at the core of the practice of yoga and the reason behind creating Nourishing Traditions, an oasis in the heart Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Prioritizing time to learn how to live in harmony and at peace with oneself while at work, at home, or at play, whether outdoors eating, hiking, singing, meditating, practicing yoga, having a good laugh, or a good cry, learning and growing out of old ways of thinking and into new ways of being, is why we’re here, and it is the purpose behind Nourishing Traditions… promoting balance and harmony and a way of being for people seeking time and space in their busy lives. Unraveling to recognize the essentials is the journey of my life…and growing a culture and community that truly reflects Nourishing Traditions is a joy and thrill.
Under the umbrella of Nourishing Traditions is Thai yoga and ayruveda treatments and consultation, Sivananda yoga vedante, meditation chanting circles, Naked Voice singing organic gardening, workshops and magical vacations I’m referring to as traveling ashrams. Nourishing Traditions provides opportunities for individuals and groups to explore their inner wisdom and spirit; to live harmonious and balanced lives; to realize their full potential and to work towards the building of a caring, inclusive and fair society.
The next Nourishing Traditions sponsored yoga, meditation and hiking retreat will take place August 23 – 29, 2009 in the Swiss Italian Alps. We’ve chosen this location because it has never not been green. It provides a magical, prana-filled setting to maximize adventure, discovery, health and well-being. This will be the fourth Nourishing Traditions retreat in Soglio. It combines all the very best of life. We welcome you to register as soon as possible, as the retreat fills up quickly. To learn more about our retreat and to register visit www.sivanandayogatoday.com
Tags: Ann Arbor Michigan, health well-being, sivananda yoga retreat, Yoga Retreat
