hostmelissa
01-19-2009, 01:37 PM
Winter is an auspicious occasion to turn within, to meditate, reflect and nourish our bodies, minds and souls. Winter is a time of introspection. With the shorter days and the thick blanket of snow that covers the earth we enter into a period of inner stillness before the rebirth of spring.
In winter, the animals hibernate and nature lies dormant, so too we can empty ourselves. On retreat we are invited to settle into the rhythm of nature and release our functions and responsibilities in order to let go on a grand scale. By turning inward we can gather the source of all energy that is within us, instead of seeking solutions on the outside.
Throughout our day-to-day life we are wrapped up in our roles as mothers, fathers, employees, employers, husbands, wives, friends, the one who prepares the dinner and the one who cleans up from dinner. On retreat we escape from the daily demands of everyday life to discover something much deeper.
From day to day we might play out our responsibilities in an unconscious way. Getting the kids ready for school, going to work, coming home, watching t.v., getting ready for the next day, always looking forward to the next thing. Stripped of our responsibilities we are able to bring a deep level of awareness to the light within us, recognizing ourselves as human “beings” rather than human “doings.”
When we bring this deep level of awareness into our extended yoga practice on retreat we invite an authentic interaction with our body temple. Stripped of all external responsibilities we can focus on our yoga for its own sake rather than as a means to better ourselves in some way. Entering into the joy of the moment we release suffering. Being present through yoga, meditation, breath practice, walking meditation and chanting creates a transformational effect that can ripple out into your life.
If you are able, I invite you to join me on my winter yoga retreat from March 6-8th (http://www.melissawest.com/index-10.html) at Harmony Dawn Retreat Center (http://www.harmonydawnontarioretreat.com/). If for geographical reasons you are not, I encourage you to create time and space this winter to allow your roles and responsibilities to drop away from you, if only for a couple of days.
In winter, the animals hibernate and nature lies dormant, so too we can empty ourselves. On retreat we are invited to settle into the rhythm of nature and release our functions and responsibilities in order to let go on a grand scale. By turning inward we can gather the source of all energy that is within us, instead of seeking solutions on the outside.
Throughout our day-to-day life we are wrapped up in our roles as mothers, fathers, employees, employers, husbands, wives, friends, the one who prepares the dinner and the one who cleans up from dinner. On retreat we escape from the daily demands of everyday life to discover something much deeper.
From day to day we might play out our responsibilities in an unconscious way. Getting the kids ready for school, going to work, coming home, watching t.v., getting ready for the next day, always looking forward to the next thing. Stripped of our responsibilities we are able to bring a deep level of awareness to the light within us, recognizing ourselves as human “beings” rather than human “doings.”
When we bring this deep level of awareness into our extended yoga practice on retreat we invite an authentic interaction with our body temple. Stripped of all external responsibilities we can focus on our yoga for its own sake rather than as a means to better ourselves in some way. Entering into the joy of the moment we release suffering. Being present through yoga, meditation, breath practice, walking meditation and chanting creates a transformational effect that can ripple out into your life.
If you are able, I invite you to join me on my winter yoga retreat from March 6-8th (http://www.melissawest.com/index-10.html) at Harmony Dawn Retreat Center (http://www.harmonydawnontarioretreat.com/). If for geographical reasons you are not, I encourage you to create time and space this winter to allow your roles and responsibilities to drop away from you, if only for a couple of days.