Evolve to Thrive

I participated in my first silent outdoor yoga retreat this past weekend. Not knowing what to expect and staying open to the new experience, I was off to enjoy nature and the silence!

There were times when I found it easy to be silent. Like after a gentle relaxing yin yoga session before bed. During a walk through the woods where I saw a wise old owl and became curious about why he winked at someone else and not me! When I’m writing, reading, meditating and just sitting around doing nothing. Maybe we need more of these type of days!

There were other times I had to adjust to the silence. Like when I was walking past someone else and wanted to say hi and maybe engage in conversation. Like I when I looked into someone’s eyes and saw pain or loneliness and wanted to offer encouragement. Like when I wanted to compliment someone.

This was when non verbal cues started working. For me to smile big enough from under my mask that it reached my eyes as I passed someone by. For me to offer, with a swipe of my arm for a women to move ahead of me in the food line. To enjoy a meal in silence. To give myself the permission to hold the space of silence shifting the feeling of having to be silent to choosing to be silent. Choice is powerful.

There’s a fine line between having to be quiet and choosing to be still. Between silence and isolation. Between mindless activity and mindfulness of actual being in the present moment, without distractions of social media, phone, email and text.

By giving myself permission to be quiet and choosing this experience, I felt like it was a LevelSet for me to look within. To look around and observe. To prepare myself for the next quarter in life. To live life. To just be.

I have now participated in 15 yoga retreats throughout the world. Each of one of these adventures introduce me to new people, new thoughts, new tools and new ways to continue to grow to be my best self. From focus on self care, self love, self worthiness, self confidence to being vulnerable enough to share in groups what I’m experiencing and feeling is why I keep finding retreats to thrive in my own soul space.

#namastecommittedtome