Soaking, Stretching & Sisterhood

I don’t know about you, but I feel constantly bombarded by messages to purchase or do things to “improve” myself, whether it’s technology, diets, pharmaceuticals or otherwise.  There always seems to be something outside of ourselves marketed to make us smarter, faster, prettier and happier. Trying not to be affected by this onslaught of advice telling us we’re not good enough is a lot to manage, let alone navigating our family and work obligations, stressful world events, and finding enough time in the day to eat healthy and exercise. Sometimes it’s just too much!

That is why this winter I am gathering women in New Mexico to tap into 3 ways to slow down, unplug and recharge. The primary agenda: soaking, stretching and sisterhood. Why are these 3 s’s so important?

In these unwieldly times it is easy to lose sight of our essential selves – the truth of who we are. When life is moving so fast and we’re scrambling to navigate each day, we forget that our current way of being is very different than it used to be. For eons life would move at a reasonable pace, priorities would change with the seasons, and our family life centered around ritual and community. We needed our bodies to be healthy and strong for survival; and we would respect Mother Earth and our dependence on her.

For many of us there is a longing to reconnect with this primal part of our selves – the part that doesn’t require us to think or do anything different than just be who we are. The part that knows that our intuition is stronger and smarter than any product we can buy. But this part of ourselves often lays dormant, waiting for the opportunity to be heard.

We need to raise the volume on our inner wisdom so that it is easier to trust this voice as a guide in our daily lives. The voice that tells us: you’re perfect just the way you are, and you have something unique to offer.

How do we tap in?

Soaking

Bathing in ancient, sacred water is like going back to the womb. It is incredibly healing in its simplicity. We don’t have to do anything except relax and soak in the warm and cozy goodness. Soaking, particularly in the pure, magical mineral waters of Truth or Consequences allows us to connect with our primal selves with no effort at all. Cultures around the world have religious ceremonies that involve bathing, because it clears the slate and allows us to start anew. Our bodies are made mostly of water, and when we soak our old selves shed layers that we no longer need to make us lighter and recharged. It is easy to slow down, close our eyes, and go within.

Stretching

Stretching and soaking together creates even more spaciousness in our bodies and minds. When we give our muscles the opportunity to release tension we become more fluid in our movement. We start to feel more comfortable in our skin and more flexible in our perspectives. Our hamstrings and our hearts become capable of new possibilities. The stretching/soaking combo accelerates the letting go of patterns that no longer serve us so that we can push the re-set button on our lives. Adding in mindful breathing further facilitates the process of becoming softer and more receptive for new ideas and possibilities to emerge.  “Yoga” has different meanings for different people, but for these retreats, we can think of it more as stretching for the purpose of feeling the best we can in our bodies so that we can sink deeper into this experience.

Sisterhood

Women coming together is powerful. It is tribal. We need each other, and always have. Too many connections today are virtual, rushed and superficial. For so many of us, our lives center around taking care of others. We need to stop and remember who we are, what we need, and what our purpose is on this planet. When women gather to deeply support each other’s creativity, sadness, silliness and vulnerability, transformation occurs. We feel understood beyond words. Our essential selves grow louder and harder to ignore. We tap into a depth of being that needs attention in order to feel motivated and inspired to do our best work in the world. What will happen when we get together not to work on a project or get anything done, but to simply be in the healing waters, take care of our bodies, and share in our common sisterhood?

Come to New Mexico this winter and find out! There are 2 dates to choose from…. Treat yourself and hope to see you there!

http://mothershipyogalounge.com/winter-retreats/