Costa Rica // February 2022
One of my greatest joys is to push myself outside of my comfort zone. This is where the learning and growth happen. It can be big or small but every step outside my comfort zone feels good…after it feels scary. Traveling to Punta Banco and Pavones for a yoga retreat where I didn’t know anyone was certainly out of my comfort zone. With fantastic instructors and awesome like-minded ladies, I had traveled there alone but not lonely. I was really able to observe without judgement because I was so present. This presence is literally a present, it’s a gift and I am grateful to receive it.
You might be familiar with a reflection exercise called “Rose, Thorn and Unicorn". This is a fun little wrap-up and way to explore an experience.
The Rose (the favorite thing) All.the.nature! Long walks on the beach, waking up to the sound of birds and monkeys, tons of different trees, warm sunshine in the shallows of tidal pools, outdoor showers, not wearing shoes, eating wild fruits and berries. I guess that’s several things, but really nature is everywhere in Costa Rica, it’s so much a part of the culture. It really is healing and as a city gal, I needed this!
The Thorn (something that wasn’t so great) The food at the lodge was just okay. I’ve been to other yoga retreats in Nicaragua and India where the food was incredible. It wasn’t bad per say (I cleaned my plate for 3 meals a day) just not stellar. The bigger thorn was that I came home to Baltimore and it was 35F and windy! I was happy to be home, seeing Rob and Camden at the airport was such a joy.
The Unicorn (the surprise thing that was really cool) I had the best surf session of my life. I don’t have any photos to prove it, just how damn good I felt coming out of the water. I had a powerful moment on the board where my instructor said, “Look where you want to go and move in that direction.” Something simple, but all of a sudden I saw this as a message for off the board as well. Surfing, much like yoga, feels like a beautiful mirror. It’s also a way to get messages from the body and be in the flow. I spent much of 2020 and 2021 looking inward. This needed to happen, I needed to get clear about who I was and what I wanted. But now, is the time to look out, to see where I’m going and move in the flow in that direction.
I was also able to read a lot (see my other blog post on the “Overstory”) and do a bit of writing (which was built into the retreat) My love for writing is coming through more and more (you’re reading this blog after all) and I want to write creative fiction as well. Just saying that here feels like an affirmation and a step forward.
Have you been to Costa Rica? If so, I’d love to hear about how you enjoyed it, where you went and what you did. I’ve only been to Costa Rica 2x but I know I will be back!