Infuse Your Day With Retreat Life: Recap Part 2

Here are the rest of the week’s highlights fully equipped with ways to infuse your day with retreat life. Let’s jump right in…

Turtles!

One night a few of us decided a night beach walk was in order. With flashlights in hand we set out to hopefully find a laying turtle. After about 10 feet of beach there she was! Talk about meant to be! This little girl had just started digging a hole to lay her clutch.

For 45 mins we stood covered in flies, thanks to the flashlights, and watched her dig, lay and cover her eggs before scuttling down the beach and into the waves. Amazing! National Geographic has nothing on the real thing. We arrived back at the retreat beaming with smiles.

The next night we found a turtle hatchery down the beach. A restaurant manages the hatchery and releases hundreds of baby turtles every night. Unreal. And you thought kittens were cute? These little guys were so wiggly.

They are hardwired to swim! It was hard to let them go. I instantly melted. They were absolutely precious and delicate. We were kids again as we cheered them into the blue.

How to implement today: I’m not sure how you can put more turtle into your day, but you can definitely go witness an amazing feat of nature. All you have to do is look at a tree, watch a bird fly, or your dog play in the park.

Relaxation

Though we had plenty of activities planned between our morning and evening classes, guests could easily opt out and laze the day away on pool side lounge chairs or under sandy cabanas. Retreats are the perfect time to de-stress and cool off our poor overworked adrenals. I can’t usually sit still very long, but the Troncones heat kept me glued to my chair for long lingering lunches and sun baking. I finished out my week with a fantastic Thai massage as well. There’s nothing a massage or a restorative yoga class won’t fix.

How to implement today: Take at least a half hour for yourself. Draw a steaming bath, read your favorite book, listen to a new album, or stretch. Ask yourself what you need at the moment and do exactly that!

Adventure

Though Present Moment Center is really in the middle of nowhere we created plenty of adventures. Our jungle day hike took us through lush forest and snaked along a crisp river. We stumbled upon butterflies everywhere as they took pit stops on their way South. I walked out with a tick, mozzie bites and a huge smile. Not even bugs could dim my shine.

Tyler also taught a few surf lessons throughout the week. We were in good hands as we paddled out at La Saladita beach. The last time I was bobbing in the sea on a board was a year ago in Australia, so I was happy to be back paddling. Such a great upper body workout!
We caught a few waves despite the super strong current and called it a day with a little beach clean up. Heavy monsoons had pounded the coast a few weeks earlier leaving behind tons of trash. I was happy to hear that locals comb the beaches everyday!

We even found quicksand and some new canine friends. Any ideas on what this sink hole really is? After lots of laughs and crazy pictures we settled on an underwater vent.

How to implement today: Do you have time for fun and adventure every day? Absolutely! Strapped for time? Watch some hilarious YouTube videos to crack a smile, call up your rock climbing buddy, hop on a bike and ride to a jaw dropping view.

New Friends

Where would we be without our friends and community? After sweating, laughing, sharing meals, exploring, and relaxing together our group bonded big time by the end of the week. In studio, Tyler and I only get to spend an hour or two per week with our clients, so it was fantastic to get to know each group member more intimately. It never ceases to amaze me how unique we all are. We’ve tried to keep the group connected since our week of paradise. I hope they see each other in class and smile.

I love meeting new people! From the bar staff at Present Moment, to the wonderful massage therapists and yoga instructors, to the local surf crowd, we got to know everyone. Meeting new people gives the gift of perspective. Taniva, one of the massage therapists, had been living around the world skydiving professionally and teaching yoga. Meeting people who are living their dream and cultivating their own reality fuels me even more. Brushing up on my pathetic Spanish and perfecting some Salsa moves with the locals reminded me why immersing in another culture is so vital to self growth.

How to implement today: join a meet-up group! Throw a party, invite people, have them invite people.  As much as it’s nice to spend time with like minds, it’s equally awesome to put yourself around different people. People that will open your eyes to new perspectives, cultures, and belief systems.