I Went on a Yoga Retreat and Here's What I Learned...

In this practice

Key teachings

• Cultivating softness and surrender in yoga practice
• The profound importance of rest and stillness for healing
• Connecting with nature for restoration and equilibrium
• Finding inner peace through mindful presence and reduced striving

Ideal for

• Individuals seeking deep rest and holistic rejuvenation
• Practitioners looking to deepen their yoga practice beyond physical challenge
• Anyone interested in exploring softer, more introspective forms of yoga
• People needing to reconnect with nature and slow down

Lesson

Instructions

When you stop searching is often when you find what you seek. ⁠ ⁠ I went on a gorgeous yoga retreat at SCP Mendocino Inn and Farm without many expectations in mind, but excited to deepen my yoga practice and learn from Manduka's legendary founder, Peter Sterios. While I expected challenges and poses that would push me to my physical limit, I didn't expect us to focus so much on softness. I mean literally softening our shapes in yoga asanas and what Peter would call "softening your bones." ⁠ ⁠ As much as I wanted to come out of this retreat with a new arm balance trick or up-leveled flexibility, by the end of day 3, I realized this was not what the retreat was about at all.⁠ ⁠ It was about resting, healing through nature, taking saunas and cold plunging in the ocean (only if you felt up to it), pushing yourself in asanas (optionally), breathing, reviving yourself with teas, tinctures from Anima Mundi, and fresh foods - many grown and all prepared on site. ⁠ ⁠ For me, slowing down can sometimes feel suffocating. Pausing can be hard. Softening is not a term I am familiar with. But all are exactly what I needed. Slowness, stillness, and softness allowed my body and mind to rest enough to come back to equilibrium, calm, and peace post-retreat.⁠ ⁠ Sometimes when you stop pushing, you’ll find what you’ve been searching for all along.⁠ ⁠ -Lindsey, Social Media Manager at Manduka⁠ ⁠ Comment in the caption if you've ever been to a yoga retreat, and let us know what you learned!⁠ •⁠ •⁠ •⁠ Manduka mats I took with me: eKO® Lite in Full Bloom (link in bio) and the Shala Yoga Rug.⁠ ⁠

Steps

• Gentle and restorative yoga asanas with emphasis on softening
• Mindful breathing (pranayama) for calming the nervous system
• Meditation and contemplation practices for inner peace
• Mindful movement exploration (e.g., Peter Sterios' LEVITYoGA principles)

Benefits

• Deepened self-awareness and connection to inner wisdom
• Significant reduction in stress and anxiety levels
• Enhanced physical and mental equilibrium and rejuvenation
• Improved ability to embrace stillness and present moment awareness
• Cultivation of a more gentle and compassionate relationship with the body