My back story (and why I love retreats so much)
(All pictures on this blog post have been taken during Lori Glazebrook Feel. Focus. FlowTM class at Soul Tree Yoga
Feel. Focus. FlowTM Class with Lori Glazebrook (you see me in the back crouching with my camera hiding my face…..)
3 years ago…
I was in a suburban rec center, doing yoga while compiling in my head all the things I should achieve to be successful at life.
On that day, my good friend and yoga teacher Nikki Rogers announced that she was leading a yoga retreat in Haramara, Mexico. Most of Nikki’s student in that room were moms of young kids and were wondering who on earth would have the money, time, energy and balls to leave their family and spend 7 days lounging in Mexico. I always thought those retreats were for the bra girls (you know the type that work out in a bra because they can?) and I am NOT a bra girl. I am two bras and t-shirt girl and planks are hard for me, gravity wise.
Feel. Focus. FlowTM Class with Lori Glazebrook
And then I did something insane and life changing.
My arm twitched and before I knew it, I raised my hand. I made the quick calculation that if it was logistically possible, then I should probably do it.
I went flying cluelessly into an adventure that was obviously selfish (what kind of mom does that?), expensive and totally unplanned. Long story short, I walked out, 7 days later, transformed with such force and clarity that it shook me to the core. I bonded with the others attendees in ways I didn’t think was possible. I fell in love with humanity and the earth around us and I, above all, fell in love with the power of retreats.
Feel. Focus. FlowTM Class with Lori Glazebrook
The power of group retreats
Group retreats happen when a group of people chooses to spend a few days together, in isolation, with a mentor. Those people are able to deeply connect with themselves and others because they have time and mind space to do it. They can process information at night and wake up immersed in a safe and nurturing environment where all they have to do is just BE. The retreat’s attendees are able to connect with each other on an emotional plane that can only be achieved by the amount and quality of time spent together.
So what was next?
For the past 3 years, after Haramara, I have sat down with the universe and had the following mantra.
“dude, send me to retreats, not as student but as something else, figure it out. do it . go”
I did not want to “only” shoot a retreat, I wanted to make photography a part of the process .
Comes January of this year and the universe waltzes in with a smirk and goes ” “Boom, done. Mike drop”.
And I stumbled upon Lori
[My last blog post is about her , See it here]
Lori offers the same clarity I found at Haramara. She channels the force you find doing yoga inside a Shala with he ocean crashing around you. All we are missing really is the fresh coconut with lime. If you want to get a little glimpse of what she does, go take her Feel.Focus.FlowTM at Soul Tree Yoga in Lafayette and tell me if you felt anything other than a good stretch, (you should). If you come tell me you felt dead inside you may be a vampire or a tax collector, which is cool too.
Feel. Focus. FlowTM Class with Lori Glazebrook
Embodied Women
In one month (eeeeeeek!!!) Embodied Women’s retreat, lead by Lori will be at Waunita ranch near Gunnison, CO and Lori will lead the workshops while I (and I am so freaking excited) will photograph all those beautiful women during one on one sessions. The sessions will be a part of the retreat’s process. They are designed to help the attendees see with their own eyes how badass and amazing they are. Those images will help them find strength in their daily life.
Who has the time, energy, money and balls to leave everything behind for a few day and fly off to a clueless adventure? no one. But you are not no one, only Arya Stark is. (I could not help that one). So go get balls and do it.
Boom. Mike drop.
Feel. Focus. FlowTM Class with Lori Glazebrook
