My Yoga Kula

Every once in a while, if we are lucky enough, we get the chance to spend some quality time with like minded individuals who share a common passion or a common goal. This weekend I had the chance to escape from the every day and find some peace and serenity on a 3- day Yoga Retreat with Inner Vision Studio.

The retreat was in the white mountains of Arizona in the quaint town of Christopher Creek just past the city of Payson. The air was crisp with fall, the sky so blue against the tall pines and the trees were joyously turning colors for our arrival.

The group of 40 self-proclaimed yoga enthusiasts joined our fearless leaders and master teachers for the weekend; Maredith and Josh, up at Christopher Creek Lodge. With pine needles on our sticky mats, we embarked on our journey of 4 yoga classes in three days and a beautiful 3 mile hike around Woods Canyon Lake. Meals were shared together, some enjoyed dancing, playing board games, and even a bonfire til the late hours of the night. Making new friends and enjoying conversations about how we found yoga and what it means to us today makes us all realize, that we come for one reason or another- to share a common experience of creating more peace in the world one breath at a time.

In sanskrit the word Kula means community. An intentional community which promotes creativity, wellness, healing and personal growth with an awareness of the sacred. A yoga kula means friends, energy, spirit and support. I was privileged this weekend to become part of the Inner Vision Yoga kula. I take with me from this weekend the love and warmth of my yoga kula, knowing that it is there for me anytime I need it, on or off the mat.
Namaste~Andrea
(photo is of the entire Inner Vision retreat group before saturdays yoga hike around Woods Canyon Lake).

Embracing Change...

Our story begins...

Once there was a frog who lived in a well.... this well was the only home this little froggy had ever known. One day, a beautiful swan came along and landed on the side of the well. The frog had never seen a swan before, and so a conversation began.
The swan eventually asked the frog, "Have you never been outside of this well? It is beautiful, it is huge out here, so much to see, so much to do!" The frog, with a confused look on his froggy face, began to swim furiously around his well. From one side to the other, with incredible energy he swam all around the circumference of the well. Then looking up at the swan he asked, "Surely it isn't bigger than this?" As he looked around at the water in his well. The swan replied, "Yes, it is, it is huge out here and beautiful, there is sooo much to see and to do!" Again, the frog began to swim furiously all around his well. From one side to the other and began again, all around three more times, then panting he asked the swan, "Surely, it isn't bigger than THIS?!" The swan, looking annoyed this time said, "Yes. It IS bigger than this, and stop calling me Shirley!" And the
beautiful swan flew off never to be seen again.
The moral of our story: If we are never open what is bigger and better out there, we will never know. If we keep swimming around in the same well day after day doing the same routine, we will never know change. We have to make small steps every day away from our normal routine if we are in search of change, or something different, or something better.
This year I encourage you-my blog followers-get out of your well!
(this story was borrowed from the wonderful Yogi Jeff Martens at IVY and the beautiful Yogini
Maredith also at IVY who never fail to put a small smile on my face even though they are kickin my behind in Yoga class)
Namaste-Andrea