Reflections on My First Yoga Retreat in Mexico
This is Part 33 of a serial blog originally titled 'Martha Carter's Healing Journey'. Curious about the earlier posts? To start from the beginning, read Part 1.
***
The first thing I noticed when I arrived at the beach hotel in Troncones, Mexico was the fantastic pink bougainvillea flowing over the walls of the charming villas. Next, I was drawn to a pathway to the private beach with views for miles! It almost felt like a movie set. Everywhere I looked, there was a desirable place to go: The hammock? The open-air kitchen with stocked fridge? The refreshing dipping pool on the edge of the beach? Straight to the ocean?
As the sun started to set, we all gathered on the beach to watch it do its nightly magical dip into the horizon. The colours were unbelievably vibrant and, as the sun disappeared, there was a collective “ahhhhh…”.
Eventually I found my room, complete with loads of Mexico charm by way of bright colours, plastered walls, tiled floors, and towels sculpted in the shape of swans. After a delicious meal prepared by a local chef, accompanied by the most delicious margaritas ever, I started to feel sleepy and headed to bed. It was hot, but a cool breeze came through the window.
I lay in bed feeling apprehensive about the sunrise yoga class the next morning. At the time (many years ago now!), I didn’t have very much experience, and worried if I could keep up with everyone else because of my twisted and fused spine, but the repetition of the waves crashing on the shore lulled me to sleep.
The bright sun woke me and, within moments, I was sitting blissfully on the beach with a hot coffee and fruit plate in my hand: a colourful feast of papaya, mango, watermelon, pineapple and cantaloupe. It was sweet and nourishing for body and soul; it reinforced my confidence, and I felt ready for whatever happened next.
A few steps away sat the yoga palapa, nestled in the shade on the edge of the beach, with an endless ocean view and the smell an intoxicating mix of salt, sand, and sea coming off the water. Class started, and any fears and worries I had about not being able to keep up faded as I focused on following the teacher. The movements were gentle, and the atmosphere welcoming. It was clear I was not the only beginner, and the class addressed all levels and all bodies. We did a variety of simple movements including exploring our postures, analyzing our walking patterns, and even breathing into our organs. That was new! It was fun but rigorous; simple but deep; relaxing and invigorating all at the same time. As the class continued, I felt my mind release and my body relax. My breath deepened and my senses sharpened. The time flew by and, before I knew it, class was over and it was time for brunch - an array of more delicious local food creations, alongside lively conversation.
It felt extra special that for the duration of the retreat, the villa property was exclusively for our group only. There was one large casa with four large rooms and a shared indoor kitchen and living area, and five cute bungalow rooms beside a large outdoor kitchen and shared patio. There was plenty of space for everyone and we were free to use the spaces as we desired. It felt peaceful, private, and very safe. After brunch, some people decided to grab a taxi to explore the town and others went to the beach. For me, the afternoon heat was feeling intense so the hammocks were calling: siesta time! After a relaxing rest, I joined the others around the pool for a refreshing swim before afternoon class.
Arriving in the yoga palapa in the evening felt very different than in the morning. It was still quite warm, and most of us felt hot and slightly weary from the first day. Luckily, we started slowly with our ‘legs up the wall’, a restorative pose to rejuvenate the body through gentle inversion. After about 10 minutes, we lay flat on the floor on our yoga mats, and for the rest of the afternoon, we continued to explore gentle and soothing movements. I thought to myself, “This, I can do!”.
I was truly loving it, and it was only the first day! Six more incredible days followed, each leading to more fun, sun, and a remarkable new sense of confidence and ease in my body from the gentle movement classes.
By the end of the week, I was sad to go, but already excited about going to another retreat whenever possible.
I reflected on why had I never done a retreat before - fear of the unknown perhaps? Of course, the main reason (aside from scheduling and finances) was worrying about whether or not I had enough experience, or whether or not I could keep up with the other students. Additionally, since I was always told yoga was not appropriate for someone with scoliosis and fusion, I was afraid of hurting myself. That was probably the biggest reason! But, because this retreat was advertised as a ‘back care’ retreat, I felt confident enough to give it a go. The teacher specialized in working with all kinds of back issues, and there were several other students with scoliosis. I got to go at my own speed, and share experiences with others like me. Turns out there was nothing to be worried about after all! As I lay on the palapa floor sensing my breath and the weight of my body during one of the last classes, I thought of Buddha's words: “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear”. I realized that as a life-long dancer with many injuries, I was finally ready to give myself the gift of self-care through a new practice. It felt like joining the retreat was a great way to jumpstart a new level of mindfulness around my health and wellness. I didn’t know it yet, but it turns out that I was ready to be a student again, and after that first retreat, there were many new teachers/studios/classes/workshops and retreats that started to appear in my life.
Of course, it is a huge privilege to travel to another country, and not everyone can easily take a week away from their usual day-to-day responsibilities. But that is exactly what makes it so special. If you can do it, it’s worth it! The retreat experience is much more than what happens in the studio.
In fact, it is largely due to the studio sessions that other things in our life can start to transform and evolve for the better in our lives if we let them. When our bodies are relaxed and open, we are ready to absorb other new sensations, discoveries and experiences. And to do this in a place like Mexico adds to the richness of the experience as we find ourselves interacting with the people, culture, language, food, music, and the astounding nature of the area.
All these many years later, it feels like an incredible gift to be able to offer this experience to my own students, friends, and family by holding my own annual retreat on the same beautiful Mexican beach. If you haven’t done a retreat before, or if you have and it’s been a while, I invite you to join us in Mexico in 2023. Come and discover what kind of new sensations, discoveries and experiences might be awaiting you. We like to call it ‘the best vacation ever’, but consider coming and see for yourself!!
Join us in Playa Buenavista, Mexico, February 18-25, 2023 for ‘Soothing Somatics for Bad Backs’ with Martha Carter - a week of Essential Somatics, nourishing food, and restorative experiences on a private beach. Click here for more information and email us with questions.