Bamboomoves Labour Day Retreat

This weekend was the Bamboomoves Labour Day Retreat. All the locations of the Bamboomoves schools joined together. We were staying at Earthdance, surrounded by gorgeous trees, supposedly bears (never saw even one), and each others love. We ate vegan/vegetarian meals. We laughed a lot. We did Pranayama, Meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi, Belly Dance, Healing Workshops, Kirtan, Nature Walks, and somehow Yoga-laties even got onto the schedule. We went to a Lama Farm where we saw Lamas, Sheep, Camels, Pigs, Donkeys, and a Water Buffalo. Since I was with the group from the Bronx, I was happy we had a chance to laugh a whole lot and bond. The menu was an adjustment for some people, the accommodations as well, but sometimes experiences like that help us to experience gratitude and appreciation. One Day, we left for a food run to get something else to munch on, and we saw the most magnificent rainbow!!! For yoga instructors it is often easy to live without a lot, eat simple vegan meals, do yoga all day, and be one with God, so it is important for us to be compassionate and understanding that for some people in can be a challenge not being in your own bed, eating new foods that may lack the tastes/flavors that they are used to, and be away from family. I give big appreciation to Milta (10 yr old yogi of the month) who pretty much fasted most of the weekend (since she doesn't eat that kind of food), she maintained a smile, participated in activities, and found gratitude for her bed and pizza. Sometimes, challenges are important because that brings us closer to God which is what yoga is ultimately about. All in all, I had a lovely time. The night sky was so spectacular because you could see every star! Yoshio and his wife led a wonderful Kirtan, Andrew did his brilliant healing workshop, I got to take Tai Chi for the first time with Sherry and she ROCKS, and the surroundings were beautiful! Thanks Bamboomoves for putting together this lovely retreat, and Thank you my peeps from the Bronx for roughing it out, taking classes, and LAUGHING A WHOLE lot! The entire weekend we had framed photos of the beloved Sri Dharma Mittra watching over our classes with a pleasant smile. Santosha is one of our Niyamas in Patanjalis Sutras, the essence of contentment with what we have, without desiring more. In Malayalam (South Indian Language) Santosha is translated into happiness, so both the Sanksrit and Malayalam meanings were brought to life this brilliant weekend! Special thanks to Katie, and everyone else who helped to create this experience, I am sure it took a lot of hard work and you did a wonderful job.