tulum, a place to play and pray in

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul. ~John Muir

Last Saturday was the last day of our retreat. I spent the better half of the day saying goodbye to the yoga students that had joined me at Maya Tulum for my fifth annual yoga retreat. Crazy.

It was a bittersweet day. Sweet because it was amazing seeing these people standing up and giving hug after hug as it was time for their departure. At my table someone says, "Can you believe we all met only one week ago. Look at this. It's amazing." A lil bitter because goodbyes are rarely fun.

And it was. Nothing short of amazing. But just like that, it was over. Those that were leaving were gone. Those that were staying would not be gathering with me in the same capacity.

I was feeling a ton of emotion. I didn't think that yoga was the way to feel and deal with the emotion. Writing nor dancing seemed to fit either.

A long walk on the beach was what I needed. So I slathered myself in sunscreen and set off. I walked and as I did so I let my mind scan through the week.

In my mind I students as I met and introduced myself. I saw our opening session. The yoga classes in which they moved seamlessly as a cohesive group.

I walked faster.

I heard the conversations over meals. I saw them on the beach. I heard their laughter and saw their tears.

I walked faster.

Underneath my hollywood sunglasses, happy tears ran down my face.

I stopped, looked out at the sea. Threw said hollywood sunglasses into the sand and ran into the sea. Rather than walking tenderly into the water, I pounced through the sea. I floated. I flipped. Just me and the vast open sea.

I continued this game (thanks Allison for the idea) for much longer. Walking then swimming. Walking then swimming. I must say that it was a most brilliant way in dealing with all the emotions and the week in general.

By the time I made it back to my sweet Cabana (#19) I felt a happy and full sense of exhaustion. Not the kind of exhaustion where you feel depleted, but the kind in which you feel tired, yet full. If that even makes sense.

It was a reminder that sometimes (and a lot of times for me), nothing calms, and soothes, and heals quite like nature does.

For this yogini, Tulum is the magic hot spot that gives me strength and courage. A place to pray and a place to play. A place that supports me. A place to process emotions. A place to walk and swim. And repeat many times over and over.

{Photo by Jennifer Christmann}