“Rest and nourishment encourages healing and creativity: I give myself permission to relax, refresh and recharge.” This was one of our collective intentions for the Create in Croatia June 2024 Yoga Retreat that became deeply meaningful to me. Personal life lab sessions tend to reinforce what we aim to facilitate or offer.
You see, the Saturday (06/08/24) before flying out on Tuesday (06/11/24), my step-brother Alex unexpectedly and suddenly passed away of a heart attack at the age of 53. My husband and I drove down to Nogales, Arizona to spend some supportive and healing time with our precious family. Loss and grief always highlight what’s truly important…family, friends, connection, time spent, moments made, memories shared, love expressed.
My heart and soul dedicated this trip to Alex. There were constant reminders of his presence with me, and the peace he is experiencing in the heavenly realm. In the wild lavender fields of Hvar Island, we came upon this shrine with the translated inscription, “soul you are born to fly.”
Rest in Peace, my brother.
Our retreat community and experiences in beautiful Croatia exceeded our expectations. From the sincere people, amazing customer service, vibrant cities, quaint islands (more than a thousand!), red roof buildings (Yugoslavian influence), fascinating fortresses, majestic waterfalls (the small country has nine national parks), every shade of blue Adriatic Sea, stellar sunsets, nourishing food, gelato (of course!), fragrant lavender fields, historic Humac village, yoga with a view, ferries, yachts, boats, caves, nightlife, scenic walks and hikes…definitely something for everyone. Hvala, (“thank you”) Croatia. 🇭🇷
During these incredible international trips, it’s important to balance the giving and guiding with receiving and resting. The people-ing with the retreating. The significant conversations and connections with the rejuvenating times of personal reflection and digestion. I am blessed to partner and share all of these unique experiences with Hanan! “Then Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone.” Mark 6:31-32 (NLT)
After our retreat week, I ventured through London and it’s outskirts to visit my Scottish maternal family. What a joyous reunion with cousins, my Aunty Pat, and their families. This was definitely divine timing as we were all in the London area on the same random day, 06/22/24.
Once again, what’s truly important…family, friends, connection, time spent, moments made, memories shared, love expressed…
In every life season, in every part of the world.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others’ joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others’ grief].” Romans 12:15 (AMPC)
What’s truly important to you?
Love & Hugs,
Heather
P.S. We are so grateful to Julie Copenhaver for her beautiful professional photography, and to Gorana and the Green Yogi Traveler team for their amazing assistance with this memorable retreat! ❤️
This week’s theme and intention for yoga classes is to encourage healing and harmony within our bodies. A quote from B.K.S. Iyengar, “Yoga is like music. The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life.” Think for just a minute. What is troubling you about your physical, emotional, or spiritual health? See it. Feel it. Now begin to create a positive, healing intention around your concern. May today’s guidance invite the healing and harmony you desire.
Let us H.E.A.L. ♡ H = Heed: pay attention to—tune into body, mind & spirit E = Experience: encounter, undergo—allow everything to surface without judgement A = Awaken: evoke, kindle—what do I need to sense, feel, and know in this moment? L = Life: the ability to grow and change, the experience of being alive—awareness of, and openness to personal transformation
“Some of us don’t know how tired we are until we try to relax. Then we realize we’re exhausted. We may have lived with exhaustion and stress so long it’s become habitual. That doesn’t mean we’re bad or wrong, or even off track. Many of us are deeply involved in activities, work, projects, and relationships we enjoy. We like our lives and the things we’re doing. But sometimes we’ve pushed too hard or too long. Sometimes we haven’t given our bodies adequate time to relax, to rest, to really let go. It’s all right to take time out. Relax. Refresh. Regroup. It’s all right to rest even if we’re busy, rest often enough to keep ourselves replenished. Get in touch with your body, then stay in touch with yourself. Find out how tired you are. Then let your body tell you what it needs to come back to life and love.” ~ Melody Beattie
As I gradually learned to be true to myself and succeeded in admitting my own feelings, the language of my body spoke out more and more clearly and guided me toward decisions that did it good and helped it to express its natural needs…repressed, disassociated emotions can make us ill but not conscious feelings that we can give expression to. ~ Alice Miller, The Body Never Lies
“Our bellies can be wonderful monitors of our emotional health and the truth can always be found there. So often, emotions that we long to express get stored in our bodies instead. The space where this most often happens is in our bellies. Rather than telling people, or even ourselves, the way we truly feel, we may stuff our true feelings deep inside of us, where they take up space until we are ready to let them go. Stuffing our feelings in our bellies may feel like the safe response, since we then don’t really have to deal with our emotions. Yet, doing so can actually be detrimental to our emotional well-being and physical health. One way to connect with and release your emotions is to do a focused exercise with your stomach area. Take a moment to center yourself with some deep breathing and quiet meditation, relaxing your body fully and turning off the chatter in your brain. With your right hand on your stomach, tell yourself three times: Please reveal to me my true emotions. Listen for the answers. Repeat the exercise as many times as you would like, allowing yourself to drop deeper into your body each time. Notice any physical response in the stomach area, whether you have a warm, relaxed feeling in the middle of your body or if you feel tight knots in response to any emotions that do come up. You may even want to write down any answers that come to you. Remember that the body doesn’t lie.” ~ Madisyn Taylor, DailyOM: In Touch with True Emotions
Witness the elemental motion of emotion: Fire burning, illuminating Water gushing, cleansing Air inspiring, soothing Earth supporting, holding Space expanding, embracing ~ Radiance Sutras, Yukti Verse 101
You Can’t Rush Your Healing Darkness has its teachings Love is never leaving You can’t rush your healing Your healing
Mama, well she told me time is such a wonderful gift You’re not running out You’re really running in Confusion clouds the heart but it also points the way Quiet down the mind The more the song will play So You can’t rush your healing Darkness has its teachings Love is never leaving You can’t rush your healing Your healing ~ Trevor Hall
“A breath of desire and My Spirit is there—to replenish and renew. Sometimes weariness and exhaustion are not signs of lack of spirit but of the guiding of the Spirit.” ♡ ~ God Calling, Exhaustion
No Mistake Holding my tension close is exhausting. I don’t know why I do it– habit I guess–but when I let it go, the sense of relaxation and release is immediate. My whole body sighs as ease and healing bathe each cell in light. Once the truth of me has space and energy to shine forth, it’s clear that the alchemy of humanity and divinity is no mistake. ~ Danna Faulds
Proverbs 3:5-6 (MSG) 5 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. 6 Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track.
The EAGLE represents strength, vision, freedom, hope, fearlessness, leadership, spiritual wisdom and insight. The eagle is the only bird with a third-eye-lens which enables it to look at and fly towards the sun — the Light — flying above all other birds, soaring to new heights!
What’s your vision? Imagine there are no limits. You have all the time, space, resources, wisdom, and support you need. All things are possible! Use your all-seeing eye, look to the Light, receive guidance from above, expand your wings and soar!
“Life motivation comes from the deep longings of the heart, and the passion to see them fulfilled urges you onward.” ~ Proverbs 16:26 TPT
The Eagle Story
Someone once told me a story about a wounded eagle who was rescued by a farmer. He found the bird in one of his fields, and so took him home, tended to his wounds, and then placed him outside in the barnyard to recover. Strangely enough, the young eaglet soon adapted to the habits of all the barnyard chickens. He learned to walk and cluck like them. He learned to drink from a trough and peck the dirt for food, and for many years he peacefully resigned himself to this new life on the ground. But then one day, one of the farmer’s friends spotted the eagle and asked, “Why in the world is that bird acting like a chicken?” The farmer told him what had happened, yet the man could hardly accept the situation. “It’s just not right,” said the friend. “The Creator made that bird to soar in the heavens, not scavenge in the barnyard!” So he picked up the unsuspecting eagle, climbed onto a nearby fencepost, and tossed him into the air. But the confused bird just fell back to earth and scurried off in search of his feathered friends. Undaunted, the man then grabbed the eagle and climbed to the top of the barn. As he heaved him off the roof, the bird made a few half-hearted squawks and flaps before falling into a bale of hay. After shaking his head a few times, the eagle then made himself comfortable and began mindlessly pecking at pieces of straw. The friend went home that night dejected, and could barely sleep as he remembered the sight of those powerful talons caked with barnyard mud. He couldn’t bear the thought, so the very next day, he headed back to the farm for another try. This time he carried the eagle to the top of a nearby mountain where the sky unfolded in a limitless horizon. He looked into the eagle’s eyes and cried out, “Don’t you understand? You weren’t made to live like a chicken! Why would you want to stay down here when you were born for the sky?” As the man held the confused bird aloft, he made sure the eagle was facing into the brilliant light of the setting sun. Then he powerfully heaved the bird into the sky, and this time the eagle opened his wings, looked at the sun, caught the updraft rising from the valley, and disappeared into the clouds of heaven. Do you know that we, too, were born for the sky? Our Creator has called us to live in the heights, yet too many of us have huddled together in the barnyard, contentedly scurrying for the safety of our families, our finances, our careers, and our comfortable crumbs of faith. Never mind fear or weariness. Let us soar together, like an eagle above the clouds, with our eyes fixed on the Son. This is why the eagle is such a perfect example of freedom. An eagle is the only bird that has a special third-eye-lens that enables him to look at and fly directly towards the sun and thus, frees him from his enemies as they try to follow. No other bird has this ability. And, it’s the same with us. Only as we keep our eyes focused directly on the Son—the Light, will we ever become free – free from our emotions, free from our circumstances, free from other people’s responses. Let’s take our journey together. Soar like an eagle!
“The presence of fear is a sure sign you are trusting in your own strength. The moment you realign with love and stop relying on your own strength, clear direction will be presented. The presence of love will always cast out fear. The practice is about surrendering to love as often as possible. Lean towards joy, and you’ll be led.” ~ Gabby Bernstein
Fly Like An Eagle Visualization
• Now I invite you to visualize yourself as an eagle perched high up on the side of a mountain. Imagine yourself in great detail, the colors of your wings, the mountain you are perched upon, the area around you and beneath you, and the sun above you. • Give yourself permission to experience the strength, vision, grace, and insight of the eagle and feel yourself growing more and more in confidence. • Recall to mind anything that causes you stress or anxiety. Know that you too possess the strength and courage of the eagle. You have the ability to deal with these stresses and anxieties. • Now gently extend your wings, spread them wide, and observe the beauty of them. Feel the strength and power within them as they gently carry you off your perch and out into the freedom of the sky. Use your third-eye-lens to gaze into the sunlight. • Give yourself permission to experience this freedom. Feel the air around you. See the valleys and forest below. Feel yourself floating and soaring through the sky free of all constraints, anxieties, and earthly ties. • Allow your mind to drift and go where it needs to go — you have the vision, you have the strength, and you will prevail. • Notice the sense of peace and calm you feel while soaring. • Allow yourself time to find wisdom and clarity as you look up into the Light. • Then observe yourself returning to your perch. Gently re-extend your wings before nestling them back in around you. You feel embraced by Love. • Keeping this sense of lightness, peace and calm with you, allow yourself to become aware of the ground beneath you. You are grounded, yet free. • Bring your awareness to your breath, and with each complete breath you take, allow your awareness to travel gently back into the room, back into your body. Remember your vision, your strength, freedom, insight, and confidence. All things are possible!
Adapted from All Round Yoga
What’s Your Vision? Mudra Meditation
1. Begin in seated meditation with palms face up on thighs in a receiving gesture. Take several breaths listening for Divine guidance as to your intention, your vision. 2. Inhale sweeping arms up overhead receiving the vision from above. 3. Exhale grounding the vision here on earth. 4. Inhale drawing vision into heart space with Garuda (Eagle) Mudra (Ladies: right hand under, left over, thumbs interlaced, fingers spread to represent wings. Gentlemen: left hand under, right over, thumbs interlaced, fingers spread.) Garuda Mudra balances all systems of the body, and represents strength, freedom, grace, vision, fearlessness, hope, wisdom, and insight. 5. Exhale hands release and arms reach out to share vision with the world. 6. With hands behind back at the kidney space area, inhale, and search deep within for anything that needs to be released–fear or anything no longer serving the highest good–and powerfully push it out on the exhale. 7. Inhale sweeping the arms up encircling your space in Divine Love and Light–sealing the vision, your intention with Divine blessing and protection. 8. Exhale in gratitude with Anjali Mudra at heart center. ❤️
✨Love ~ Serve ~ Inspire✨ 