To Receive is to Give and to Give is to Love.
Avalon Hot Springs, 2013

From the moment you stepped out of your car, you softened. The clear blue skies and sweet warm air calmed the nerves of first time retreaters, while breathing fresh life and excitement into those happy to have returned home. The wind chimes softly sang in the background as the trees that held them danced in tune. Walking to the front door of a charming and impressionable barn-like cottage building, we were welcomed to what would undeniably be a special weekend. Smiling her big radiating smile, Stirling, the beautiful and energetic face of Avalon Hot Springs, guided you through a tour of the grounds, enlightening you with the magic of the six different hot springs sprinkled throughout. A setting so special that only the sweetness of a starry sky in silence could compare.

Sitting beside the front door were, in 3 different colored water jugs: the mood enhancing Lithia in green, the iron-rich Boron in blue, and the smooth spring Water in white… delicious compliments to our weekends nourishment. Walking through the family room, the kitchen, the dining room, through our weekend sanctuary was our studio, our playground, and our first class. 

The beautiful hard wood floor aged with goodness and scattered with pillows and yoga mats perfectly reflected the vibe of the space – raw and real and open to whatever walked through its doors; our classroom for the weekend. “What does trust mean to you?” he asked as we  sat in our non-symmetrical circle. As the first in line to speak, and without a second to think about a response, “confidence in a feeling” escaped my lips.

Not quite sure as to what that exact definition meant, yet feeling content in the ease of my answer, those words stayed with me as the weekend unraveled and eventually found their way into meaning: a connection so true to who you are, that how you feel is the only truth you have. A depth of knowingness of self resulting from a curiosity, an intention and an exploration that is leading you exactly where you are meant to be. A sense of confidence within yourself that allows you to indulge in experiences that speak to you, not them. Your mind is full of chatter, even your heart can be persuaded, but your gut… your gut knows best.  

It is through the feeling of being, of trusting, that you learn to fly. Beyond a weekend of yoga, playfulness, relaxation and enjoyment, was a weekend of exposure, exploring and expanding. Within the structure of acro-yoga lie the fundamentals of happiness – connection, vulnerability, intimacy, and trust. Through each person in attendance, and under the guidance of our teacher, did we begin to explore and expand. To receive is to give and to give is to love.

The weekend closed with a circle and words just as beautiful as our adventure began. “I didn’t know how much I needed this weekend,” she said. We all agreed.
KA