A few thoughts on our 2024 Retreat
Our 2024 Yoga Holiday has now ended. We received a wonderful group of people from many different countries (some coming from Chile or New York, others from Europe) and the feeling is of deep and sincere gratitude to everyone who made such a beautiful experience happen.
At Centro Santillán everyone works hard to make the students experience one that is unforgettable. From the cooks (Javi, Maria, Virginia, Mary) to the Receptionists (Milva, Eli) to the gardeners and cleaners, everyone worked at unison to help us unwind and relax.
I keep returning to the main topic of our retreat this year, which was to “be in a beautiful state”. When we are in this state, life is easier, and when challenges appear, we can deal with them much better. To be in that beautiful state, the foundations of a balanced life must be there: eating healthy food; having a routine (routine is of the essence!); nutritious food that elevates the body and supports you; moving your body twice a day (sometimes for almost 4 hours!) in ways that help it get stronger, more flexible but also more relaxed; time to form community and share with others; a comfortable bed and a restful night.
I know you must be thinking right now… “Well Gabriel, that’s all too easy in a retreat setting where everything is done for you! At home I must cook for my kids, wake up for work, there’s simply no time!” I get that. A Yoga Holiday is there to show you the way and inspire you, and then the rest is on you, to incorporate as much as possible into your day-to-day life. Small changes make a big difference.
There’s one thing that we can always add to our lives regardless of how little time we have, and that is gratitude. Gratitude is of the essence to be in a beautiful state, and we worked every morning during our stay in Santillán to connect with this feeling. To be grateful for our lives makes living it a pleasure. How to do it? Touch your heart center, slow down your breath, spend a moment in silence, and then using your mind, think about a moment in your life where you felt truly grateful. Once the act of thinking takes you to the feeling itself, stay with the feeling. Experience it. Live it like it would be the first time.
Gratitude grows just like a muscle. In the beginning, when practising it, you might be a little “sore” (meaning it can feel a little different and you are not used to it) but eventually, this muscle, with practice, starts to grow and develop. Sooner than later gratitude flows into your life, and therefore your state changes dramatically. Clichés are sometimes annoying because you hear and read this everywhere, but gratitude is a cliché for a reason…
A beautiful backbend!
To all the participants of our Yoga Holiday 2024, thank you from the bottom of my heart. This was a beautiful experience and I enjoyed spending time with all of you, those who are coming for the 2nd or even 3rd time, and those who were with us for the first time.
I am already looking forward to our week in 2025, which will fall on Easter! Semana Santa is a magical time in Málaga, and we will make sure to enjoy it properly.
Welcome to join us!