Don't buy a Lay-Z-Boy before your 60

A very dear friend of mine recently had the wonderful privilege of attending a yoga teacher training course at the Ayurveda Retreat, the same establishment I was so lucky to attend two years ago.  Her email reminded me of the incredible experience I had there and all the marvelous things I learned.  This prompted me to find my old notebook from my time at the retreat.  

This notebook is the place I wrote down all my lessons: the history of yoga, the pronunciation of all the Sanskrit, human anatomy, chakras and so much more.  

If I'm honest, a good portion of this notebook is pretty boring, however, I did come across a few gems that I wanted to share.....

I did my yoga training with a Brazilian girl named Cibele. She is married to a man from New Zealand and they live together in Australia. One day, Cibele was explaining some of the reasons she was motivated to come to do her yoga teacher training. She said that she had become a bit lazy and her life was starting feel mundane.  Her husband worked long hours and was tired when he returned, as was Cibele after long days of part-time work paired with studying for her massage therapy certificate. Like many, they would eat and then veg in front of the television most evenings.  

Hilariously, she blamed the purchase of two reclining chairs saying, 'Don't buy a Lay-Z-Boy before your 60.'  

I think its great advise and I wrote it down in my notebook to remember it.

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Two of my favorite characters at the retreat were the cooks, Mohan and Chogan. They worked long hours in the kitchen cooking all our meals, in addition to teaching Ayurveda cooking classes, and they remained upbeat and smiling throughout the entire six weeks I was there.  Annoying tourists asking about every ingredient in each dish, making special requests, and complaining about the new dietary restrictions placed on them during their Ayurvedic cleanses did not get these great guys down. 

How?

I am not sure. 

Perhaps there is some sort of crazy Ayurvedic herb that allows you to be incredibly productive while remaining completely cool and cheerful. 

Or maybe its just that lifestyle that creates such benefits. 

Whatever it was, I'm so grateful they had it, because they really made my life at the retreat so rich and quirky with a side of super silly and delicious.  At dinner one day, Choganji was telling me about the advantages of eating one of the bitter gourds we were having for dinner. He explained, 'Not only will you notice a change internally, but there will also be good things to happen to you outternally!'

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Other humorous ESL moments came from Shetil, my yoga theory teacher, with quotes like: 

'Early to bed, early get.' and

'Yoga can help combat slugg-i-ness.'

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That retreat was a great place. I now wish I had written even more moments down in my notebook so I could relive them and experience that warm and balanced, slow and even, rich and beautiful life created in India.  I guess I just need some more practice and mindfulness so that I can recreate it right here at Plot 38. Until then, I'm on the hunt for the journal I kept at that time. Its sure to have more memories, more laughs, and more motivation to help me on this journey.

Where do you feel most zen?

Tell me tricks for creating  peace at your place.

xoxox