The feeling of your own bed, your smell of the air, the sounds floating around you, the people that you’ve come to love and the time spent together that nurtures your soul.. These are the attributes of what it feels like coming home from a long journey, or a few long journeys. Taking doing-less on the road - or shall I say on the high-seas - sailing to visit the azure waters of the Bermuda Triangle, wandering the vastness of the New York landscape, to floating in warm rain pools of the therapeutic waters on Vancouver Island. There is something to be said to returning the calming nature of home.
This do-less journey began with a flight to Newark, NJ to launch on the Celebrity Cruises Summit for a week long sail and through Atlantic waters to Bermuda while we hosted a spectacular Do Less Retreat on board. Practicing yoga on a ship is very different experience, but one not to be overlooked. The rocking action of the vessel lends to a very relaxing and meditational vibe, and the island of Bermuda presented us with many exciting sights, sounds and flavours of the culture and life of an island retreat. The highlight being the subterranean cave massage where we floated on tented pontoons listening to the sounds of water droplets cascading down into the illuminated pond beneath. Truly a remarkable physical touch and sound experience.
Our return found us wandering the vast streets, subways and parks of New York to experience the flavours, sounds, and vibrations of a city full of life. I have never felt so much freedom to just “be”. People of all walks of life, colours and fashions of hair styles, clothing, artwork... all expressing a society that lives live to it’s fullness. A place of wonderment and curiosity from rich to poor and everything in between and beyond.
Coming back to Canada, we were met with a small window of being at home for a few days, before jetting off to the lushness of Vancouver Island. My partner Dean was to present a Diversity and Inclusiveness Training to a resort that was also to be a possible retreat option for the Do Less Project in the coming months. Presented with a simple, yet precious, resort that
welcomed us with every movement forward. From it’s driftwood simplicity of design and it’s west coast seaside freshness, The Kingfisher Ocean Resort and Spa also shared charisma and elegance in food, architecture, spa and water therapy experiences, to it’s cozy and spacious rooms, but especially the staff and our hosts of various tours we embarked on.
I could go on and on with more stories of adventures we have taken in over the past month, but I’ll save these for a fire-side tea and chat with you at our next gathering and retreat. Needless to say, through everything that has been experienced, there is an underlying desire to be home. To feel the way the walls, the furniture, the artwork, the sheets and the bed feel, and the everyday occurrences of rhythmic living come back into focus and hold us like a friend welcoming us back from a long journey. And to actual moments with friends that share in this welcoming, playing, visiting, sharing stories and photos and recounting the adventures that we partake in. ...returning to the rhythmic pulses of our lives at home.
(Above photo is of my friend Caroline and her two gorgeous babes, Rhyan and Evan, on our walk through Lynn Canyon Park this past weekend playing in a playground and laughing so hard we all snorted.)