Day in the life of a yoga retreat: philosophy, mantras and more

I woke up to the sound of the ocean and quickly made my way downstairs to the Shala after a cold and much-needed shower. Today is the second day at the retreat. The day kicked off with an early morning meditation and some yoga practice.

Afterwards, we had a nutritious breakfast, consisting of scrambled eggs, seasonal fruits & coffee. I think the Colombian coffee is slowing growing on me. I like the whole communal vibe of sitting down together and sharing a meal with the retreat group.

After breakfast, we had a yoga philosophy class & familiarized myself with some Sanskrit jargons. It’ll take me a while to remember the terms but Esperanza our instructor, was very comprehensive with all the information. We absorbed whatever we could, and of course, making lots of notes simultaneously.

The next class, conducted by Alice, covered Yoga anatomy held by Alice where we refreshed our knowledge of the cardiovascular system and the anatomy of the heart. We also did some mantras with her which was very calming. The essence behind the mantras was to wish happiness and freedom for all beings in all worlds.

Lunch was served immediately after, featuring lentils, rice & salad. There is usually a downtime of two hours after lunch. I used that time to wash my dirty laundry, and spoke to my family.

The last class for the day was again conducted by Alice, during which we learned about the Sun Salutations and the Surya Namaskar Salutations. Also, each individual was presented with an opportunity to teach a group. She provided us the written cues for us which made it possible to follow along.

Dinner followed the class, after which everyone retired to their rooms, feeling a little tired, but also happy with how productive the day turned out to be.