Permit me to be mysterious….on Sunday I held a one-day yoga retreat on a magical rain-forested island in the Pacific Northwest. The day was filled with yoga, the beautiful company of lively yogis/friends, a gorgeous environment, a healthy delicious lunch made of fresh local ingredients, fresh moist oxygen-filled air, and a hike along a dense forest decorated with moss and ferns. The air was rich. We did yoga, nourished ourselves with a hearty Salade Nicoise (made with lots of love), went on a hike, and did a meditation. Below you will find two poems we shared during the day and some photos from our retreat.
Stone Path
During the morning yoga session, I read the poem below by Chief Dan George. The poem speaks of a deep love of earth and life. The poem suited the retreat day and the environment perfectly. It is delicate, grand, and sensitive in nature:
My Heart Soars
By Chief Dan George
The beauty of the trees,
the softness of the air,
the fragrance of the grass,
speaks to me.The summit of the mountain,
the thunder of the sky,
the rhythm of the sea,
speaks to me.The faintness of the stars,
the freshness of the morning,
the dew drop on the flower,
speaks to me.The strength of fire,
the taste of salmon,
the trail of the sun,
And the life that never goes away,
They speak to me.
And my heart soars
Maple Tree: The Heart Chakra (center tree) of the my friends’ private property
Maple Tree II (The Heart Chakra Tree)
And while on our hike with the group, I asked Rick to read the poem, Lost, to the group. No one could have read my fellow-Hoosier-Washington-transplant David Wagoner’s poem better than Rick Clark! He sustained a captive audience as he read the poem with gusto, humor, curiosity, and a touch of drama.
Action-Packed (and blurred!) Hiking in the thick of the rain forest (some retreat participants stayed behind and enjoyed reading, resting, napping, walking solo).
Below is the poem “Lost,” by David Wagoner from Collected Poems 1956-1976 © Indiana University Press.
Lost
Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you
Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,
Must ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,
I have made this place around you.
If you leave it, you may come back again, saying Here.
No two trees are the same to Raven.
No two branches are the same to Wren.
If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,
You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.
Wooden Lantern (Our Meditation Hall)
Yes, a Pacific Northwest Gem (meditation hall)
Our Sacred Yoga Space
A big thank you to Tricia Jewell for taking this photo of me.
Oxygen-filled environment, thick with trees and ferns, but you will never be LOST!
Salad Nicoise (view link for recipe) Note: Recipe on link is not necessarily the exact version of what we had, but it is the foundation for your salad nicoise!
A somewhat blurred photo of our salade nicoise. Other plates held chunks of tuna, lettuce, various dressings, and olives to complete the salad. Fresh bread and plenty of delicious fruit complimented the meal.
If you were not present at this retreat and find it of interest, please let me (Fran) know if you’d like to join me in a future day retreat at this unique gorgeous private setting by commenting below. I will then be in touch with you.
Fran,
Your photos and text are all poetry — beautiful.
Always a treat to hear from you.
Warm regards,
John
This retreat was magical! The beauty of those who attended, the amazing yoga, and of course the place. When you read the poem byChief Dan George as we did yoga, i found a deep internal opening i rarely encounter. What an amazing time!!