some free writing on imagery from this past weekend yoga retreat at little renaissance with seven powerful women

friends, they take over my kitchen and cook up one fabulous meal after another.  we talk books, relationships, family, work, life, college days, share stories of past and present, the cord of wood rick and i bought is wet so making a fire is nearly impossible. hippies in another life, can anyone help me make this fire?  against all odds, only janet succeeds once in making a fire.  who thought of the presto logs?  these women are so wise! off we go to the store in search of presto logs.  one store-bought presto log burns bright for three hours.  once it is burning, all we have to do is add the wet wood and it bursts into flames.  it really works.  but, ohmygod, who put all three presto logs into the woodstove?  little renaissance has become a tropical setting. within minutes, layers are coming off. never mind the freezing winter temps, it’s hot in here and we love it!

restorative yoga and later we do yoga using backless yoga chairs.  stretch, breathe, om to the seed sounds of the chakras: ohhhhhhh…ooooo…ooooorrrr..ahhh, aaaae, eeee, mmmmm, om!  use your imagination and hear how our voices blend together as we chant our hearts out.  and a new year yoga celebration would not be complete without a great big lion’s roar and so we eight women bring down the town with our roars.

earlier we all met in hoquiam at the bowerman basin nature reserve.  brightest of days, welcoming the new year, the boardwalk is slick with ice in some places, but the scenery oh so beautiful.

On the boardwalk at Bowerman Basin

On the boardwalk at Bowerman Basin

Bowerman Basin Nature Reserve in Hoquiam

Bowerman Basin Nature Reserve in Hoquiam

back in ocean shores, we walk on the beach, all bundled up.  two cars, one was supposed to follow the other, but it never happened that way.  many gummy bears later and one car goes off in search of land once owned by one member of our group, and onward to seabrook they go.  seabrook, they say, so much like a scene out of stepford wives.  please don’t be upset to read this if you own property at seabrook.  seabrook, a coastal community with a new england flair on the west coast is getting many great write ups.  stepford wives, hold your heads up high.  as it starts to get dark, back at little renaissance, i worry that half the group is lost.  they left their cell phones in their rooms and they don’t have directions to the house because earlier they caravan-ed out to the house…but no worries, eventually all roads lead to little renaissance and they make it back safely …eventually.  we are hungry and we eat as if we have not eaten in days.  there is nothing like eating in the company of friends.  we laugh, we talk about books, we talk solemnly about the life of one family member who has just died this very night, we silently vow to live our lives more intentionally, with more awareness, with more zest!

Protection Point: a crisp clear day in January on the Washington coast

Protection Point: a crisp clear day in January on the Washington coast