The Final Savasana and Other Turkish Delights

Retreat

noun: the act of withdrawing, as into safety or privacy; retirement; seclusion. 

verb: to withdraw, retire, or draw back, especially for shelter or seclusion. 

(Dictionary.com)

When you live in a big city with noise, pollution, traffic and mass riots, there comes a point when you realize it’s time to surrender, wave the white flag and call in the troops. In Europe, this usually happens in August. It’s a glorious month when it’s almost expected that you’re going to take a break to recoup and rejuvenate before cold weather and grey skies roll around again. It’s a time to trade in the world of ergonomic chairs and water-cooler conversation for a sun lounger and foreign currency… and in our case, 8 days of hot, sweaty Bikram yoga. I know it sounds like a complete oxymoron that a vacation would include working out in intense heat, but this Turkish adventure was not only challenging and exciting, but also inspiring and deeply moving… not to mention, yogis sure do know how to party!

This story begins about two months ago when Josh and I decided to take Bikram a bit more seriously—which, for anyone who doesn’t know, is a 26-posture yoga series practiced in 105-degree F (40-degree C) heat. While something always seemed to get in the way of a regular practice, the hopeful summer season (and my depressing abs) motivated us to get back on the mat. Within a week we were better for it—lighter, stronger and more flexible. So when we noticed that our studio was offering an “Adventurous Yogi” retreat in Turkey, we jumped at the chance!

After a short but luxurious stay in Istanbul, we hopped a flight to Dalaman, which is situated on the southwestern coast of Turkey. I’ll never forget the drive up to the retreat—partly because of the magnificence of the lush landscape and partly because we hugged the shoulder of a cliff the entire way. Upon safe arrival at Huzur Vadisi—a former olive-growing farmstead come yoga retreat center—we were fed lunch, shown to our yurt and had a “chill day”. Yes, life was good!

The following days continued as such, punctuated by trips to a Turkish Bath, boat ride in the Mediterranean and (faux) designer handbag shopping. In the evenings we shared family-style meals and hung out with new friends in the “tree house” until the wee hours of the morning. It was like one big, long sleep over with lots of stretching in between.

Now, I’m not usually one to wax lyrical, but I have to say that as the trip progressed, I discovered a new level of inner peace and tranquility. I’m not sure if it was the sun, the yoga or the fact that I didn’t have to do dishes for a whole week, but whatever it was I felt happy, uplifted and inspired. I think Clark Griswold (European Vacation) expressed my sentiments best when he said, “I want to write, I want to paint, I want to…  sculpt something massive!”

My senses just seemed to have popped right open. During my practice I started to notice that I didn’t just feel the strengthening of my muscles or the pulling of my joints, but also the fibers of the towel beneath my feet, the warm breeze hugging my skin and the fresh breath that filled my body. I saw color more vividly and heard the song of the cicadas as they crooned in unison while we moved from one pose to the next.

Yoga Platform

Our last class of the retreat, and second of the day, completely blew me away. While Bikram is typically a dialogue series, this particular class was set to a soundtrack of meditative music and we were instructed to practice using our intuition as opposed to our ears. I could feel the presence of my class and the emotions we were all experiencing, as we were moving with new bodies and heightened awareness. At the end of the class I laid in my final savasana (dead body pose) and let myself succumb to the hum of the music. On an average day, I usually struggle to keep my mind from wandering and spinning, but this time was different. I closed my eyes and, for the first time, allowed myself to just be...  

I woke up nearly 45 minutes later. Alone in the dark studio, while admittedly a bit scared and late for dinner, I knew that something powerful had just happened. In that final savasana I felt as though I’d connected myself to the universe. My body was glowing from the inside out, from my core to my fingertips, from my head to my toes. It was like waking up from a deep sleep and seeing things in a whole new light—even in the dark.

Thanks to everyone for an incredible time. It wouldn’t have been the same without you! In closing, I will leave you with my Top 10 Turkish Highlights:

     1.     The SCUBA mission to rescue our broken anchor

     2.     Dinner in Gocek… MEATBALLS!

     3.     Zumba lesson with Ashley on the yoga platform… ZUMBA!

     4.     Getting scrubbed at the Hamam (or Bath) by two burly Turkish men

     5.     Playing Grandma’s Footsteps (similar to Red Light Green Light) at 2am

     6.     Calling everyone “Bob”

     7.     Patrice and Leo’s magical treatments

     8.     Yoga everyday with two of the World’s Greatest Bikram Teachers (Thank you Michele and Mark!)

     9.     Dancing around the umbrella on the last night

     10.  Making friends with the coolest yogis around