IYA Fall Yoga Retreat - Day Three

Today was the final day of the IYA retreat. I'm a bit sad. As ready as I was to come home, I was having a great time hanging out with many friends, both old and new. There was a great energy and synergy going on.

So, last night I went down to socialize, but the only others there were prenatal teacher Jean Arnold and her husband and ADORABLE little boy. Jean and I had not officially met, even though we both taught at the same studio for a while, and it was great to get to know her a bit.

Got a bit more sleep last night, though I was still interrupted at about 2 a.m. by some folks returning from the downstairs bar. Reminded me of living back in NYC. I skipped Dona Robinson's Pranayama this a.m., opting for some sleep instead. Too bad, I'm sure it was wonderful. Dona is such a well-respected teacher in this area, and her depth of knowledge is amazing. My Adjustments and Alignment workshop went well, though I wish I had 2 more hours. We only got to about 4 or 5 poses, and really didn't get a chance to fully explore these.

The final workshop I went to was on the use of sound and chanting to enhance our pranayama and asana practice. Led by Devin McGuire, this was a unique method (to me, at least) of utilizing sound in order to locate and engage the bandhas, as well as a way to practice breath awareness, retention and suspension. I'm hoping that Devin is open to bringing his workshop up north...I think it would be very welcome at one of the studios I teach at.

Ended the day with lunch with some members of the IYA board. I'm considering volunteering, but probably not as a Chairperson. I'm sure there's more opportunities for service.

As always, I left the retreat feeling inspired, uplifted, and hopeful for the role of yoga in our State.

Namaste to all my friends and yoga buddies!