when 'yoga retreat' doesn't mean what you think it means
a note from our chef extraordinaire, Charis Jones:
If you asked me a year ago if I wanted to go on a yoga retreat, you would have been met with a resounding “not a chance!”
In my mind this was a space where I was not welcome. My body is not tall, thin, or wealthy. I am not serious or quiet. I don't own a single pair of designer leggings, and my god, I do not want to eat unseasoned quinoa for lunch or drink celery for dinner. I could not envision a space where my loud laugh and squashy body was not only accepted but celebrated.
All that changed last summer when I was asked to cook for a PYC retreat.
I was convinced Michelle was out of her mind to invite this butter-loving, over-exuberant, camp lady to what I imagined would be a quiet, reclusive space. It took little more than a few hours to see how wrong I was!
This retreat showed me:
…that the practice of yoga and the joy of food are perfect bedfellows.
…that yoga is not reserved, or indeed intended, solely for able-bodied, wealthy, white women. The practice of grounding oneself, connecting with our bodies and our minds simultaneously is for everyone.
…that years of being told by the wellness world of Instagram and Facebook that who I am was not welcome, was simply, if you will excuse me, b*llocks! [bullsh*t, to our American readers]
…that sitting around a table bursting at the seams with joyful produce, passing plates and sharing stories is as much yogic practice as saluting the sun.
the bottom line is…
Retreat is an investment in yourself. It's taking time to realise and reclaim that which the daily grind can often wear away.
Do as much or as little as you like. Join in with the group practice, or not. Swim in the private pool, read, walk, write, nap. This is about shedding the ‘shoulds’ and listening to yourself.
You will be welcomed and supported in a loving environment to be wholly, and gloriously, YOU. Promise. 💓
This year’s pyc {connect} retreat in Provence, France is coming up September 15 - 21. If there’s a pile of croissants with your name on it, sign up here