St. Lucia Retreat Reflection - What the Volcano Taught Us About Softness

The first dinner. | Photo by Berlo

Peace family, it’s Mya- founder of Meeyogi. Before you continue reading, I want you to know that these are my raw thoughts, still tender about this experience. I’ll end up doing a part two at some point. Be gentle with me as I convey these messages.

Part 1

There is something about standing on an island shaped by fire that changes the way you think about softness. St. Lucia is lush, sensual and ridiculously beautiful, and beneath all that green is evidence of heat, pressure, movement and transformation. Mountains have risen dramatically from the sea. Sulfur bubbles from the earth. The sea can feel like silk one moment and remind you of its power with the next wave.

Nothing about the island is fragile and yet, it is soft everywhere. What a contradiction! I kept thinking about that throughout our first Sensoulry Volcano to Sea Retreat. It is a dream come true to host a group [of leaders] in Saint Lucia.

We came for yoga, meditation, adventure, sound, sisterhood and restoration. We came to experience the island from the volcanic earth all the way to the Caribbean Sea. Somewhere between the movement, the conversations, the mud, the water, the meals, the laughter and the quiet moments in between, a lesson began to emerge: Softness can be Strength.

Swimming at Pigeon Island | Photo by Berlo

During Volcano to Sea, women from different backgrounds and different seasons of life shared space together. We literally had at least one woman from each decade starting with women in their 20s and ending with women in their 70s. It was a multi-cultural, multi-generational group of amazing beings. I am so grateful to have witnessed them soften.

That softness looked like practicing yoga together, sitting near the water, dancing like nobody’s watching.. It meant having conversations that wandered beyond whatever we had originally planned and laughing until the whole room changed. It also looked like being quiet in the presence of people who did not need anything from you. Community changes the experience of rest.

Sunset Sailing to the Pitons | Photo by Berlo

Many of us become very good at functioning. We answer all of the messages, handle the responsibilities, care for the people we love… We work, plan, produce, solve and just keeeeeep moving. Eventually, being capable becomes part of our identity. And capability is beautiful but there is a difference between being capable and being constantly braced.

Oftentimes the body knows before the mind wants to admit it. That tight jaw, raised shoulders and shallow breathing are all indicators. If you’ve felt that strange feeling that even when nothing is technically wrong, something inside you is still waiting for the next demand. Difficulty resting without guilt.. that’s a sign lovebug. It may be time to retreat.

One of the gifts of retreating is creating enough distance from ordinary life to notice what you have been carrying. And instead of judging yourself about it, you can finally put some of it down. Unnecessary baggage is deadweight. Lighten your load.

The Body Knows Things the Mind Cannot Always Explain

We spend so much of modern life trying to think our way into wellness. We read, research, analyze, journal, listen to podcasts and learn the terminology. I’m not saying that isn’t valuable but there are things the body can only understand through experience.

Breath, movement, rhythm, water, sound, touch, stillness, play, silence.. these are apart of the experience.

Through being held by nature.. you realize that: You are allowed to be here without producing anything.

This is one of the reasons Sensoulry experiences are intentionally embodied. We are not only interested in what you understand intellectually. We are interested in exploring when that understanding finally reaches your body.

Delicious bites | Photo by Berlo

Pleasure Belongs in Wellness

Nowadays, healing has become so serious. It appears that transformation must involve digging through pain, revisiting wounds and doing difficult emotional work. Sometimes it does but oftentimes healing can look like pleasure. Like swimming, dancing, eating beautiful food, feeling sunlight on your skin, laughing loudly, getting dressed up because you feel good and listening to music that makes your hips move before your brain has a chance to interfere. Pleasure can look like adventure, touch, rest or wonder.

There were moments during Volcano to Sea when I watched women simply enjoying themselves, and I found myself thinking: if this is their inner child expressing themselves, how magical!

Joy doesn’t have to be earned through suffering. Rest ain’t gotta be justified by exhaustion. And pleasure is your birthright!

My lovely mentor and co-facilitator, Ghylian Bell and I. | Photo by Berlo

From Volcano to Sea

When I created Sensoulry, I wanted to create experiences where people could reconnect with themselves through movement, mindfulness, nature, sensuality, community and intentional rest. Volcano to Sea allowed that vision to become something I could watch happening in real time.

And I returned home changed too. As a facilitator… as a woman and as the person imagining what Sensoulry can become. This retreat taught me that people are hungry for spaces where they do not have to perform wellness. They want to experience it. They want to feel and to connect. They want beauty and depth and laughter and lightness. They want permission to put their armor down for a little while and give up some of the heavy responsibilities. And everyone deserves that.

Although Volcano to Sea has ended, the practice continues. View the calendar for upcoming experiences.

Stay tuned for part two.

With love and gratitude,

Mya