Nourished

So, the retreat was WONDERFUL!! Like most vacations, it took me a couple days to adjust. The retreat was intensive... my day started with yoga at 6:30 and then back to back sessions until 7-8:00 at night. The hotel was awesome. I slept so good the whole time I was there (on amazing feather beds!). I ordered room service several mornings. The lunches and dinners they provided were AMAZING... healthy, balanced, and nourishing to my body and spirit.

I learned so much about the ancient healing tradition of Ayurveda ("life wisdom"). In a nutshell, Ayurveda believes that, in order to live a happy, healthy life, we need to find balance in body, mind and spirit. Meditation is one of the key components to Ayurveda. Through quieting the mind and the endless stream of thoughts, we can slow down and be tuned into to what we really need to find balance in our life. I also learned about how everyone has a body/mind constituion, called your "dosha" (Vata, Pitta, or Kapha). Just as their universe it made up of the elements space, earth, air, water, and fire, so are our bodies. When our bodies are out of balance (i.e. too much "fire", or Pitta, causes problems such as heartburn/acid reflux, too much "water" or Kapha causes sinus congestion, etc..) A body/mind/spirit that is out of balance is prone to disease, physical discomfort/pain, and illness. By tuning into what our bodies are telling us we need, we become healthier and more balanced. Of course, food is a key component, since it is what nourishes the body. In Ayurveda, they believe that you should include 6 tastes at each meal... sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent. (Many Indian meals naturally include all of these tastes at each meal.) I also learned about ways to release toxins in the body through proper nutrition, herbs/spices, massage, and other techniques. Some of the sessions I attended were "Imbalance to Disease", "Accessing Inner Silence", "Food as Medicine", "Soul of Healing", "Love as Medicine", and many others. Coincidently, a lot of information was shared about recent melanoma and breast cancer research.

There was also a wonderful guest speaker, Dr. Viccario, who is an Oncologist in California. He led a great session on Integrative Medicine in Cancer Care. I learned about ways to include complementary medicine in the treatment of cancer and create an "Optimal Healing Environment". He believes in a multi-disiplinary approach to cancer care that includes many different modalitiess, including traditional Western methods, such as chemo/radiation along with other "alternative" methods". He strongly believes that the medical community needs to shift their focus to treat the mind/body/spirit in cancer care. I couldn't agree more!!!! Their cancer clinic is very progressive and I hope more hospitals/doctors/clinics follow Dr. Viccario's lead! Here's a link for more info. www.sdcancer.com. I also met a woman at the retreat who just finished chemo/radiation for breast cancer. We had many great conversations about the emotional trauma of cancer and we were able to support each other in our fears, anxiety, and finding ways to heal.

Deepak Chopra was amazing. His thoughts on spirituality, healing, interconnectedness, and ways to live a healthy, happy life are inspiring and refreshing. My soul is filled with gratitude and love when I hear him speak about universal truths, such as love, compassion, connecting with the universe/nature, finding our life's purpose, etc...

Overall, the experience was nourishing on every level! I was so glad I went and I'm motivated to implement changes in my life. I'm hoping to go to the Perfect Health program at the Chopra Center and their Seduction of Spirit retreat in the future. :)

With love,
Kim