I am currently in the midst of planning my trip to India and Sri Lanka. I have travelled through India several times but I never ended up in the north. Since years Rishikesh, the “Yoga capital of the world” on the river Ganges is on top of my future must-go destinations list and I can’t quite believe it but in a couple of days I will be sitting where the Beatles rocked up at the ashram of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Thinking about yoga I remembered I wanted to share my memories of the last yoga retreat I attended. Time flies, this was last summer. But better late than never 😉
When it comes to Croatia, my second home and where the roots of my family lie, I always look up and perk up my ears. Especially when SUPERSOUL YOGA organizes a retreat there. This time on the island of Brac, in Croatia’s south, also called Dalmatia, a place I have lots of connections with. I did not have to think twice and I was already sitting in my car and driving direction Split, from where you take the ferry boat to Supetar. The retreat’s location was situated right on the beach in the centre of the sleepy medieval village Mirca, only 3 km west of Supetar.  Mirca’s and actually the whole island’s true intrinsic beauty lies in its stunning Mediterranean landscapes of steep cliffs, crystal clear waters, pine forests, and unspoiled nature! Talking about nature the villa’s own garden comes to my mind where the chef daily personally picked the seasonal vegetables and fruits for our brunch and dinner. Healthy, delicious, soulful food is at the centre of all SUPERSOUL retreats. They always place great emphasis on food, and as part of this effort they have even established a loving collaboration with Croatia’s #1 organic store Bio & Bio, which takes care of all dietary needs.
The day started with a run along the island’s coast towards the next beautiful village, Sutivan (which I also highly highly recommend. There, for instance, you can find the wonderful boutique Hotel Lemongarden) followed by a refreshing jump into the sea. One cup of tea and a power ball later we all gathered together for our first yoga session taught by amazing Nina Vukas. Nina lovingly led us through a full week of beautiful, creative, and energizing Yoga sequences interlaced with pranayama and meditation. The practice gradually opened the body and invited a quieting of the mind and softening of the heart (day 3 was the day of the heart openers, you can imagine how much we all cried). This deep-diving allowed for life-changing shifts and gifts, inviting us to reconnect with the body’s natural rhythms, to nurture ourselves deeply, and to rediscover what makes us hum with joy.
We felt very joyous when it came to food after the first practice. Pictures say more then words.
The afternoons were free and we could relax at the pool or at the beach, discover and stroll through the neighborhoods or make field trips around the island. One day I had booked a shamanic reiki healing session with Jo, Love Yogi, who joined the Supersoul team. Jo combines touch, sound, crystals and sacred smells, taking you on a beautiful journey, in which you can completely unwind and reconnect to your heart. I also feel more than honored to be part of her beautiful homepage now filled with photos shot by photographer  Sanjin Kastelan.
During the second daily yoga session we explored the physical and subtle body more deeply – working on calming, restoring and healing body, mind & spirit through either a gentle flow class, a restorative yoga class or yoga nidra.
The day slowly ended with a delicious organic and vegan dinner followed by a reading session in our room. This retreat’s book companion was called “The Mother of Invention” by Neale Donald Walsch, a biography of futurist and visionary Barbara Marx Hubbard. There are some quotes I marked in this book and that I want to share with you (especially because I had so many comments on my Instagram post back then):
“The Universe has a reason for everything. People weave in and out of our lives in ways that may seem random – but they never are.”
“The two most important questions in a relationship: WHERE AM I GOING? and WHO IS GOING WITH ME? It is important to never reverse the order of the questions.”
“Things happen the way they happen, when they happen, where they happen, for a reason – all of which is in perfect order, reflecting the perfection of the Universe and of Life itself.”
Saying that, I am sure there is a reason why life will bring me to Rishikesh. And Sri Lanka soon. Stay tuned 😉
PHOTO CREDIT: SANJIN KASTELAN / SUPERSOUL YOGA
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