Cats, Cows, and Warriors: My Weekend in the Berkshires

As I look back on my first ever yoga retreat, it feels like a good time to explore what I learned. But first, some context.

I went to The Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health which is a nonprofit organization that operates a health and yoga retreat in Stockbridge, Massachusetts (aka The Berkshires). Its 160,000-square-foot facility is a former Jesuit novitiate and juniorate seminary built in 1957. And it still looks like a seminary. The land surrounding the center was gorgeous, even a week or two after peak color.

I attended a workshop called RISE, Kripalu’s evidence-based resilience program which is anchored in the science of mindfulness, yoga, and positive psychology.

Those who know me might be wondering, “resilience?” Aren’t you pretty resilient already? Yes, I am, but in the spirit of learning and becoming better at what I do and how I live, why not strengthen my resilience, enjoy a weekend with like-minded people, do some yoga, eat good food, and enjoy time with a good friend.

So here it is, in bullet point format for easy reading:

• What I learned about stress:

• I love the definition of stress that they provided and it lines up nicely with my training on Positive Intelligence (PQ). Stress is caused when something happens that challenges your identity or relationship to the world.

• Deep breathing (calm), small efforts at mindfulness (clarity), and deepening connection to the meaning in the moment (connection) can help get you back on track when stress occurs - also called the Three C’s. This also aligned with my Positive Intelligence training.

• Having self-command to recognize a stressor and move into the Three C’s is skill number one.

• What I learned about me:

• I need more work at meditation. My mind wanders around incessantly - or I fall asleep, even in a 5 minute mindfulness exercise

• I can live without my phone for many hours at a time - I may not want to, but I can (Kripalu has a strict no phones policy in public spaces). the hardest part was taming my instinct to get an immediate answer to a question. This also reduced the benefits of the networking because it was noticeably harder to exchange information.

• Silent breakfast, a tradition at Kripalu, was not comfortable for me. It wasn’t really awkward, just difficult. I guess I have a lot to say.

• This coaching journey I have been on has really helped me grow my ability to handle stress and I am extremely thankful of that

• Random Observations:

• The backjack chair was a strangely comfortable way to sit on the floor for hours at a time

• Kripalu yoga asks for your permission a lot. If you choose,... Should you desire,... Your choice… I like the flexibility and the agency, but sometimes, I just want a yoga instructor to lead and not have to think about what I want to do.

• Ayurvedic treatments* in lieu of a traditional western massage was definitely interesting, but I think I prefer traditional western massage. My skin soaked up the oil like Moses drank water after crossing the Sanai desert.

• Journaling has been challenging to me as I look at the paper and can't figure out what to write as well as worry who will see this later. I learned that it is much easier with a prompt and a short mindfulness mediation prior to the journaling. And since I was recently gifted a journal, this is a very timely lesson

• 5 yoga classes in 3.5 days is a lot. My body really liked it. My mind was over it. I have friends who are yoga instructors and teach multiple times per day and most days of the week. That feels unattainable for me. I felt like a caged animal by the last session, counting the minutes until it was over.

• To be a RISE instructor you must have a calm voice. My presentation skills are based on being dynamic to keep the attention of the audience. The RISE instructors all sounded like they could be the voice on your meditation videos, but it was very effective. It was also effective at putting me to sleep.

• What I am taking with me:

• This session was a great reminder to build a better habit to ensure I maintain a strong connection to the people I love. My parents and grandparents had a tradition of calling every weekend and my dad is great about keeping that up even now. I had to call or be available no matter where I was and even before cell phones. This included when I was in college, on vacation, etc,... Picture me in Europe on a pay phone popping those quarters in (actually I think I called collect).

• Journaling after each coaching session can help me be introspective about my coaching and continuously improve my skills

• I wasn’t stressed when I went to the retreat, but I was certainly deeply relaxed when I left. And my stomach issues seemed to calm down - perhaps deep breathing and meditation have other benefits as well. Or maybe it was the great food.

In summary, if you are experiencing excessive stress due to work, life, family, or anything else, coaching is a great solution. But pairing it with a workshop and a yoga retreat such as this is an outstanding combination.

If you want to talk about a change your are struggling with, reach out to me at coachingbytoby@gmail.com or go to www.tobyadamson.com and schedule a free consultation to talk about how coaching can help you through your change

If you haven't already, take my change readiness assessment to see how prepared you are for a change.

____________________________

* During an Ayurvedic massage, organic oil blends are infused with Ayurvedic herbs and heated to promote relaxation and detoxification. The oils are chosen to balance a person’s dominant dosha. At the right temperature, these oils enter the body through the skin and pores, bind to the ama (toxins), and are released to detoxify the body.