Croatia Retreat Week Two

Group Two in Komiza

The second group of yogis arrived late Saturday evening. There were eight women from America, Switzerland, England and the Netherlands. They brought a fresh and lively energy along with them, and seemed enthusiastic to start the week.

On Sunday we sprawled our mats on the cool stone floor outdoors, under a clear blue sky and warmed by a vibrant yellow sun. The weather was impeccable, and continued to get lovelier by the day. We practiced most every class outside, with the chirping of birds and a slight breeze in our ears.

The group was of all different ages and athletic abilities, so we worked together to find our

Namaskar Hands on Paddle Board

rhythm and balance. They quickly picked up the flow and displayed wonderful focus and stability. Everyone was eager to learn and take their practice to the next level, which they did by the day. I increasingly added more power work and advanced postures to the morning classes, and the ladies took it in stride.

Outside of yoga, these women really put some kilometers in on the complimentary bikes provided by Dalmatia Retreats! Many cycled along the long quiet roads to one of the two main towns, Vis or Komiza. The narrows roads steer you through Vineyards, small stone houses and along scenic coastal cliffs. The view is breathtaking, and it was another way to exercise outside of the 3 hours of daily yoga!

Paddle Board Yoga

There was also a good amount of hours spent soaking up the sun poolside, or on one of the stunning white stone beaches. One day we borrowed a paddleboard and explored the outer edges of the shoreline, adding some paddleboard headstands and wheel postures. We were also treated to a grand tour of a bran new 50 ft sailboat that was anchored along the coast nearby.

On the final Friday the weather was slightly overcast, so we improvised with candle lit yoga in the warm studio indoors. The walls echoed the calming meditative music, and it made for quite a tranquil end to the second retreat. We finished with deep yin yoga from head to toe, leaving each and every yogi relaxed and prepared for their travel the following day.

All in all, the second group was fantastic! Everyone remained light hearted and in good spirits throughout the week. I watched them all face the new challenges presented with each class with a smile worm across their faces. It was yet another successful 6 days of yoga, health, relaxation and balance.