Chick Yoga Weekend IX

This doesn't really fit under any of my blog headings, although it does begin with a C:  Chick Yoga Weekend.

I have been organizing a weekend trip to the Kripalu Yoga Center in Stockbridge, MA for nine years.  The group changes annually, but it often consists of my sister, my friends and their friends and a friend we met at Kripalu. We do the R&R program which allows us each to pick and choose what we want from a variety of courses.  Some of the sessions we took over the weekend included:  The Yoga of Shakespeare, Extraordinary Living, Mindfulness, Radical Possibilities, Healing Arts Sampler: Positional Therapy, Meditation and Good Gut, Great Health.  Of course there are yoga classes in the morning, noon and late afternoon. Yoga Dance on Saturday afternoon with live drumming.  I recognized a couple of wild women dancing to those drums!  Entertainment on Saturday was either concert or LED and fire hoop dancing on the lawn.  I'm pretty sure all of us spent some time in the whirlpool.  It's a great way to finish the day.

For the most part, we had a fantastic time.  The weekend was cut short for one member when she had an unfortunate accident during the guided bike tour when her bike hit a rather large pothole.  A broken bone and yoga do not really mix.  We were lucky to find another party that came from New Jersey, so she was able to have someone drive her home.

The weather was warm and sunny almost the entire weekend.  It was a hard choice between being outdoors or yoga.  People hiked, brought their reading or writing out to the benches and enjoyed the sun and the view of the Stockbridge Bowl.  We ate half of our meals outside and spent that time ooh-ing and ahh-ing over a pair of baby bunny rabbits that would eat the grass right next to the picnic benches.  They were pretty cute!

I think each of us got a chance to walk the labyrinth at least once.  We were all amazed at how it looks this time of year.  There are flowers!  Chick Yoga Weekend is usually in early May and the labyrinth seems so austere, with just shrubs and cobblestones.  But look how it appears in June!  Wonderful!

The long weekend flew by as usual.  Interesting and entertaining roommates (we found out that wrap pants and bicycling do not mix!).  Great food.  Fun classes.  A chance to unplug from the rest of the world for a few days.  I am always sad to leave and look forward to returning next spring.