Going Away is about Coming Home

“All those little rituals and routines that so often go unnoticed in the speed of things, stand out again as completely precious and sacred. ”

Dear Friends,

Finally landing in Paris after an intense summer of retreats and travel. I’ve come to realise that going away for me is just as much about coming home. That sweet feeling of sleeping in my own bed, brewing my coffee just the way I like it, tending to my tiny altar, picking out prunes at our local Sunday market, catching up with friends I’ve missed…

All those little rituals and routines that so often go unnoticed in the speed of things, stand out again as completely precious and sacred. Coming home becomes a wake-up call to this immense privilege it is to actually have a home to come back to!

On the last day of our retreat I invited everyone to think about one small shift they would like to make when returning home. This opened up a beautiful discussion. A young woman bravely shared that she would get up a little earlier so she could move more mindfully through her morning when getting ready for school. Another said she would begin preparing her food with more care, not micro waving her regular frozen. An artist wanted to clear a corner in their work-space dedicated for practice. A yoga teacher decided to leave their phone out of the bedroom, get an alarm clock and start reading all the books that had been piling up on the bedside table.

“If I asked you the same question, what small shift would you like to integrate that might bring you closer to your deeper purpose or motivation in life?”

This is a powerful inquiry to bring into our practice at the beginning of a season. Let me know what arises for you!

While enjoying my time at home I’m secretly looking forward to joining my friend and long-time apprentice Lise in her home-shala for a 5-day Immersion at Alexia’s & Amina’s lovely My Yoga Marseille in October! It tends to turn into such a friendly autumn gathering for our sanghas from near and far enjoying a prolonged summer by the sea… We do hope you can join us!

With Love and Blessings

/ kia, Paris September 2024 x