I went to a week long Yoga Medicine Traditional Chinese Medicine and Female Health Training in Tulum, Mexico. It had a “Retreat” vibe since we were at a resort and had scheduled free time. I chose this training because I was really interested in learning more about Chinese Medicine and Hormonal Balancing. I was on a budget though and needed to factor in flights if I really wanted to go. I saved up my money and waited for a sale to purchase. I had to choose, either a more expensive room for just myself, or share a room with someone I didn’t know.
I was a bit nervous about sharing a room with someone I didn’t know. It felt like a risk, however the price point was way better for my budget. I hemmed and hawed for 2 days about it. I re-read the sample itinerary multiple times and it seemed like there would be a balance of being in session and free time. I decided that I had to make the right financial choice for me and that this time around I couldn’t “splurge”.
I didn’t know it then, but it was the best decision I could have made. The coordinator matched me and my roommate perfectly. She and I had SO much in common. We both were from Pennsylvania, we both were athletic and we instantly clicked on so many other things. We even kind of looked alike. It was so nice to have a built in buddy to discover new places, go to meals and classes together too. To talk about the sessions together, and to just have a genuine connection to share the experience and what we were experiencing in our home lives too.
I had decided on the plane to Mexico, that I was going to be open and friendly to everyone at the training. That I was purposefully going to be vulnerable and attempt to connect with everyone. I feel like I was successful in that. I also deeply connected with this brilliant woman, Dr. Alex Howson, who was in one of my group breakout sessions during the training. She and I went for a bike ride to grab some ice-cream post retreat because we both decided to stay a few days later in the country. We really connected, and though we had less in common off the bat, we inspired one another. I felt like her expertise and experience was in the things I was curious about and she felt the same about me.
Since that training, I have stayed in touch with my roomie and with Alex. My roomie got married the next summer and though I couldn’t be there in person, I sent her a card and gift. We talk every so often, and when we do it feels like there is no time wasted and we just instantly click again, we pick up where we left off. Dr. Alex Howson and I continued our relationship in a different way. We talk every month and she has helped me in my business, as she was seasoned in running hers. We are now planning a yoga retreat together at Xinalani in Quimixto, Mexico. We will take our differences and strengths and share them with others to make a perfectly balanced experience.
I didn’t expect any deep friendships to be created from the training. I went solely to learn about a topic I was interested in. I didn’t know how much this training could influence my life for the better in ways more than just the training. I could have never have known that. I truly believe that if you go into an experience with intention and being open everyone and everything you can get so much more than you could dream of. The relationships that you build during retreats last. Why? Because the experiences create bonds that will never be forgotten. The immersion that you are all thrust into, the healing that happens, the trips, the little moments at breakfast, they build a connection that is unfathomable. I have witnessed that it is hard to build lasting friendships as an adult. Most people have their groups or things they are interested in and don’t often branch out. Retreats branch you out. They help you connect, network and bloom in ways that last much longer after the experience together.
