I am still in Thailand. I have just done a Yoga and Meditation retreat in a breathtakingly beautiful valley in the mountains of Northern Thailand, it was chilly in the mornings and evenings, really cold in the night and very misty - which I loved. The climate is just perfect there: like Austrian autumn (my fave) from evening to late morning, and like Austrian summer during the day. I was surrounded by green everywhere I looked: GREEN. Seeing the mountains, in their softness and greatness felt deeply healing.
When I got there I met some beautiful people to share my time with. Sadly, they left after only a few days - and that is when my retreat started. Half of it was dedicated to silence, very much inspired by Vipassana meditation retreats. We had a full on schedule, starting at 7am with some Soy Chai Tea to get ready for the daily practice. We did some nasal cleansing - something I look forward to doing when I am back in Europe. I liked the freshness and feeling of cleanliness. And the breath in the following breath work exercises flowed so much better! We did Hatha Yoga, breath work and meditation in the mornings and had a yoga philosophy class and Yin Yoga in the evenings. We also had a chanting session which I loved and on our last day we made a trip to hot springs hidden in the jungle at night time. The stars were shining so bright that night .- it was amazing. I also had a fantastic yoga family and already miss them! Not to mention how much I already miss my yoga teacher - she is such a wonderful being! I am very, very grateful for her guidance and inspiration.
One night I decided to study Hebrew. I am a language freak, I just need to learn a new language. I know a few phrases in Thai, but don't feel like going much deeper for the time being. I love French, but I can wait until I am in France to learn more (I got invited by a beautiful Persian couple living in Paris, so I am looking forward to getting some French and Persian lessons when I visit!). Hebrew is such a beautiful language, and learning the letters is fun. I am using this fabulous website along with Youtube videos and of course I have some support by Israeli people. Would love to spend some time in a Kibbutz as well.
Now I am back in Chiang Mai where I want to do a Traditional Thai Massage introduction course, starting next week. I am already looking forward to going back to Europe. Right now I am trying all sorts of local foods, and experience the consequences! But I also enjoy the tastes and am grateful for that. I feel more connected to Thai culture this time around. Funny, I came here to have all the tropical fruit, but now that I could have it, I choose not to have too much of it. I love the tastes... but somehow I am not in right place for eating a lot of fruit. When I get home I will eat mostly vegetable based meals along with a little bit of fruit (can't wait for the apples!) and cooked starches (they make me feel much more balanced, brown rice and sweet potatoes are amazing). I am so psyched by the thought that I will be able to cook for myself!
Namatse & Shalom!
