Thank you for a truly wonder-ful retreat. It was exactly what I needed. I'm continuing to feel the flow and softening, the relaxation, "refinement," awareness, and re-alignment. The group was perfect. It was so special to learn from you, practice the teachings, let poetry wash over us, and be welcomed to refresh ourselves on the magical land of Barneys Joy. This morning I was writing about it in my journal and the phrase popped out that this retreat parted the clouds such that I was able to see the constellations that light my way to my inner stars. And then I remembered that the name of your offerings IS in fact Inner Star.
I recently had the pleasure of participating in a yoga and mindfulness retreat with Vanessa Anderson. The weekend was beautifully designed and facilitated by Vanessa with a mix of inspirational poems, teachings, yoga practices, mindfulness exercises, meaningful conversation, and delicious, healthy meals. Vanessa embodies what she teaches with her calm presence and wisdom coming from a breadth of education and experience, from study of Chinese culture to in depth yoga and mindfulness training. The sense of peace and fullness I still feel from the retreat as well as many practices Vanessa shared with us is a lasting gift.
It's quiet, sublimely so. No music, nor incense. I am seated comfortably, eyes closed. The bell is rung. When the last faint resonance joins the silence, Vanessa reads a poem, her voice soft, sweet as a summer breeze. There's a thoughtful pause before she invites me to lie back on the mat to begin the gentle, flowing yoga practice that she has designed for today's session. Her extensive knowledge of the particular benefits of the poses to the body's health, reminds me of a cellist, tightening, or loosening strings for optimum performance. I want to be finely tuned, not strung out. She is respectful of the chasm between our ages, and the flow is perfectly paced. I move into Shavasana, which she translates as "corpse pose." which I feel perfectly comfortable with.....isn't a corpse just a step in transformation? I return to my comfortable seated position, eyes still closed. She re-reads the end of the poem to integrate the wisdom it offers. The bell's vibration recedes. I open my eyes, feeling bathed.
Description goesSomatic awareness is underrated in our culture. Vanessa's time with us, the morning of an important strategy conversation, gave us a chance to inhabit our bodies consciously, to breathe and stretch together and enter our meeting time centered. While difficult to prove, I believe we were more resourceful and creative because of the foundation she created for us. Musicians always tune their instruments before performing, athletes practice before the game, time with Vanessa fine tunes and elevates your teams capacity. here
I highly recommend joining a retreat with Inner Star Yoga. Vanessa’s years of study, combined with her calm, intuitive method of reaching each participant and offering them exactly the focus and restoration they most need, results in an experience that lingers long after the final moments of the final session. It is days later and I can still recreate the feeling of stillness and regeneration that the sessions inspired in me.