| From my vantage point, running a yoga retreat center, | | | | everyday lives. |
| I've seen the good, bad and ugly of vacationers. Here | | | | 2. Balance how much of your "regular" routine comes |
| are some ideas to help you stay aware and enjoy | | | | with you on your vacation. If you don't allow yourself to |
| your next vacation: | | | | adapt your 2 hour yoga practice in your perfect yoga |
| What happens to our bodies, minds and our behaviors | | | | space to the cramped hotel room where you have |
| when we are on vacation? | | | | little time to practice, you may end up very |
| | | | disappointed. Allow your expectations to be OPEN, not |
| 1. Personality traits are amplified. Meaning that if you | | | | set on keeping all routines constant. Similarly, DO bring |
| are naturally a routinized person, your need for routine | | | | some elements of your home routine with you on |
| structure/plans will be even more pronounced out of | | | | vacation - like making time for a little exercise perhaps |
| your natural environment. This can result in excessive | | | | instead of your regular 1 hour on the stationary bike. |
| or obsessive planning, map reading, and discussion of | | | | 3. Remember that just like in our yoga |
| plans. Conversely, if you are prone to minimal | | | | practice....transitions in and out of postures are every bit |
| organization and planning in your routines, you may find | | | | as much of the practice as the asana itself. So too is |
| that it is tough to mobilize and/or that your vacation | | | | the transition (i.e. travel) TO and FROM your vacation |
| takes you on all sorts of unexpected adventures. | | | | destination. So be open to what happens during this |
| 2. Bodies go into shock. Shock can be stiffness, | | | | travel time, and suspend judgment and |
| muscle soreness, stomach unrest, bug bites, etc. The | | | | expectations....when we expect travel to be too |
| plane/car rides alone can be enough to do this to our | | | | smooth or too miserable, we are often faced the blow |
| bodies, in addition to a significant increase or decrease | | | | of life not meeting our expectations. Just let what |
| in your regular level of activity. Plus it can be tough to | | | | happens happen, it's ALL part of the journey. Yeah, |
| maintain our mind/body and exercise practices when | | | | yeah, it's still annoying when our luggage is lost, but that |
| we are away from familiar settings and schedules. | | | | too is part of life.... |
| 3. "Out of element" challenges are exacerbated. More | | | | 4. Adjust expectations about your problems....our |
| people that I've observed seem to feel tested and | | | | "problems", "stresses", "baggage" are part of us. They |
| challenged by differences in environments. And they | | | | are not geographically contained. So if you are |
| put a lot of pressure on themselves to adapt, try new | | | | expecting your problems to stay at home, you may be |
| things, and be easy going. This pressure can be | | | | setting yourself up for a let down. Let your problems |
| stressful for all involved. do you find yourself feeling like | | | | come with you and as the Buddhists might say, |
| you "should" cram in every activity, you "should" relax, | | | | "welcome them in for a cup of tea (or a pina colada)" |
| etc. | | | | and acknowledge that they are with you. But perhaps |
| 4. You are more high-maintenance than you think. I've | | | | practice NOTICING when your problems creep up on |
| heard the phrase, "oh, I'm easy on vacation, don't | | | | you, when you are ruminating, and work on coming |
| worry about me", from almost every person I've met | | | | back to the present moment. |
| on day 1 of their vacation. Truthfully, I've only | | | | 5. Allow yourself to be high-maintenance...don't fight it. |
| encountered a handful of people whose needs do not | | | | Just acknowledge it, be aware of it, and practice |
| impose or encroach their travel companions' | | | | compassion toward those around you for the impact |
| experience. This is not bad! This is part of being human. | | | | that it might have. Listen to yourself talk, but don't |
| You'll know you are encroaching on other people, if | | | | overly censor yourself because denial and |
| you hear yourself uttering, "can you just....", "can we | | | | self-recrimination, will only make you uncomfortable |
| just..." more than 3 times a day. Usually "just" doing | | | | and annoy those around you. It's ok, we are ALL |
| anything results in someone else having to change their | | | | high-maintenance sometimes. |
| plans. | | | | 6. Notice your body. Take 10 second breaks, waiting |
| These are my observations after being around | | | | on the jetway at the airport, on the beach, at the top |
| families, extended families, stranger, friends, and | | | | of a mountain, wherever, and just like you would on |
| couples for extended periods of time while they are | | | | your mat....notice what you are feeling in your body. No |
| on vacation. | | | | judgment, just notice. It will help you keep your body |
| How can tools from our yoga practice help us enjoy | | | | mind connection, and help you stay grounded. |
| our vacations more? (and perhaps become more fun | | | | 7. Take a vacation at home instead of away. If you |
| travel companions) | | | | find destination vacations stressful for any of the |
| | | | reasons above, FORGIVE YOURSELF, you are |
| 1. Just like you don't enjoy every posture in your yoga | | | | human! Vacations can be anywhere, anytime. So take |
| practice, it's OK to not enjoy every part of our | | | | a weekend or a week at home, unplug, buy tasty |
| vacation. So take the pressure off and acknowledge | | | | foods, exercise or not, practice yoga or not, do what is |
| that just like in our practice, there will be pleasurable | | | | enjoyable and EASY for YOU. It's ok, you don't have |
| moments, challenging moments, unpleasant moments | | | | to go anywhere to take a reprieve from everyday life. |
| and humorous moments. And all we can do is breathe | | | | Just like in savasana, vacations are intended to give |
| through each of these moments. Vacations are not | | | | our minds and our bodies a BREAK, not to cause |
| meant to by 100% idyllic - just like what happens on | | | | excess stress...so whatever enables this for you is |
| our yoga mat, vacations are a microcosm of our | | | | your vacation. |