ONEYOGAHOUSE

The energy of beginnings is always exciting. There’s an anticipation and usually a light breeze in the air as everyone arrives and begins to meet one another. Each retreat group is a unique mix of people: Old friends return, new ones accompany them, and the mix of energies makes each cohort a unique experience that is impossible to replicate. Experiencing this evolution alongside our guests is always special.

Upon gathering together for the first time, we often ask retreat guests to share how they are arriving. This is a call to share as little or as much as they like with a simple question that helps us all get a sense of the collective energy and allows students to land inside their bodies.

With this first session, we begin setting our intentions, acknowledging where we’re at, and what we’re craving. Our first physical practice is always grounding, offering space to land after a travel day and an introduction to techniques we’ll expand upon over the next few days. As we roll up our mats — swag bags in hand — and journey to the resort restaurant space for our first dinner together, the energy is anticipatory and vibrant.

Nourishing ourselves is a key component of any retreat, and our shared meals are fulfilling beyond just savoring delicious food. Serving as one of the main connection points throughout the long weekend, these meals provide time for conversation and laughter.

Our May retreat also often lines up with the opening weekends when local restaurants are just beginning to gear up for the busy summer season. Places like Clam Bar and Duryeas offer fresh dining experiences by the water and out in the sun. Rosie’s in Amagansett is a favorite for a cozy burger, brunch, or coffee. We always make a stop at a few of these local spots during lunchtime.

Another highlight of exploring this beach town is stumbling upon local boutiques for unique finds. We love finding gifts at unique stores like Warm, Road to Nowhere, Love Adorned, Adam Mar, Il Buco Vita, and Suzie Kondi, to name a few. We’ve picked up our favorite jeans, cozy sweaters, unique jewelry, and gifts like a Japanese watercolor set or a book of French love poems that recipients have cherished. Whether we leave with new treasures for ourselves or our loved ones, exploring the unique artisan offerings is always a fun shopping experience.

A welcome break from the city, Montauk offers a renewing experience of fresh air. Whether it’s simply enjoying time on a lawn chair outside of the hotel, indulging in a watermelon salad by the water at Duryeas, watching the surfers catch the famous Montauk waves at Ditch Planes, or taking a refreshing cold plunge in the Atlantic Ocean, these moments in nature are a welcome break from our devices that keep many of us tethered to our desks for hours on end in the city.

Even though Montauk has so much to offer, we carve out time and space for rest and restoration. Our Sound Meditation evening meets attendees right on cue, and is always a highlight of the retreat. It’s impactful to witness many students experience sound for the first time.

Even for those who have participated in a sound experience before, this one feels timely and energetically aligned. Many have shared that they have been able to shift into a state they may not have experienced before. The power of how sound and breath can affect all the systems of our body is a wonder to experience, whether for the first or hundredth time, and Anna leads a powerful but restorative session that instantly calms the nervous system.

Our friends at local eatery Rooted treat our retreat guests to a very special night out on Saturday evening. We sip on cocktails outside before a beautiful meal is presented before us. The restaurant’s intimate setting welcomes our guests to indulge in seasonal, farm-to-table food and friendship together. As our final dinner together as a group, this private moment is a chance for all of us to slow down, savor the experience, and reflect on the time we’ve shared.

On Sunday Morning, we close out our weekend with one last practice before a farewell brunch.

The container of a retreat means getting to practice with the same group each day — it’s a familiarity that allows us as instructors a unique opportunity to offer depth to the practice, as we can build on previous sessions. There’s a sense of camaraderie and support in the atmosphere itself that is unique at this concluding point of the retreat.

For Rachel, this final practice session feels particularly magical in that everything comes full circle.

“It brings the largest sense of joy and energy in the room, as movement themes are tied together, peak poses are attempted, breathwork and somatics uplevel our energy, and laughter dominates,” she shares. “Anna and I usually teach this session together, and there is such a beautiful synchronization between us as teachers and between our students. It’s the peak of connection and adaptability, and a beautiful, joyful way to close out our time together.”

Heading off into our farewell brunch, it’s always neat to think back on how we arrived and notice how we are leaving, as shifts can begin even within this short 3-day experience. We might walk away with a sweet memory or a new friend as we return home with a sense of renewal.