Have you knowingly or unknowingly dived into the ‘unknown’ zone? How recently did you have a new experience outside your comfort zone? Well, an opportunity to dive into the unknown often comes to you suddenly and then it depends what choices you make. Something like that happened to me recently, albeit it was not the first time.
Last week, my friend and I booked a wellness retreat with Isvara Wellbeing for a day. We both were so excited. Going away for the whole day, not for work but for ourselves! The thought itself was so soothing for both of us- young mothers.
A cloud-ridden morning of the D-day rose, and my friend texted me that she couldn’t make it for unavoidable reasons. Ouch! That hurt. My heart is with her but if I am being honest, this turn of events was a little disheartening. I was looking forward to that long drive chit-chatting with her. But heigh ho!
Now, I was left with a choice. And my heart went with the road less taken. However, the chaos in my mind had not settled until thirty minutes into the drive. Usually, when I am thrown into the unknown it is often that I’d be on my own, which is still my comfort zone. But this time, I was going to be with a new group of people. Now, that’s awkward for me – unknown social interaction with no familiar person except the instructor.
Anyway, my play list helped and after about 30 mins into the drive, a thought struck me. That, hey this is usual for me, always put into new situations. Situations that make me uncomfortable, but I reach the finish line successfully. And that rush of excitement after incredible experience is what gives me the thrill.
Meeting new people, making new friends- became the light at the end of my tunnel. I became ready to push my boundaries without having a comfort zone (my friend) to fall back into. With this thought, the rest of the drive was transformed into a self-exploring one.
My Exhilarating Ride
Soon, I entered the New Forest area after taking the exit from M27 on to A31. And behold! I felt like I had passed through The Ring* and entered a new world. New unseen landscapes, dense trees, and a cloudy, rainy morning that it felt like dusk. For about few miles, there were fields on both sides of the road with the boundaries not too far. Horses were grazing and I was the only one on the road at the time. Ever felt like you are on an alien planet, all alone, no clue where you are headed except those distorted instructions from Google Maps? It felt like a scene straight from a sci-fi thriller! (Yeah, I watch and read a lot of them).
By the time I arrived at the location, I was in a whole new place in my head. Completely primed for a new experience. All the people in the group had come in pairs – 2 pairs of best friends, a couple, and a mother-daughter duo. Heck, even the instructor had come with her husband. I was the only one by myself. But nothing could dishearten me now. How amazing it is, that with just one thought you can switch the emotions you feel. Like the spiritual guides say, what we feel is in our hands. Indeed!
So, it began.
The workshop
It started with all of us introducing ourselves and sharing how the past few months have been for us. Why we are here and what we are hoping to get out of the workshop. We started with a quick round of guided meditation, that calmed me down even further. I was a bit worried about my daughter and my husband who were left alone with each other for such a long time for the first time. By the end of the meditation, I could put that worry away.
Later, we were asked to get a drink and pair up with someone unknown to talk about the challenges of the past year. However, we ended up talking in a group about general things like how our lives have changed, how technology has made us their slaves instead of augmenting our lives.
The exact sequence of the events is a bit blur because I was so relaxed that my mind absorbed itself into the experience rather than remembering everything that happened. I will try to share what I felt throughout the day in various activities instead of focussing on the events.
When we did some Tai Chi, initially it felt like a regular exercise. We were holding an imaginary ball and moving it in various directions. The instructor then said, imagine a ball of energy. Whoa! That changed my perception. I imagined a ball of energy between my hands and within seconds I could feel it. I was in the flow and I could let go.
We lied down again and performed some meditation. This time I dozed off. We were provided with bean bags (if needed) which amplified the relaxing so much for me. After a snack break, we performed walking meditation.
Walking meditation is mindful, slow walking focussing on lifting (of foot), placing (of foot), and shifting the weight. When I was out there on the grass, barefoot, I tried to follow the instructions, and I noticed that shifting of weight and lifting the other foot are a simultaneous activity. I could not separate them. Secondly, as soon as we were asked to move, I saw a tree stump and headed towards it. My entire concentration was on reaching the stump. Halfway through, I realised that why am I so focused on getting to the stump, why can’t I be? Why can’t I be in the moment, here? This question led to a trail of thoughts.
Aren’t we all always focussed on getting somewhere? Get to work, get to shopping, get to dinner, etc. Also, focused on getting to intangible destinations – get to higher position, get to better home, get to better salary, etc. Why can we not pause and appreciate?
With this thought, I let go of the tree stump. I changed my direction abruptly, looked at a whole new scene. Paused. Took in the surroundings, birds chirping, trees swaying and felt the breeze in my hair and the soft grass below my feet- the most random things that go unnoticed made me feel one again.
After another round of some meditation, we broke for lunch. I made new friends, talked about life, perspectives, and some general banter. When we got back, we were asked to write down about the positives from the past few months and about what we want to do in the coming months.
The last hour was utilised in doing deep relaxation followed by sound bath. The experience is inexplicable. When I woke up, it felt like I was really waking up after shedding off the weight.
The final part of the retreat was a walk in the forest. The Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary is a part of the very dense New Forest with extremely tall trees and beautiful flora and fauna.
The enchanting stillness of the forest made us feel all so alive in the end.
*The Ring is the reference from a fictional series based on interstellar explorations, Expanse.
Written by: Chahna D
Edited by: Milauni T
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