Yoga retreat for the non-yogi

For President's day weekend I took a trip to a Yoga farm with a few friends. I had no previous experience at a yoga camp and from what I know about SF yogis I thought  this could get overwhelming very quickly. Turns out we had a relaxing two days before heading back to the city. 

When doing research for yoga retreats I came to the conclusion that this is a pretty pricey hobby. Some run from $600-$2,500 for a weekend (Esalen) . Then I found Sivananda Yoga Farm which was very reasonably priced for a cabin with private bathroom and meals are included for the weekend.

As a side note, if you search on the internet for yoga retreats be sure to read some reviews and their mission. We almost attended a cult in the woods and decided to pass after reading their belief system which included extreme religious behavior and some nudity. I am grateful we did through research before committing!

The schedule was the same for each day and consisted of:

  • Early morning chant around 6am
  • Yoga 8-10am
  • Breakfast 10-11am
  • Karma Yoga (helping the community with simple chores such as cleaning the kitchen plates or sweeping)
  • Break 
  • Two hour lecture
  • Break
  • Yoga- 2 hours
  • Dinner 

I really enjoyed the food that was all vegan and some of which was grown on the farm, but be warned that there is no alcohol or caffeine. So if you need your morning cup of coffee bring your own- BYOC.

During the breaks you could read, hike, or meditate. We chose to do a short hike and lay in the hammocks. You are not obligated to  attend all the sessions, but it is highly encouraged.  We also had time to interact with the animals. You may have picked up on the "farm" part of the yoga retreat. This meant that there were llamas, goats, and other animals roaming the property. They were friendly as you can tell from the pictures. 

The weekend retreat allows you to stay three full days including all activities and meals. After two days we had a sufficient amount of  zen and were ready to head back home feeling accomplished. 

Until next time. Stay tuned. 

Whale & Dolphin Watching in Monterey Bay

Dophins

Whale watching is more exciting than it sounds! 

A weekend in February I traveled from SF to Monterey for a whale watching tour. I had anticipated an hour tour with 3 whales. I thought that would be a reasonable expectation.  Unfortunately, conditions are often unpredictable and no company can guarantee that you will see whales during your visit. That being said, there is a good chance that you will encounter sea animals in Monterey despite the time of year. Depending on the month and migration patterns you can expect that grey whales, blue whales, or killer whales.  For a schedule by month visit here

During the 2-3 hour tour we saw one whale breach and approximately 3 spouts from the water coming from whales under the surface. The wonderful surprise were the hundreds of dolphins. The pod chased the boat and jumped into the air. They also followed along very closely and appeared to be racing out boat. Although the video is not the best quality (due to excitement, rain, and turbulence) it gives a great pictures of the dolphins I saw during the journey. I could not believe how many I saw at once and how playful they were. 

I would highly recommend going through a local tour company, in particular I went with Monterey Whale Watch and had a great experience with highly educated guides. Don't forget to take a cash tip! Two thumbs up.

Until Next time. Stay Tuned.