As we enter the days of the Eagle in the Mayan Calendar, The Celebration of Light (Chanukah), following the day of grace (Thanksgiving), I’m feeling even more connected with the earth, the mother, the abuelitas (the grandmothers). I made it to the Carribean, where the Mountains are documented as the highest mountains closest to the ocean. The Indigenous believe it to be “el Corazon del Mundo”- the Heart of the World, (and Machu Pichhu, the belly button).
Lulu Cordoba, who hosts Yoga Tayrona Retreats, showed me around her house which is one of the few houses still allowed to remain inside the park, as it was a fisherman’s house before the park became property of Colombia. To arrive, you enter the park, drive about 15 minutes on a dirt road to the ocean, and then either find a fisherman to bring you in his boat, or climb through the jungle, over a small mountain to one of the most stunning and secluded coves, I have ever witnessed. I finally met the sacred Palo Santo tree and practiced acrobatics in the warm and tranquil water, embracing the contrast of the bluest blues, and greenest greens of the jungle and the ocean. Lulu also organized an AcroYoga workshop in Santa Marta, in the new Hotel Casa Verde, inside a small garden next to a pool, fountain, and open to the ocean sky.
A sweet couple, Ios and Claudia, invited us to spend a few days at their retreat center, on the beach past Tayrona. They have committed to protecting much of the surrounding land as nature reserve. Their cabins, reminded me of Yurts, with the showers, outside and open to fresh air. There’s no electricity, only candles, and all the buildings are built on top of white sand in between palm and coconut trees. We stayed in the cabin that was originally the yoga studio, with a colorful tile mandala in the middle of the floor, and sacred vibrations of practice and prayers.
The food, Divina (Divine, an expression commonly used to describe people, places, most everything), fresh, local, and made with lots of love. We walked up the river to Quebrada Valencia, a series of waterfalls, also in warm water. I felt so at home with the vegetation, as it reminded me of the tropical forest in Costa Rica and in Bali, where I have farmed and trekked with students. As I took of my sandals, and finally connected with the earth of Colombia, after teaching and living in cities for the last month, I was reminded of the power and importance of this connection.
We continued barefoot the following day on a trek through Tayrona National Park from 11am to 6pm en route to the beaches where many people camp, and the most famous beach, La Piscina. The rain was pretty continuous on the way in and the muddy trail went up to my knees at times. There were leaf-cutter ants, monkeys, frogs, horses, mules and lots of mud.
We met up with a group of Chilenos who were also staying at Ios and Claudias’. And rocked the trail like Avatars. On the return, during the golden hour, the rain stopped, the light made the jungle into a fairyland, the air was warm, and we ran and jumped and swung from the trees.
I flew back to Bogotá, ate in the airport at Crepes and Waffles, a chain restaurant with one of the best and cheapest salad bars I have ever experienced (with quinoa and lots of yummies, for under $4). I love the Bogotá airport, for this and because there is free internet. It was rainy and cold in Bogotá, so I dropped my bag off at a sweet sister’s house, grabbed a few changes of clothes and my harmonium and took off on the last flight of the day to Cali.
I arrived at Carlitos house, where I stayed previous to going to the beach, and where Justin and I taught our workshops. In the morning, a group of us, jumped in his jeep and headed off to the countryside for a Temescal~Sweat Lodge. On the way, we stopped on the side of the road for Arrepas, traditional corn tortillas, that Colombias eat (apparently) everyday. Finally arriving, to the house of Chichan and Catalina. There was more mud, as it has been raining in Colombia for the last 3 months, so barefoot again, I approached the bonfire and the temescal.
I’ve been in contact with a friend, Claudia Yasmin, of Catalina and Chichan for about 3.5 years now, with the intention of getting to her EcoAldea (eco-village), La Atlantida. Many of my brothers and sisters have participated in ceremony with her, and have recommended a visit. She was Just in Mexico with Catalina and Chichan, and on the day of the Temescal, in Medellin.
It felt so in the flow, and so right, to finally arrive to the home of friends connected with dear friends, to sit, sweat, sing, and rebirth. The songs the same as those I have encountered in the Temescales and ceremonies, in Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Hawaii, Thailand, and Bali. The earth is becoming even more connected and there are people honoring it, and coming together to send out these sacred vibrations.
I also was blessed to be able to offer prayers for my Boubeh,-Abuelita-Grandmother. At the age of 102.5 she had been staying in independent living until a fall last week, and is now recovering in a hospital in Portland, Maine. She is now being asked to move to assisted living and out of her apartment where she’s been for over ten years. I feel this as a big shift in her life, and in ours, as her family.
This connection and care for our grandparents is so important, as they are those who hold the knowledge, the history, the wisdom. Even if they are not able to empathize completely with where we are (especially as a travelling teacher of massage and flying), I know my abuelita understands so much that I can’t even imagine.
With the temescal, and time at the beach, these last two weeks have given me lots of space to meditate over what I want and what my purpose is on this planet… My intention for the temescal, was one of rebirth, of connection not only to the earth, but to the people of this planet, my grandmother, and to the divine in gratitude. As a woman of strong and grounded intuition.
On the coast, a friend of mine, asked me about where I feel the yoga is in AcroYoga. I love this question because it really made me think about why for me, AcroYoga is completely sacred, an offering. Why when I teach, communities receive the practice and take care of us, with food, housing, company and love. It brought me back to my intention with the practice, which is to share this love, connection, communication, touch, presence, union. That AcroYoga is a medium for bringing this intention and that the AY teachers, share this intention of creating conscious loving community. That is why it is so powerful. We bring the Yoga to AcroYoga.
In love,
Sam
