Another special Yogatraveller week at La Source… We had 4 wonderful Irish women across 2 generations, and a lovely American traveller. Back at base, there was also a group doing rock climbing and hiking and 2 journalists. From the first night, everyone was excitedly chatting as though they had known each other for weeks!

 

Rain was forecast for 3 days, but every morning, we woke up and the sun peeped through the clouds until after our morning yoga practice by the lake. We were only forced indoors one morning and the dojo is so calming that it was hardly a sacrifice!

 

So, as always at La Source, the weeks are spontaneous and adventurous. We skipped the overnight in a refuge due to the impending storm, but the girls did a day hike up instead. It was only the promise of hot lemon tart and Gina’s Reike that got everyone to the top and it was well worth it for the views and satisfaction. It was also good training for Sarah and Miriam’s little involuntary adventure… They ended up getting lost one afternoon and hiking miles up a canyon!

 

By the end of the week it was close to 30 degrees in the sunshine. The Irish gals were in bliss and could not get enough warm rays.

 

My cousin John – mountain legend and free spirit was here leading the rock climbing. He spent 10 years studying White Crane – a healing form of martial art so we did a White Crane yoga session by the Lake one morning. A lovely old French woman passing on her bicycle stopped and started to mimic our actions. We invited her into our circle and she practiced with us for a little white. We had other guests, like the neighbours cows, and a few goats. Of course Java, our dog, showed us all up doing downward dog.

 

Everyone made great progress with the yoga. The grass really helped give confidence to those a little anxious about headstand. The group were experienced yogi’s and we managed to get quite experimental with postures and in meditation. We drew upon Deepak Chopra’s 7 daily spiritual laws of Yoga.

 

After some serious hikes and 3 hours of yoga a day, the girls decided to have an afternoon treating themselves to Shiatsu massages by our local Tai Chi master. He kindly offered to lead us in an interesting Dance of Shiva – a sort of a meditative Tai Chi Dance which was a novel experience. It is amazing what you come across deep in the countryside! 

 

Lots of love, Saskia