Happy 4th to all. It has been weird to not hear fireworks going off all day. I kinda like it though. Fireworks are not my favorite thing and it was good timing to escape them.
This has been a chill day. The retreat leader and I went to the river near by and sat out for a couple of hours. The other two retreat participants had their massages this morning.
I love being close to water but don’t enjoy getting in the water so I sat on the river bank for the longest time. The song Down in the River to Pray kept going through my head as well as It Is Well With my Soul. Such a peaceful, beautiful spot to sit and enjoy the beauty of nature.
I then went up to the Temple where we are doing ceremony tomorrow and laid down on one of the mats and took a short nap. The energy in the Temple is amazing and it was good to sit in it for a bit before ceremony tomorrow.
We came back to our home base around 12:30 and had lunch. The leader took the other two participants to the river but I stayed behind this time. I needed some quiet time by myself. I have slept, read and rested all afternoon
At some point we will have dinner. It is to be here at 6:30 but sometimes it comes at 6:00 and sometimes closer to 8:00. We are on relax time here so exact time doesn’t happen often. Not sure what the plan is for after dinner. We will probably have a group meditation or something like that.
Tomorrow is Ceremony that is to start around 10:00 and my understanding is it will go through most of the day. I’m sure tomorrow evening will be recovery time as will Saturday. I have another massage scheduled for Saturday some time.
Sunday we fly back to San Jose where I will spend the night at the same hotel I got stuck in the elevator. Monday I will fly home.
The time has flown by. It has been a wonderful combination of busy things and quiet time. Lots of personal learnings for me as well as lots of relaxation time where I had no responsibilities for anyone but myself. I needed that!
Grateful for this opportunity to spend time with like minded women and to allow time for deeper learnings and understanding about myself. I’m looking forward to getting home and putting my new learning to the test of my real life.
Being on the other side of 70 sure makes me realize how lucky I am to be there. I wouldn’t want the struggles these young women are facing. My quiet life in rural America feels even more like heaven after hearing about the struggles some of them are facing. Been there, done that! Survived to tell the tale!
Grateful for a quiet, uneventful day, grateful for the beauty of Mother Nature and the jungle, and grateful for the new friends I am making.