Re-connecting

I knew I was heading to Gaia retreat and spa well in advance because hello (how else does a mother of three active children get to spend 3 nights away including two flights) and I knew it was in the NSW hinterland so would be lush and tropical. In fact, I did a mental inventory of my indoor plants and can confirm every single one was in the outdoor gardens at Gaia ha-ha.

We were going to spend time with my Mum’s very very best friend Jenny (inside joke on the double very) and her daughter Kate, as a reconnection since the passing of their husband and father. A way to reconnect, relax and rejuvenate all in one trip.

There were spa treatments galore amongst us, along with breath work, yoga, reflection and meditation. Time for reading by the pool, naps, leisurely walks among the gardens and as much or as little conversation as we desired. All of which contributed to the relax and rejuvenation goals.

There was laughter, memories recollected, dining together over the most delicious food and the ease of silence amongst longtime friends. The friendship has spanned over 30 years. I used to babysit Kate. I took her to her first concert. We raced together for Parkes Sharks Swimming club. And now we are talking and laughing about all the memories as adults and as (we decided) lifelong friends.

What I didn’t know, was just how much I needed that reconnection. Not just with the beautiful women we don’t get to see often enough, but the reconnection to nature, to my breath, to my body and to the silence I so often crave but can’t always find in a busy home with 3 kids, a reactive dog and a husband who loves to do all the outdoor jobs at the oddest of times.

I can still feel the peace that washed over me as I lay in the morning sun by the pool reading a fantastic book.

Now that peace can’t only be found in the luxury of a retreat or I will be broke in a flash! It got me thinking about ways in which I can continue practices that bring me peace amongst the chaos.

I’m going to continue to read my books instead of watch the tv or doom scroll. I have a higher appreciation for the early morning walks Dusty (said reactive dog) and I take to start each day, and I am continuing some healthy eating habits that start my morning better and even make that morning coffee taste better. I’m giving myself permission to rest as I need it and not feel an ounce of guilt as I do.

In sitting with the luxury of all that designed space to create the peace, I created a greater appreciation for the small ways in which I can find peace amongst the chaos. Hopefully it lasts and it doesn’t drop off after a couple of weeks. But the beauty of that is, it is all up to me.