
Day 3, by Kristy Alpert

As the sky settled into a mellow shade of blue, I made my way in silence to the yoga hut a bit earlier than usual for the optional morning meditation. We were challenged to spend the rest of the mornings during the 16-day training in complete silence through breakfast. While it’s been a struggle for me to keep my trap shut (I literally had to hold my hand over my mouth this morning to keep from asking my roommate if she also saw the giant spider in the bathroom), it’s been cool to see my sensations coming awake through my silence. I noticed I was more aware of my surroundings, I observed details in my pathway I’d never seen before, and I was able to fully experience the flavors of each bite while I ate quietly amongst my peers.
The rest of the day was spent breaking down more asanas, learning the best way to make assists, and teaching sun salutations with a partner. Already teaching has become less intimidating, and I’m starting to see myself become less awkward in my phrases. At least I didn’t ask anyone to bang their head on their mat today!
And that, my dear friends, is what I call making progress.
Packing tip of the day: Bug spray! Holding poses while mosquitos survey their targets is much easier for the few of us that came prepared. Even just a few dabs of sage and rosemary essential oils seem to do the trick.