On Friday 5th October, a small group of Surval girls set off across Switzerland to Lake Como for their Yoga Retreat Weekend. Starting with yoga on the train and finishing with yoga at sunrise, the girls experienced a different type of trip. One where they took some time to be present, push worries aside and concentrate on themselves. Staying at the five-star Parco San Marco Hotel and having access to a spa and a massage, made this a truly necessary relaxing weekend. Florencia, G10, Mexico, Violeta, G9, Mexico, and Sofia, G10, Mexico, share their experience...
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Pranayama by the Shores of Lake Como: A Weekend Yoga Retreat
On Friday the fifth of October we set off from school to journey to ‘Lago di Como’, or Lake Como, to give it its English name, for a weekend yoga retreat. With a seven hour journey to our final destination, we were determined to make the most of every minute, and so our first yoga experience began on the train! Trying to hold poses on a moving train and in limited space certainly ensured that it was a challenge…
When we arrived at the hotel, we were astonished by the amazing view. The atmosphere was calm and we began to relax after a busy week at school. That evening, we had a delightful dinner, and went to bed eagerly looking forward to the next day’s experiences.
Saturday began with our first yoga lesson, during which we focused on stretching our bodies; the best way to start a day! A well-earned .JPG)
breakfast followed, and afterwards, we were fortunate enough to enjoy a lovely massage. In the afternoon we cycled into the beautiful nearby town of Parlezzo, discovering the little nooks the town offered, before treating ourselves to some mouth-watering gelatos!
As the sun set on Lake Como, we had another yoga session, this time one that focused on developing the bond between yoga partners. We had to connect in a trustful way in order to accomplish difficult yoga poses. Acroyoga, which combines yoga and acrobatics, is an amazing way to channel our energy, build strength and relieve stress. We proved to ourselves that everything we try to accomplish can become a reality with effort and dedication.
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As we woke on Sunday, we felt sad that the weekend was almost ending. The day began with a morning yoga session outdoors in the fresh air. The focus of this session was breathing exercises, or Pranayama, which is the foundation of yoga. As we worked on our breathing, we were able to gaze out at the sun rising above the lake.
And so our yoga retreat came to an end, and we journeyed back to Surval. We are thankful for the little things that defined this amazing trip. It was a real pleasure to have Ardiana Nolfo, our yoga teacher, who guided us during this incredible weekend, and inspired us to continue to work on our yoga technique in the future.
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