Stiniva Beach -- Vis, Croatia

I'm starting this post from the patio at the our breathtaking retreat in Vis. A palm tree jubilantly displays its fan-shaped leaves to my right, dandelion flowers and rosemary sprigs drink from a glass in front of me and a hammock swings in the delicate breeze just beyond. A wood and brick ceiling protects me from the delicate pitter patter of the rain and I feel like I could sit and look and listen for hours.

I love how the leaves bend to accept the rain. How it sends the fragile, elegant flowers into a string of haphazard chaines turns. The rock walls don't appear bothered in the least. 

How lonely the hammock looks. 

Igor sits to my left. Drinking coffee, smoking a cigarette and checking his phone.

I hope he's enjoying the rain as much as I am.

Yesterday's schedule ran much more smoothly. I emphasized twists in the morning flow and included a guided meditation on loving kindness and savasana assists in the evening deep opening sequence.

My group loved it. I was absolutely elated.

Vinyasa yoga is like a brilliantly awkward film. The first time you watch it, you're like, "whaaaat is this about?" the second time you spend half the film hiding your awkward chuckles. The third time, you're like, "this is the most brilliant thing I've ever seen." Yes. This is vinyasa yoga. People are chuckling awkwardly right now.

For the afternoon excursion, Mario loaded us into the taxi van and deposited us at a trail head that led to a gorgeous tiny beach.

It felt incredible to scamper down the cliff.

I was a mountain goat in my past life. Or a marmot. Something that loved scampering around in the rocks.

Walking back up the cliff was even better. But the conversations I had while soaking in sunshine on the beach were by far the best.

We talked about the value of planning.

"I think that planning has the potential to create attachment. Attachment has the potential to create anxiety. Anxiety has the potential to create fear. Fear can cause people to horde possessions, to sink into depression, to collapse into panic attacks... Planning also has the potential to create hope, which is a source of inspiration for loads of people... but in my experience, it's best to plan loosely without attachments to results. Also, I don't think the future exists, so to me, planning serves as an escape from the present. Which I definitely still need to do at times, but I'm learning to relax and let life find me."

We talked about religion, adventure sports, meditation and art. We ate nuts and dried fruit and threw stones into the sea.

I want to spend my life with people like this... I'll try not to become too attached to the idea, though. Ach. 

I expressed my teaching insecurities to Kristina that evening.

"Aimee, what you make is yoga. And this is the kind of yoga you should be making. Until you are thirty, asana should be the most important. You are young, you feel good in your body, you enjoy it. When you are thirty, pranayama is most important. When you are forty, it is meditation. You are on the good journey. Just accept when your journey changes and you need something different. You are super!"

Kristina reached forward and gave me a kiss. And once again told me that I was "super".

I think I love her.