In the hills north of Santa Cruz we arrive at a tiny village of yurts for the weekend. Our first multi-day retreat event and it was a beautiful and uplifting experience. Several workshop leaders gave mind and body exercises - dances - yoga - massage - and even a cuddle group. On the last day we did a fun scavenger hunt in the forest.
On-camera: Natasha, Tusitala, Cassidi, Kris, Mari, Ousia, Tedybear, kittikat, Lee, Kevin, Kalash, Milmo, Crystal, Tim, Bunnie, Flow, Charlie
Photos: Len, Spencer, Digits, Paul, Zach, Nomad
event-31
Bare Your Soul
event-31
Bare Your Soul
gallery-1 121 photos Thursday and Friday the first of us arrive to prepare for the weekend ahead.
gallery-2 104 photos Friday night most of us have arrived. We share a meal, then head over to the dance yurt for some close encounters.
gallery-3 114 photos Flow (her name) leads us through some heart-opening exercises. Our little group becomes connected.
gallery-4 109 photos The day begins with breakfast in the kitchen yurt, then some time in the hot tub before heading over for yoga.
gallery-5 115 photos You have not really done yoga until you do yoga naked, out in sunshine and fresh air.
gallery-6 110 photos Flow continues to lead the group through easy relaxing yoga and some breathing exercises.
gallery-7 121 photos Without a barrier of clothing hatha yoga truly frees and relaxes the body, mind and soul!
gallery-8 122 photos After yoga we spontaeously crowd together in the middle of the lawn like one big amoeba. After that, group photo!
gallery-9 115 photos Saturday afternoon, back to the yurt for a massage workshop with Ousia.
gallery-10 101 photos Partners work on each other's bodies releasing the tensions of too many earlier days in the clothed world of barriers.
gallery-11 103 photos This is a pure non-sexual pleasure. A unique higher ecstacy and transformation.
gallery-12 100 photos It is evening, after dinner and, of course, party time! Free form dancing in the kitchen yurt!
gallery-13 123 photos Sunday morning: the Intimacy Workshop (cuddle party) being lead by Lee. Challenge your zone of comfort!
gallery-14 117 photos Kris and Mari plan and set up the scavenger hunt. Then the groups head out into the forest.
gallery-15 107 photos A map helps them find places and hidden clues. Then they must shoot a photo expressing a given phrase.
gallery-16 115 photos We follow the third group as they find their fun clues and come up with creative interpretations.
gallery-17 109 photos Sunday night and the guys stuck with cameras all day are pounced on and given massages by everyone!
nomad-notes
The year prior to this event Erik told me about a retreat place called Salamander Camp not far from San Jose. It was a new idea to do something like this so we did a one-day event first, which you can see if you go back to Event-18 Dreaming in Color. This time it was a full weekend packed with activities and workshops. It went very well. But since then we have not repeated "Bare Your Soul" because of the cost of doing it. I would break even if I charged everyone at least $200 but most of the people I wanted to have there would not have come because of the financial barrier. I would be interested in hearing from people if they are interested in something like this. We could make it a yearly event.
