Hey, guys! Nic and I are on the fourth day of our 8-day stay at Atmosphere Resorts and Spa in Dauin, Dumaguete. We’re currently hanging out by the pool and enjoying a scenic view of the ocean. How I wish you were here to experience this. Such a luxury!
Anyway, we arrived last Sunday with a full day to get settled and enjoy the place before my retreat began. And I’m blogging halfway through my retreat because there’s just so much to share, I wrote them all down while they’re still fresh! Check out my retreat journal below:
**********DAY 0 – SUNDAY
The smallest details never go unnoticed. From the moment we arrived at the airport, we felt the hospitality and warmth of the whole staff behind the resort. From the driver who picked us up to the wonderful housekeepers, everyone seemed happy to see us! Like most luxury resorts, we were welcomed with cold towels and refreshments. What’s unique about this one, though, is their choice of beverage: Fresh Calamansi with Cayenne Pepper and Turmeric. None of those unhealthy, sugary juices or anything. Why was I happy? Because even the welcome drink was obviously given some thought. In case you didn’t know, Calamansi is a local fruit similar to lime, packed with Vitamin C. Cayenne Pepper improves metabolism and Turmeric is great for healing any inflammation in the body.
I am in love with our room– bright, spacious and beautiful. Every detail looked lovely but what really caught my eye are the toiletries. You know the ones we get in small vials when we check into hotels and other resorts? Well, none of those were present here. The ones in our room are in reusable jars that will be replenished whenever necessary.
Amu’in, a Filipino-made range of aromatherapy products, supplies Atmosphere with toiletries all made with pure essential oils. Atmosphere chose to partner with them because this way they were able to do eco-friendly refills instead of the disposable plastic bottles/vials we’re so used to. The brand also only works with suppliers committed to local, fair trade. I was touched by the reason behind this partnership.
As we went around the resort we saw more of these thoughtful messages such as the ones found on their beverage mats and the chalkboard at the bar–all encouraging their guests to help them in their advocacy to preserve the environment and to help locals of the province.
I took all of these in and basked in the beauty of the place and the ocean. The food is an entirely different story and deserves an entirely separate blog post! But at this point, I know I am going to enjoy my stay.
DAY 1- MONDAY
At 7:30 AM, we were up at the Treehouse for a 30-minute meditation class with our teacher, Rae Collins.
Rae led us through a gentle Hatha class immediately after meditation and then allowed us to have breakfast. We came back up to the Treehouse after about an hour or so for a presentation on the roots of Yoga. And although we took this up during my yoga teacher training, I loved every minute of what felt like a mini refresher course.
We are scheduled to practice twice each day: one at 7:30 AM and the other at 4PM. Other than the times wherein workshops and presentations were scheduled, we are free to choose how to spend the rest of our time during the retreat.
DAY 2- TUESDAY
The learnings from the past two days are starting to sink in. We practiced Yin during both of our classes today. After the morning class, I realized just how much I missed the slow, gentle, long-holding practices such as Hatha and Yin Yoga. For months now, I have been practicing the style of yoga I have been teaching: Vinyasa. If you’re not familiar with this style, it’s the flowy, strong and dynamic style of practice. Riding the breath and moving almost as you would when dancing. I LOVE Vinyasa so much but I know that I NEED Yin in my practice to keep me grounded and balance things out.
Just after the first class today, I began to see how things seem to fit together so perfectly. One of the other attendees of the retreat has injured her shoulder, limiting the movements on her right arm. Rae very graciously asked us if we can keep our classes slow and gentle to accommodate this and we didn’t think twice when we said yes. After all, this is what we all came here for–to slow down. It was just what I needed which is why I guess I’m feeling more centered, grounded and once again mindful of myself and my surroundings.
ATMOSPHERE SOUP KITCHEN
After breakfast, Nic and I had the privilege of visiting the Atmosphere Soup Kitchen (ASK). This is a small facility also owned by Atmosphere just outside Dauin.
Here, children from a nearby school are fed everyday at lunch for free. The young children come from less fortunate families some of whom have parents who work at the Dumaguete Dumpsite.
These children used to skip school to help their parents at the dumpsite. And because money was needed to get food on their plates, education was pushed to the backseat.
Atmosphere stepped in 4 years ago with the Soup Kitchen initiative. Today, 85 children are fed a nutritious lunch every school day. Their class attendance, weight and height are closely monitored to ensure they stay on track. What an amazing way to give back (or forward, should I say)
A few hours after we returned to the resort, I went back up to the Treehouse for the second class. Rae facilitated another short talk on Emotional Freedom after the asana practice.
I find it funny how things that you’ve previously learned and try to apply seem to become clearer and make more sense after hearing about them all over again. Many of the things Rae said during the talk resonated so well with me that I kept nodding my head to basically everything she had to say!
And so as I sit here writing this entry, things slowly unravel and I am amazed by how each small experience I’ve taken note of seemed to be a tiny bead joining another bead, and another, and another until they are all bound by one string making them whole–like a Japa Mala. There’s one word that holds so much power and acts as the string, coming from Rae’s talk on Emotional Freedom. What is that word, you ask? INTENTION.
I’d have to say I am impressed by how Atmosphere has clearly set its intentions and made sure that all their actions led to those. This is truly a yogi’s haven! Never have I seen a resort (let alone a luxury resort) that put so much heart and compassion in what they do.
As for me, I guess my intentions here are also clear now. I’m spending the next few days to take a step back from my practice and enjoy a different perspective. It feels really, really nice to be a student again at the retreat. So grateful for the opportunity to just slow down and re-learn.
Well, off I go now. Check back here soon for more photos and stories about my retreat. Namaste! x
EDIT: Read about the rest of my experience at Atmosphere Resorts and Spa here and here.
Atmosphere Resorts and Spa is located at Maayong Tubig, National Road, Dauin, Negros Oriental, Philippines. Learn more through their website: www. atmosphereresorts.com
Photos by Nic Lim
