TO THE SEA RETREAT

A yoga retreat which isn’t too wooly or strict, where you can surf and a yoga retreat with wine?! It sounded like heaven to me! To The Sea Retreat is all about having fun and enjoying your own beautiful journey like you’re on a actual holiday (which it kinda is of course;) ).

It was my first time going to a yoga retreat and the first time I went alone on a trip. To be honest, that was one of the best things for me. It felt so good to just be there on my own, working on my own path and doing the things I want to do.

So when you are afraid to go by yourself (I certainly was), go anyways! It’s an amazing experience and you really have the time for yourself. And because you’re literally away from your current situation it gives you so much space to think and look at things from a distance without other people influencing you.

The retreat was in a very beautiful villa with a super cozy living room and a huge garden with a (warm!) swimming pool. Also, it’s located in the mountains nearby the sea. I had a room with sea view and wauw, the first thing you see after waking up and opening the curtains is the most beautiful view with palms, the mountains and the sea.. Just wauw. Can I wake up like this every day please?

I shared a room with one girl, Lisa (I got lucky because she’s such a sweetheart!). There’s a small group of people in the villa so you aren’t alone at all. You will make new friends very easily. Lisa and I are still friends after the retreat, so funny how things work out!

Every day there are 2 yoga classes. An early morning practice and an afternoon practice. The afternoon practice was often a restorative practice since we’ve been surfing in between the classes. The yoga teacher Jodie is such an amazing soul with a huge happy energy which you’ll definitely notice in her classes. What also was a super fun experience: partner yoga! On the last day we had a partner yoga class which was all about trust, letting go and having fun. I really liked it!

In between the yoga classes we went surfing with a teacher from Future Surf. The waves were really nice and very good for beginners.

We also had a boat trip to the caves which was so cool! Portugal is so beautiful and the water is so blue.. It’s breathtaking.

Next to the classes, the surfing and the other activities there’s also life coaching. Something which I think is very valuable. It’s something you can bring home so you can continue working on your journey after the retreat. The life coach Denise is wonderful! She’s a very kind and funny person and it’s almost like she can see through your soul. She made a little ‘To The Soul’ workbook to work on during the retreat, but also when you get home.

Allright, let’s take a moment for the food! I really thought I would lose some weight over there since you have a lot of exercise and I thought we wouldn’t get big meals or sugar, snacks, or alcohol. But, I was wrong! YAY! Even though almost all the food was vegan and gluten free (thank you Maja, the best chef I’ve met!), there were so many options and meals that you could eat for like 3 people! The breakfast (Anna makes breakfast, all Bali inspired, LOVE!) is huge! Smoothie bowls, overnight oats, home made granola, chia pudding, fresh juice, but also avocado toast or, for the not vegans, eggs and cheese. The options are endless! The best snack I will never forget: the vegan and gluten free chocolate brownie, my fav (Maja, can I please take you home?!), I ate like 3 pieces (very mindfully though)… With my favorite red wine.. So no I didn’t lose weight. I might have gained a little haha! But the important thing is that it doesn’t matter.. You are alive, enjoying, giving yourself love and knowing what life’s all about: Balance.

Looking back I’m so grateful. Grateful for this beautiful experience, grateful for the beautiful souls. So grateful I could be a part of this, thank you girls (& even bigger thanks to Anna & Jodie for organizing this amazing retreat!)  <3