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lindawellnesswarrior-blog · 7 years ago

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Wellness Warrior Adventure Belize

Linda Wellness Warrior Adventure, Belize

"Breathtaking and more exhilarating than imagined. I was history. Thankful for going on this journey.” -M. Wilkey

What happens when a group of 12 embark upon a Wellness Warrior Adventure? A spiritually enlightening experience!

Back in March 2017, Linda Wellness Warrior hosted the first (of many) Wellness Warrior Adventures, in beautiful Belize. Belize it or not, It brings me great joy to travel abroad with groups on wellness retreats to experience places less traveled, and engage in local culture.

The goal of the trip was for wellness warriors to heal relationships with old habits, behaviors, and beliefs to re-emerge feeling wholeness of spirit! Old habits, behaviors, and beliefs can be questioned as you search for new and inventive ways to make progress. It was my mission to help guide participants, in putting themselves at the center of themselves and their future goals.

Linda Wellness warriors, including myself, conquered fears, and learned the beauty of surrendering. The demographics ranged from mid 30s – 70s, women and men. I was fortunate to have my parents accompany me this trip; a cherished experience. Other women traveled with their mothers and worked on breathing life into their relationships. This trip was my Yoga. Spending time with my father abroad has taught me as yoga has, to open and surrender to my father’s way of loving his daughter. Yoga teaches us when we accept ourselves for who we are, we’re willing to forgive and accept others for who they are. It’s why these retreats are important for our mental health. Practicing mindfulness isn’t always an easy feat during our day-to-day lives. Retreats allow us to conquer fears, surrender, be balanced, and hopefully, when we’re back to our everyday lives, we take the feeling from the experience with us and remember to take time out for ourselves. You don’t have to travel abroad to retreat. You can carve out a space in your home, take a walk, BREATHE and just be still. That’s really all a retreat is--a quiet space away from our busy lives where we can just breathe!

On our retreat, we rode horseback to Mayan Ruins and went cave tubing on underground rivers. The entire trip was symbolic of both the masculine and feminine, from the elements to the imagery; the combined energies, which in Yoga practice represents balance. That spoke to me deeply.

Xunantunich Ruins

Xunantunich in the Yucatec Maya language means “Stone Woman,” however, it’s a modern name the locals gave the site after reports of it being haunted by the ghost of a woman with glowing red eyes! It was a major ceremonial center. The 135 feet Xunantunich Ruins are not the largest of the Mayan settlements, but it certainly has its interesting features. During the 2.5-hour horseback ride, we rode under massive palms. Taking in the surreal view, I felt like we were being greeted by the ancestors! My horse’s name was Emma. It meant “Universal.”

Probably the most popular of the Mayan Ruins, is the “El Castillo,” Spanish for “The Castle.” Standing at 180 feet, it’s the second tallest structure in Belize…and we climbed it. It was a very warm day as we made our way up to the Ruins. Once there we then had to walk up a steep hill before we got to the steps of El Castillo. I took in the moment and laid in the grass, and did some yoga stretching. The steps were so wide!! As we climbed the massive stairs, a few of our elders were hesitant to continue, with one of them experiencing anxiety and hyperventilating, but she pushed through using the breathing techniques I taught her from our previous evening meditations. “We might as well keep going we already came this far!” I was so proud of the way one motivated the other! I think we all recognized that we’re wellness warriors and no matter what we’re doing this.

We were exhausted and hot by the time we reached the top of El Castillo but relieved! As we stood gazing out at the panoramic scene, with Guatemala in the distance, we inhaled the mountainous air, in complete awe of how majestic the view! One member of our group gasped, “Oh my God! look how high up we are…you can see everything!” We saw where we stood when we began our climb. We realized wow! This is where the Mayan King sat during sacrificial ceremonies. Another member said she felt as if she had been “transported” during the climb, sort of a deja vu or astral projection, having already saw exactly what she witnessed in that moment.

It was interesting that member of our group had that experience. The Mayans believed in mystical powers. The elements earth, fire, air, water and aether were constant themes throughout our tour. Aether was the 5th dimension according to the Mayans. They described the element as the glue that binds the universe together. We recognized just how small we are in this universe! The Mayans made huge sacrifices to get close to spirit, and left these ruins as reminders for us to get close to spirit. It made us all aware of the gift we received through generations. It was amazing to experience something that as stood against time, war, storms and battled the elements.

Although I conquered my fear of heights I can’t lie, I was ready to get down!

Cave Tubing

Cave tubing represented the Mayan underworld. The caves were regular pilgrimages where the Mayans prayed to their gods to bless them with bountiful harvest and sustenance. Cave tubing also represented the water element and fertility. There were many phallic symbols in the caves.

Before we reached the entrance of the cave, our tour guide took us on a short walk, reminding us to use our imagination, pointing out the herbs, medicinal trees and other wildlife. Once inside the cave, we began our journey, gentle waves carrying us as we witnessed a living breathing river within a cave. Millions of years in the making of limestone, crystal formation--huge quartz crystals, and waterfalls. Holes making way for light above. We glided along different sections of the cave ranging between two feet to 65 feet! Entering this sacred underworld, we experienced what these caves meant to the Mayans--being carried through the darkness, emerging outside back into the sun.

We ended our excursion at paradise--Caye Caulker. Rooftop yoga, indulging, resting in hammocks and beach bumming.

The Xunantunich Ruins and our cave tubing experience symbolized the saying, “as above, so below.” Climbing the top of El Castillo (as above) followed by cave tubing through the underworld (so below), represented our thoughts. The way we choose to live our lives, show up in our lives – whether that’s good or bad for you, the important thing is that we recognize what we need to change within ourselves for those changes to show up exteriorly; how we choose to think about ourselves, our circumstances, our lives. We conquered our fears and persevered, pushing through despite our fears!

We closed out our journey on Caye Caulker, a small limestone coral island off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean Sea. After spending a few days at the Aguada Hotel in the Cayo St. Elena and St. Ignacio district. Aguada means watering hole in Mayan language. We held our evening ceremonial circles, lighting candles (fire element), being thankful and offering blessings and morning yoga to set the tone and intention for our adventures.

Thank you to our sponsors Lord’s of Boston, Abiola Abrams, author of Sacred Bombshell of Self-Love Handbook for the African Goddess Affirmation Cards, and M.A.D.E.-Organics for the Bug Off which helped us on Caye Caulker. Fun fact about Belize, it’s pretty dry and not many mosquitoes inland during dry season. I’d also like to acknowledge the women warriors and womenpreneurs we worked with along our journey. A Gill of All Trades, Lusterity, Shana Bryant Consulting, the Collier Connection, our hotel managers at the Aguada and Beach Hotel, and our mainland transportation provided by Danielia Lanza the only female owned and operated transportation company on the island.

Linda Wellness Warrior Adventures are a great time for new beginnings, to conceptualize ideas, to invoke a sense of self!

Save the Date: Our next Wellness Warrior Adventure will be April 14-21, 2018 We hope you’ll join us! For more info: www.lindawellnesswarrior.com/retreats

#wwabelize #LINDAWELLNESSWARRIOR #belize #yogaretreat #womeninbusiness #womenentrepreneurs #shestarts #win_babson #yogaintheworld #rooftopyoga #summit

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lindawellnesswarrior-blog · 10 years ago

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Yoga found me weighing in at 220+ pounds lost, sad, depressed and angry. I couldn't figure out how I'd come to this place. How and when did food become LOVE. How and when did everything start to ill-fit, creek and crack? The walls had to be torn down. I was on a search for my JOY. Finding strength in my foundation. Appreciating how sweating and nourishing food transforms my moods.

I was seeking a deeper relationship with God and the Holy Spirit. Spirit lifted me up from the pews and delivered me to the women at the well. The Battlefield of the mind lead me to the mat and my kitchen. Praying over my food for a solution and direction. Cooking and physical activity became my meditation. Cooking is a big part of my yoga it nourishes and feeds my 8 limb yoga tree.

Becoming a yoga practitioner and teacher has taught me how to become a witness to my NOW. It serves as a tool I use to recognize discomfort in my body and love on it. Pay closer attention. Breath into it and let it go through prayer and deep stretching. I am investing time and energy into sharing a healing, nourishing and spirit-led daily yogic practice.

Linda Wells, M.Ed. is a graduate of the South Boston Yoga Center, Teacher Training. She acted as apprentice and assistant to Leslie Salmon Jones founder of Afro Flow Yoga.

Linda “The Wellness Warrior” is a health coach, yoga teacher, and personal chef. For Linda the practice of yoga is about removing obstacles and opening up to possibility. Linda teaches vinyasa style classes integrating alignment and intuition, strength and fluidity, meditation and playfulness in action.Visit: www.facebook.com/LindaWellnessWarrior

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