Wan-der-lust
noun
A strong desire to travel: "a man consumed by wanderlust".
This yoga/music/meditation/hiking/let's hang out in nature for a weekend festival, takes place in about 5 different locations around the US and Canada. I had heard of it before, but hadn't really researched much about it. Once I did, I planned my whole trip in under a week before the festival started. I knew I had to experience this. I frantically started looking for tickets and accommodation options on Craigslist and Facebook. Since this was a last minute decision, I didn't have much time to get nervous or try to prepare myself for the journey I was throwing myself into. Here's the kicker: I went alone. Yup, all alone. Totally solo. I had thrown the idea out to a couple girlfriends but inside, I was secretly hoping no one would pull the trigger and join me. (Which they didn't). So, I packed up my car, met my grandma's friend to borrow some camping gear, and drove 4 hours up to Squaw Valley in North Lake Tahoe.
Patrice and I doing the exchange:)
When I drove into Squaw Village I was literally blown away. Mountain towns look so different in the summer time. I actually prefer the mountains in summer with the colors and the definition that you can't really tell are there when covered in snow. I decided to camp at the very top at 8,200 feet. So I loaded all my things on my back and in my arms and hopped on the gondola!
When I got to the the top, the view literally took my breath away. I would be camping here for 3 nights! It was absolutely beautiful. 2 really nice people helped me set up my tent, which framed the start of new friendships.
I had no idea what to expect out of this festival or what the next 3 days had in store for me. I brought a journal and a book I've recently started, "The Power of Now". Although I didn't read or write nearly as much as I thought I would, I took clear and concise mental notes over the weekend. I did my best to take enough photos to remind myself the way I felt at that particular time. As I started meeting people I found that 9 out of 10 of them had traveled to this festival alone. All looking for a deeper sense into themselves that didn't include their norm. We all wanted to step out of our comfort zone, and although some of us felt hesitant or frightened at first, once we started opening up and talking to each other it was like a light bulb went off. This is what life is all about. At least for me, this is exactly what life is all about. Establishing relationships, meeting new faces and personalities, and hearing others stories. Everyone has a story, and I became more aware of this during this weekend than I ever have in my life. I was taught during these few days just how important it is to not only hear other people but really listen. Just giving someone your time and attention can drastically make an imprint in someone's life. I met people of all different ages, from different parts of the world, with very different views on life and what it is that makes them happy. But the very thing we all had in common, and what I believe all humans share, is that we all want to be happy. I think many people went on this retreat knowing that they would be happy here. It was a place to release any barriers or walls you may be carrying, and in turn it taught me how to let go of judgements of myself and of others. We are all guilty of judging but during this weekend, at least in my eyes, I felt like it didn't exist. You were free to come as you are and it suddenly felt like a new comfort zone, as if I had been living here my whole life. I was so happy.
Onto the Yoga. It was amazing to practice yoga out in the open air! No studios, just clean mountain air. Breathing it all in and loving it all out. The first photo was an ice skate rink where we practiced overlooking Lake Tahoe:
Massive tent, and a DJ played while we practiced:
Acroyogis and slack liners were so fun to watch:
Take what you need. I took Patience :)
Meditation in this beautiful setting!
Wanderlust was all about clean, sustainable eating. The food trucks were primarily vegan (which I'm not), but I loved putting the healthiest ingredients into my body, (except for the evenings of course) :
Amazing pool party at 8,200 feet! So much yoga talent ;-)
I camped next to the sweetest yoga teacher who was helping me with my Camel posture:
She then told me she was positive I could get into full camel, so I tried. Not too bad for first try!!
Friendships that were made:
Evenings included music by Moby and MC Yogi! The energy was amazing and hearts were open!!
And I bumped into the one and only Rachel Brathen (@yoga_girl)!
Summarizing this experience is hard to do briefly but I'll try! I left Tahoe with a renewed appreciation for the gorgeous mountains. The smell of the trees and the fresh air makes me want to do my part in preserving our environment the best I can. They saved over 30,000 bottled waters by asking us to bring our own and use the water stations they had set up. I loved watching that number get bigger and bigger as the weekend went on. I walked around that festival with a bigger heart than I ever have before, allowing the positive feelings of other people radiate in me. I was open, ready and willing to see our world from a different point of view. That just because people do things differently does not mean they are weird or wrong. During the many conversations I had, I gave my full attention to the person I was speaking with. I was engaged and interested in the ideas and stories people were willing to share with me about themselves and their own journeys. I let go of judgements. I hugged strangers. I thanked God for giving me this experience and allowing me the courage to let walls fall down. I came to a deeper realization than ever before, that life is fragile and it can be taken away from us in a second. That the things we harp on and get upset over are not worth the pain and anxiety. That we make big deals out of small things and that the only thing that really matters is that we are happy. And that we can love, be loved, and are more deserving of it than we probably give ourselves credit. I left with 10 new friends and an openness that I haven't received from traveling before.
I hope yoga and meditation will be able to seep into everyone's life that I care about. The benefits are healing and healthy and you can even attend festivals like this if you want. :)
