Yoga and Writing retreat in France

The Chateau de Verderonne

Everyone feeling good and stretching after yoga

This unique experience with CWW at Chateau de Verderonne is not like other writer's is not like anything else

out there! I was amazed how everyone on the retreat was really able to let go and explore their many

talents: creative writing, poetry, yoga, dance, painting, (and the list goes on).

The two week retreat led us easily into the habit of a regular yoga practice;

I taught yoga class to energize us each morning and to slow our thoughts at night.

The brilliant Diana Norma Szokolyai and Rita Banerjee, (both poets,

writer's and scholars) taught poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction

workshops daily.

restorative yoga (bed of nails pose) The view to the left

It's easy to go on about the beauty and nature at the Chateau de Verderonne...hums of birds

and quacks of geese swimming in a line. Our "yoga spot" on the grass, an opening at

the end of a french garden walkway. The lawn, bordering the mote of the castle.

The mote is jeweled with lily pads and continually refreshed with spring water.

Practicing eagle pose

Our "yoga spot"

The rooster that says "co-co-ri-co" every morning

I think that in such an idyllic place, is easy to find peace, without any effort.

In yoga peace means finding the pauses between breaths...same as the pauses between

thoughts and the silence following "om." The second yoga sutra says "Yogas citta vritti nirodah,

" which means "yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind."

For writers, it is important to be able to steer thoughts or watch thoughts. Disturbances of the mind

can block creative flow. I teach yoga and loving-kindness meditation which helps accept thoughts,

and know how to be the observer or witness of the thoughts to explore the your truest self.

I really believe that meditating at least 3 minutes every morning a regular practice makes all the difference. I

give the participants a short, simple individualized sequence to work on so that. The trick is really to integrate

your yoga with you wherever you go, so that it becomes part of your living.

Here we are, happy ladies, at Versailles. Joelle drying tilleul to make a tisane

Starting at bottom left, moving clockwise:

Rita , Kareema, Tiffanie, Norma, me

and Jessica

Join us for this once in a lifetime experience and apply for the retreat.

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