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A few years ago, my husband encouraged me to relax and escape the Michigan winter without any responsibilities. The Universe sensed my need for rest and recuperation from too much work. That evening, a friend telephoned me about a notice that had been posted at her yoga studio. A group was heading down to Isla Mujeres, Mexico for a yoga retreat and they were looking for participants. It looked great and I felt the timing was perfect. I signed up, had a great time, and made life-long friends.

For a week, our group of 15 yoga aficionados stayed at the Na Balam Hotel (Mayan for “The Jaguar House”) and did yoga periodically throughout the day, either in thatched palapas on the beach or in tree-top settings. In-between, we swam and walked on snowy-white beaches or trekked into the island’s only village (el pueblo) to shop. A week of getting back into shape! One afternoon, we sat at a sidewalk café, some straying off the vegetarian reservation with big, juicy hamburgers (we didn’t tell the yoga instructor about that!) In the evenings, we participated in yoga on the beach and relaxed into savasana on the sand. All of us took well-deserved massages at the day’s end. What are my favorite activities? A walking meditation, often under the stars. Listening to the water in the early evening was hugely restorative, and I felt rested and more committed to reducing email, cell phone calls, and unnecessary worrying when I returned home.

Join me for a stress-free week of blessings, spa treatments, and sunrise yoga in the Mayan Yucatan on January 8-14, 2011. We’ll do the sun salutation, eat healthy meals, and walk the sacred sites together. Join us! Hurry the deadline to sign up is November 22, 2010.