Category: Adventure

DFW | Jenny Lewis

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After going through a brief bout of “WTF?!?” after my break-up in late December, I quickly found myself itching to surround myself with the things that bring me joy – yoga classes, hiking, friends, group dinners – oh, and the arts! Theatre, live music, visual art – you name it. Basically all the things I hold nearest and dearest to my heart that had been but on the back-burner during my relationship.

When I found out that Jenny Lewis (one of my all time favorites/spirit animal) was dropping a new album and stopping in Dallas on tour, I immediately bought tickets and asked a girlfriend if she’d be interested in joining.

It turned into one of the best weekends I’ve had in forever. Music, laughter, friends, art, tacos x3, yoga… perfection. I could try to write how much fun we had, but sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Here is our weekend in images.

Jenny Lewis at Canton Hall. 

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An afternoon at The Modern in Ft. Worth.

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Before dinner at El Bolero.

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Vida Luna 2018: Community

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The concept of Vida Luna Women’s Wellness retreat was conceived in January 2017 with longtime friend and Transpersonal Development Coach, Nikki Hartley.  We wanted to provide an affordable long weekend to help women refresh their minds, renew their spirits, and heal their bodies. To recharge.

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Vida Luna was born.

This past weekend, 10 women carved time into their busy schedules to their make their way from four different states to Lake Ouachita for our second Vida Luna Retreat. It was an honor and privilege to welcome back so many familiar faces, to witness the joyful reunions, and to see arms outstretched to the first-timers. By the end of our first meal together, it felt like a group of old friends catching up at a weekend getaway.

Throughout the weekend we practiced morning yoga overlooking the lake, and guided meditations lit by candles and the stars. We turned inwards; cultivating mindfulness through daily journal prompts and the use of oracle cards. There were delicious family-style vegan and vegetarian meals, quartz crystal hunting, dancing on boats, flamingo floats, teary-eyed hugs, and endless laughter.

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Being surrounded by other women open to listening and sharing their own experiences creates the sacred space and support we need to allow ourselves to lean into one another’s shoulders, and inspire each other’s awakenings. Because working through your own shit alongside another human working on their own shit reminds us that we aren’t alone in our pain and fear. That on some level we’re all the same. Connected. One.

Everyone who signs up for a wellness retreat is searching for something – even if they don’t know what it is they’re seeking. I’m not sure if anyone found what they were looking for last weekend, but I believe they all left having found a sense of belonging.

Community.

Someone responded to one of my posts on Instagram asking if it was a retreat or just a girl’s weekend.

The answer: BOTH.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Jai Siddhatma: Victorious Are Liberated Souls

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Two weeks ago, I sat alone with a glass of wine desperately trying to decompress from another week filled with dance classes, yoga classes, students of all ages demanding my undivided attention, rushing from one space to the next, and found myself googling “silent retreats.” I stumbled upon Siddhayatan Spiritual Retreat. After browsing through their offerings, I noticed that for a small additional fee I could bring Mr. Darcy and within minutes I had impulsively reserved my space for the following week.

Monday morning the pup and I set off for the ashram in East Texas. The day was bright, brisk, and beautiful. Mr. Darcy napped for the majority of the drive while I sang along to all of my favorite 70s jams.

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Upon arrival, I was greeted by one of the nuns who went over my options along with the general rules and guidelines. Since puppy was with me, we were staying off the main property. The space was simple, modest, and bare, but clean and more than enough room for the two of us.

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The area surrounding us was enclosed with a special gate designed to keep the coyotes out, so Mr. Darcy was free to run wild and play fetch. We did a fair amount of wandering outside the gate before I had to head back to the main property for mantra with the Master and other retreaters.

My knowledge of mantra is limited, but I was familiar with several from my 300hr training. For the first few I opted to listen, but by the second page I readily joined in. The energy you feel when reciting mantra with a group is almost tangible. It reverberates and pulses throughout your body – you’re almost humming with energy like a plucked guitar string.

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It was fun to meet people from all over the world who had found their way to this place. Some had been there for over a month, others had arrived within the past few days. One of the men asked why I was there. He said that everyone who came to Siddhayatan was searching for something. He also told me that while someone had successfully done a 38 day water fast, but the longest anyone had gone without talking was 8 days.

The silence wasn’t so bad. While a little lonely being separated from the group on the other side of the property, I was able to chant in the mornings and spend time with others during meals. There is something both peaceful and liberating to be able to absorb all of the activity and conversation happening around you without the expectation or obligation to participate.

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I hadn’t realized how much I’ve been needing to slow down. I spent countless hours wandering through fields with Mr. Darcy, and the rest of my time reading, writing, and sleeping. I was able to identify my fear behind some of the issues I’ve been dealing with, and have felt a pretty big internal shift since naming them out loud. The next time you have an opportunity to do something out of the ordinary, I encourage you to book it before you have time to change your mind. It could change your life!

xx/m

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Smoke on the water after morning mantra on the walk to breakfast.

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Beautiful flowers I was able to capture on the Spring Equinox.

Texas sunsets make my heart flutter. This was my view between mantra and dinner Monday night.

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That time we howled at the moon

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Exactly a month ago, I packed my car with shorts, a swimsuit, 8 meals for 12 adults, and a long-lost friend from my early 20s to co-lead a wellness retreat in the tiny town of Mt. Ida, Arkansas.

Nestled in the Ozarks overlooking Lake Ouachita, Nikki (of Mind Body Mana) and I lead ten beautiful souls through a 3-night wellness retreat focused on helping women take a break from the daily grind to reconnect with their feminine energy.

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Life gets fucking intense. It can get so overwhelmingly busy that you lose track of tasks, goals, dreams, friends, and which day of the week it is. I get it. Nikki gets it. We live it. We get that other people are living it too. And we understand that many of us have jobs, kids, families, and other obligations that don’t allow us to drop $1k+ and take off for a week to do the self-caring.

But all this stuff? This life stuff?

That’s exactly why we need to take time for ourselves.

To take care of others, you have to take care of yourself first.

So Nikki and I set out with a mission: Design an affordable long weekend to help women refresh their minds, renew their spirits, and heal their bodies. Recharge. We knew it didn’t need to be fancy (and quickly discovered that keeping the price point low actually forbid that), but it did need to be a comfortable and beautiful place that would allow connection with self, each other, and Mother Nature. (Also, room for all of the yoga mats.)

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After scouting several extravagantly priced locations that were exceptionally difficult to get to in Colorado, we opted for the exact spot on Lake Ouachita that my family has been visiting since the 1970s.

Lake Ouachita Shores is charmingly rustic, economical, and a short walk to the marina where we rented a beautiful, brand new party barge large enough for 15 adults and equipped with Bluetooth and badass speakers.

The natural beauty here is exquisite. We began each day saluting the sun on their two-level gazebo over looking the lake. (Confession: I occasionally paused practice to point out deer, ravishingly red cardinals, and adorable striped chipmunks. #sorrynotsorry).

We scoured the shoreline for quartz as Lake Ouachita features one of the largest crystal veins in the world. (Fun fact: Mt. Ida has been dubbed “Quartz Capital of the World.”)

We ate meals together, meditated together, worked with essential oils, wrote, laughed, sang, and even cried together. Our group encompassed women spanning more than 3 decades decades. We brought many different ideas and insights to the table, but we each gave, received, and practiced kindness, compassion, acceptance, and love, love, love, love, love. We honored our divine potential and created space for new opportunities and infinite possibilities.

And, yeah.

We howled at the moon. We did a lot of cool girl cult stuff. I’d share with you here, but that shit is sacred. If you want to find out for yourself, you’ll have to come next time.

xx/m

A very special thanks to the following who contributed to gift bags to greet our ladies of the lake. I am so happy I had the opportunity to share products I use and love from companies I support and have a personal connection with.

 

Left my heart in San Francisco… Again.

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I made my first trip to San Francisco in August of 2012. Mark Twain was right when he said, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” Since then, I’ve lost half a dozen close friends to this beautiful and eclectic city, made a dozen more trips, and have finally (almost) learned how to pack for my visits.

I got six entire days in the city this time around, and it was almost enough time to touch base and see everyone/thing that I’d hoped to! Highlights from my week include a quick stop at the modern ruins of Sutro Baths, a chartered sail around the San Francisco Bay, rainy day wandering to the SFMOMA complete with my first experience kava root at Kava Lounge, and getting to assist my dear friend, Travis, with the launch of Basik Candle Co.

Hoping to head back this summer. Until then, thanks for all of the everything! SF, you make my heart flutter a little faster with every single visit. xx

 

What I learned leading a yoga retreat.

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As soon as I finished my RYT 200 I knew I wanted to lead a yoga retreat. Preferably on the Greek island of Corfu after I had an epic 30th birthday adventure. I mean, a paid vacation seems like a no-brainer, right? Fast forward a few years, and I discovered a few things while leading my first yoga retreat in Paamul, Mexico last month:

  1. Leading a yoga retreat is not exactly a paid vacation. Theoretically, on a vacation you aren’t working. To lead a yoga retreat, you will work. Hard. Before announcing the retreat, you’re dealing with logistics. Who, what, when, where, how long, how much? After announcing the retreat, you’re hustling with word of mouth advertising, paid advertising, flyers, and endless plugs online. Not to mention, you’re planning classes, themes, etc. Once you’re there, you’re leading, you’re mingling, you’re assisting in any issues or problems that may arise. You are always on call. There really isn’t that much downtime.
  2. Be clear about what the retreat entails. Is the yoga practice going to be for yogis of all levels? Is it for more advanced practitioners with emphasis on inversions, etc? A more physically demanding vinyasa practice, or more relaxing with yin and restorative? Will you be staying at an all inclusive luxury resort and spa, or a charming jungle beachfront home? Camping among the redwoods, or sleeping in a cabin? These details are important! I love the outdoors, but tent life is not for me. I want a hot, indoor shower after my 5 mile hike. Make sure your guests know what they’re signing up for.
  3. Arrive earlier than your guests. Get to the venue early enough that you have time to do a run through. Check guest rooms to ensure cleanliness and to make sure they have all the things they need (towels, toilet paper, soap, shampoo, gift bags, etc.).
  4. Hire a private chef. This was by far the most successful part of the retreat. Delicious menus designed to meet each guest’s individual dietary needs. Everyone was happy with every single meal. Chef Shawn was by far the most popular human at the entire retreat.
  5. You can’t please everyone. People attend yoga retreats for a myriad of reasons. Some people go for physical or emotional healing, some go to further their practice, to make new friends, to visit new places, or because their friend talked them into it. Everyone’s yoga journey is different. Everyone’s needs will be different. As a teacher, all you can do is bring your very best to the mat each practice. It’s their job to take what they need from it.
  6. Make a schedule. Stick to it. If you’ve ever experienced group travel, you know it feels very much like herding cats. In theory, having a “go with the flow” island mentality is great, but you won’t get anything accomplished. Including yoga. You’ll have those who want to sleep in, those who want to welcome the rising sun. If a yogi doesn’t want to wake up early, they miss morning practice. If they don’t make it to the van at 4:30pm, they miss the trip to the cenote. You are doing your part by making a schedule. It is their decision to show up.
  7. Sunrise practice is the best part of the day. Well rested yogis with sleepy eyes and open hearts, snuggled up in hoodies with hot coffee looking out at the ocean in complete awe of such perfect, natural beauty. That was by far my most favorite part of each day. Leading practice on the rooftop terrace with the sound of waves crashing against the shore and the ocean breeze dancing through our hair was a surreal and spiritual experience.
  8. Set personal boundaries. This was the hardest part for me knowing that these yogis traveled to another country and paid good money to do yoga with me. I was the first to rise each morning, and felt obligated to stay up until everyone had retired to their room. Unnecessary. Get lots of sleep, drink tons of water, and make sure to schedule time for your own practice and meditation. I generally chose meditation time prior to sunrise yoga, and practiced before sunset yoga while everyone was getting ready. Although the rituals that keep you grounded may have to be altered to fit a new schedule and setting, make sure that you’re still meeting your own needs. To be the best you can be for others, you have to take care of yourself first.
  9. Enjoy every minute. You are in a magical place with miraculous souls. Be present. Enjoy every single minute. Things might get a little chaotic at times, but ultimately you have the opportunity of leading yoga in paradise at your very own retreat! That in itself is a privilege and a huge accomplishment. Don’t forget it.

I had such a wonderful time at my first retreat, that I already have a Women’s Full Moon Retreat scheduled for early June. This one is different as I’m building it from the ground up instead of going with an establishment that specializes in retreats. In the upcoming weeks I’ll be documenting the process and my experiences. Stay tuned!

Copal Retreat: Paradise

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The Mayan Riviera is one of my favorite places on earth, and in my opinion, one of the most beautiful. Last month I lead my first yoga retreat at Casa Copal in Paamul, Mexico which is located along a curved stretch of shimmering Caribbean waters in a small bay south of Playa del Carmen. Each day we practiced yoga on the rooftop terrace with the ocean + sunrise/sunset as our background, biked to white-sanded beaches with turquoise waters, snorkeled, paddle boarded, jumped off of cliffs into cool, clear cenotes, relaxed in hammocks, ate healthy and organic meals prepared by a certified Cordon Bleu Chef, and explored the off-shore coral reef.

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The beautiful Casa Copal. www.copalretreats.com

Yep. Seriously. It really was that magical.

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Photo of Welcoming Ceremony by Charlie Roberts

Our first evening began with a welcoming ceremony featuring Mexican cuencos, which are brass bowls in a similar to the ones Tibetan Buddhists use. These bowls use their acute sound-waves to cleanse one spiritually and physically. The leader also used this time to bless us before beginning a week of yoga and good health.

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Photo of sunrise practice by Charlie Roberts

Each morning, we saluted the sun with an energizing vinyasa flow yoga practice (Chef Shawn, by far the most popular person at the entire retreat always had coffee ready at 6:45am sharp).

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Jardin del Eden Cenote

 

 

There were a several group outings including a trip to the cenotes, which are sinkholes resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock and exposes the groundwater beneath. The water is cool, deep, clean and very clear which made it perfect for snorkeling… also for jumping off the cliffs.

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Photo of Monique, Katherine, Connie + Kim at Mayan Ruins by Travis Troyer

Another day was spent wandering around the Mayan Ruins in Tulum. The city flourished between the 13th-15th centuries, and faded only 70 years after the Spanish army started conquering modern-day Mexico.

Next was a fantastic lunch at Le Zebra Hotel in Tulum. Their ceviche (both seafood + vegan options) were fresh, light and exactly what we were looking for before hitting the beach outside the hotel.

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Other outings included salsa lessons and dancing, and an evening out in Playa del Carmen. Most days remained free so that people could adventure and explore this beach jungle paradise however they chose. Yogis booked massages overlooking the ocean, fished on the reef (Chef Shawn made delicious tacos with the fish Charlie caught!), biked to the private beach, went paddle boarding, snorkeled, or just lounged on the rooftop terrace or the main floor balcony.

Giant thanks to Janet for her support, sharing her beautiful home with us, and for making this retreat possible. Monster hugs and good vibes to all the yogis who were able to come share this experience with me!

If you’re interested in participating in a yoga retreat in the Mayan Riviera, or another location please get in touch by emailing me at hello@meganbettis.com! There are loads of plans in the works!

 

 

Dancers After Dark

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“The one thing you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and dance and build and play and dance and live as only you can. The moment that you feel that just possibly you are walking down the street naked… that’s the moment you may be starting to get it right.” Neil Gaiman

One evening in late January I met with photographer Jordan Matter in Downtown Little Rock. Twenty minutes later we hopped a fence, I tossed all my clothes to the side, and scrambled onto a pile of logs in 19 degree weather. On October 18, that image will be released by Workman Publishing in Jordan’s new book, Dancers After Dark.

While my photograph isn’t social media friendly, you can pre-order the book here. Maybe you’ll be able to spot the splinter that’s now permanently embedded in my left butt cheek. xx

Welcome 2015 | San Francisco, CA

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In recent years, I’ve lost at least half a dozen close friends to San Francisco. It is no wonder that each time I have a long weekend, I wind up there. This year I was fortunate enough to welcome 2015 with friends, Champagne, and caviar with a rather ridiculous (and awesome) hip hop soundtrack. The weekend was packed with fantastic food, long walks and window shopping, quick visits to Bernal Heights and Twin Peaks, a sunset by the ocean, and a day trip to wine country.

May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art — write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself. -Neil Gaiman

Happy New Year, ya’ll. xx

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Hiking in Bogotá

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Bogtoá is nestled in a valley, which makes weekday morning hikes accessible to city residents. We hiked one of my brother’s favorite trails on a Monday morning. Since it was a work day, we only passed one other person on the trail.

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The hike was a tad steep in some places, and the altitude definitely made it a challenge. I like to think I’m in fairly good shape, but this was a humbling experience. My (exceptionally patient) brother and I somehow we managed to make it to the top.

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After a few false starts (i.e. we got lost), we made it down the mountain in record time. Unfortunately, record time was exactly 6 minutes after the trail closed. Thus, yours truly has officially jumped a 10 foot barbed wire fence. How’s that for a city girl?

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