This past weekend, I was off grid on a retreat in rural Pennsylvania in a place that felt like a painting. I was surrounded by a gorgeous open space landscape. Green grass and green trees were everywhere I looked. The prevailing sound was birdsong. The stars shone so clearly in the night sky. There was spaciousness in this place.
The structure of the retreat was also spacious. There was one early morning flow class and a Yin Yoga or a Restorative Yoga class in the late afternoon. The remainder of the time I was free to do whatever I wanted to do. The options for my day were wide open.
And the yoga practices themselves were spacious. Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga are styles that leave a lot of room for the mind to roam and the body to feel more open and relaxed. This kind of yoga offers a valuable experience of resting into expansiveness. I experienced a peace and serenity in my mind where it is often cluttered and unfocused. It was particularly potent to rest like this in a community with a group of folks who are also committed to this kind of experience.
The spaciousness of this environment, the retreat schedule and the yoga practices seemed to beg me to sing this week’s serenade.
Wide Open Spaces // Cover
Originally by The Chicks
I’ve always loved The Chicks. Growing up as a soft-spoken teenager, I admired the confidence, wit and self-assuredness of this incredible, powerful trio of women musicians. I fell in love with this song during college. I went from urban Long Beach to the naturescape of San Luis Obispo on my own journey of what’s described in the story of the song lyrics. I was the girl who left home in search of wide open spaces to create her own life.
As I consider this song now, it feels especially personal and relevant once again. My kids are at the age I was at when this song first spoke to me. But I’m also at a similar point in my own life. I have cultivated an amazing community of support in San Luis Obispo and as I’ve been transitioning into entrepreneurship, I find myself seeking out new connections.
She needs new faces /
She knows the high stakes
I’m excited by all the women I’ve met lately who are interested in how coaching can support them on their journey. I’m continually inspired by the entrepreneurship community that I connect with in these new-to-me geographical locations.
Reflection
What could a little more spaciousness do for you right now?
We all benefit from the expansiveness of rest as well as the expansiveness of adventure. This opens the doors of possibility. Whether we find this in a natural landscape, in leaving a familiar environment, or in meeting new people, we end up with room to try out different ways forward.
As a visibility coach, I can help you open these doors of possibilities. If you are curious about uncovering the sources of restlessness and overwhelm in your life and you are feeling called to move towards a life of joy and satisfaction and spaciousness, let’s talk.
