Dance parties, glitter, staying up till sunrise and mind-altering experiences….everything I associate with Ibiza but didn’t expect from a fitness holiday – yet that’s what I got (except we were up at sunrise rather than still up at sunrise!)
Most mornings were spent flowing through sunrise yoga overlooking the sea and accompanied by a live DJ and drummer. Moving to music with the sun on your face and sea breeze on your skin – what a total treat after the past couple of years.
The extensive timetable ranged from well-being talks to fitness classes and island activities, you were spoilt for choice with over 5 sessions an hour at times. The standout ones for me were those where I was outside of my comfort zone – trying new things without judgement or expectations.
A Soma Breath session had us breathing for over an hour to the beat of pulsating music – many of us had mind altering experiences as a result. By the end of the session we were neither breathing in nor out, just resting, suspended in a deeply relaxed state where even breathing felt too much effort and ultimately unnecessary. Many of us saw shapes, colours and even visions and lost ourselves in time and space – totally fascinating. You can find out more here
I experienced my first QiGong class on the beach. We balanced our energy with this ancient Chinese moving meditation. I’ve picked up some beautiful breathing exercises you can see on my Instagram @zenergyactive.
An AcroYoga workshop involved ‘flying’ while a friend ‘based’ me. It was hilarious and a bit scary with a huge sense of achievement when you managed a position you didn’t think possible.
The dance sessions ranged from complex routines to just letting go and throwing yourself around the dance floor. The teachers encouraged us to get out of our heads and remove judgement so we could truly release and go bigger. We started off tentatively but by the end of class were shouting, jumping and throwing shapes!
Yoga, Pilates and Barre were in my comfort zone but none the less brilliant opportunities to see expert teachers from around the world demonstrating their craft. Including my own Pilates trainer @RachelHolmes and Barre Fitness trainer @jaynenicholls. So grateful to them for sharing their knowledge – loads of great inspiration I’ll be sharing with my students this term.
The mind nourishing talks provided a chance to hear about subjects not on my radar. I particularly enjoyed the introduction to Ayuverdic medicine. Ayurveda is an ancient science about understanding your energy and bringing you into harmony and balance. Your Ayurverdic profile is called a ‘Dosha’. If you’re interested you can take the dosha quiz here
A SomaSexology workshop by Nicki Whetherell @celestialsoulcoach brought to life the work of Dr Betty Martin’s and the ‘Wheel of consent’ We explored the concepts of giving, taking and boundary setting from the perspective of sex but also life in general as well. Totally fascinating and genuinely life changing.
Kayaking and coastal walks meant we got a chance to see the island. Ibiza is beautiful, much greener than I’d expected. There’s a magical vibe maybe because the island is mostly made of quartz crystal, or because the air quality is some of the best in the world and the island gets more sun than the other Balearic islands, whatever it is, it’s special.
So thank you to the Ibiza YogaFit Retreat team for an excellent week and to the many fabulous people I met there. After the past couple of years it was a total tonic to take a break from the routine, to reconnect to myself and others, to play, move and think for the sheer joy of it.
#ibiza #yogafit #yogafitretreats #pilates #dance #fitnessweek