I recently returned from leading a yoga retreat in magical Morocco. I feel so honored and blessed to have had the opportunity to spend time with 19 amazing open hearted and adventurous retreat goers who connected so seamlessly to create a safe and inclusive circle There were many experiences that stood out for me, particularly hearing the call to prayer in Arabic ring out across the high Atlas mountains, and then through the cities of Marrakesh and Essaouira. This call, a sacred reminder to pause, come back to ourselves, to God, higher power, universe, to Allah, to our life giving breath and life force energy. At the sound of this calling, Moroccans would either go to mosque to pray formally or stop and pause in the middle of their daily routine of work to honor the God of their understanding. To express devotion and respect.
This call to prayer reminds me of the meditation bell bringing us into and out of a state of mindful awareness. The poet Mary Oliver writes that attention is the beginning of devotion. After arriving back home from this trip, I find times in my day to be more devoted to my breath and to bring awareness into my body. I practice ways that I can be more kind and compassionate to myself so that I may show up with kindness and compassion towards others.
My call to prayer sound or signal is not the beautiful Arabic prayers I heard in Morocco, but rather the ding of my Outlook reminder on my work calendar or the bark of my dog to be let outside. Sometimes it’s the grumble of my stomach, looking for nourishment, or the songbird outside of my window reminding me of nature‘s healing force.
What are your reminders to return to your breath, to the moment, to a sense of gratitude for being alive?
In the city of Essaouira we passed through the Gate of Tolerance also known as Bab el- Marsa. It is a symbol that represents the history of peaceful coexistence between different religious communities and features the Islamic crescent moon, the Jewish Star of David and the shell of Saint James, a symbol of Christianity. Walking under the arch of this gate, felt like a beacon of hope especially considering the world that we currently live in with so much divisiveness and anger and hatred of the “Other”. It reminds me to be more tolerant of myself, of my humanness and of my mistakes. I wonder if we were all more tolerant of ourselves if this personal and internal softening could roll out in waves to include experiencing tolerance of others and thus protecting and advocating for the vulnerable humans and animals in our world.
I invite you to consider ways that you can be more loving and tolerant of yourself and how you might extend the same Grace to others.
I have only one more retreat in 2025 at Wiawaka Center for Women in June. Only two more spots remain open so register before it fills up! Details below.
Within the next month or two I’ll be announcing 2026 retreats. So if you didn’t get a chance to go away with me this year, there are opportunities to come!