The smell of sage danced through the air, cleansing space for the yogis as they arrived. Optional body paint was displayed in the art gallery, and we invited the group to join and feel their way through colors that were speaking to them. One guest needed some solar plexus loving (that part of your body that screams, identify, independence, and craves the warmth of the sun)…so we passed her the yellow paint!
In the background our guest yoga instructor, Jen Lyons, shook out a cloth and mindfully displayed a collection of crystals and gems. The outdoor patio was ready for meditation and a gentle journey.
Painted like warriors, dazzled in all of the bold and bright colors, we streaked our faces, arms and legs. Some dared greatly and covered their entire bodies. It was here, that all the colors of the seven chakras manifested in physical form, just before we offered space to open and heal these energy centers through our yoga practice.
The yogis were carefully guided into unique asanas that would cater to each chakra from perineum to the crown of their heads. As we found our way up to our heart, we thought green, just like the rolling hills around us. We opened the space just a little bit deeper and allowed the light to radiate before moving on to the next posture.
Eventually the group moved onto their backs, and the warm breeze sent them deeper into meditation. Our instructor took the group on a journey, visualizing some unfamiliar spaces, feeling the breath, and relaxing the entire body. As she spoke, her voice gently echoed in the distance. Butterflies floated around (spirit guides to some) and sound bowl healing filled the area. Crystals were carefully placed on the chakras of each yogi offering deeper healing. A few smiled, some sighed, and others allowed tears to roll down their cheeks.
Very slowly, but surely, we nurtured each and every chakra of these physical bodies that hold our mind and spirit. Easing our way from the mats, and gently coming back to the present moment, the yogis gazed out over the sunlit farm. The baby blue sky and rich green fields seemed to go on forever.
We offered up endless gratitude for our final gathering of the summer, bowed forward, and eventually flowed as a group From Mat To Table.
Around the art gallery the group began to graze on dishes that would nourish, heal and cleanse their chakras. A family-style feast of rosemary flatbreads, rubbed with roasted garlic and topped with colorful vegetables and juicy figs to feed our lower chakras: red, yellow and green. And, as we moved around the room we found bold hues and salad stacks, this time feeding our upper chakras: blue, indigo and purple. All of these flavors were intended to heal those energy centers we just opened. So we continued to dine on a roasted beet, goat cheese, arugula and quinoa salad; layered fresh buffalo mozzarella, seasonal tomatoes and basil clipped from the garden; and delicate stacks of roasted zucchini, orzo, purple eggplant, feta and micro-greens.
And on that warm summer afternoon, we sampled tea and toasted to a wonderful chapter with Heron’s Meadow Farm.
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We gathered. We loved. We gracefully healed. And at the end, we felt kinda warm and free inside. The afternoon gave us time and stillness to receive as much love as we put out into this world. Namaste beautiful people. Namaste.