Spain Yoga Retreat testimonial by Dorry Golden
A retreat testimonial from our magical Spain Yoga & Meditation retreat in Andalusia, May 2016
Dorry Golden had just landed in London from Venice Beach California. She knew barely a soul in London and ended up coming on the Spain Yoga Retreat. Below she shares her personal experience of our time on retreat in Spain.
By Dorry Golden
The night before I flew to Spain for Emily’s retreat, I realized it had been 6 weeks since I left my home in Venice Beach, California to travel the world as a digital nomad-wellness entrepreneur. At the time, my life was certainly exciting, albeit a bit hectic, stressful, and unpredictable, so this transformative retreat came at just the right time. Thanks to Emily’s brilliant guidance and teaching, I returned to London with 7 new friends and feeling balanced, grounded, and full of gratitude!
I didn’t meet Emily in person until the first day of retreat, but she already felt like a dear friend from our warm phone chats and emails. Emily chose an idyllic location at Finca el Moro to disconnect from technology and reconnect to our inner selves and to nature. I felt the stresses of daily life slip away within minutes of arriving. The horses, the views, the sunset, the wildflowers, the nature walks – pure, peaceful bliss!
Nothing about the retreat felt too structured, and all the activities flowed smoothly with plenty of free time. My favourite part of the day was the early mornings in silence in the shala with pranayama and meditation – such a powerful way to begin the day. I also loved mealtimes as we gathered around the table with nourishing vegetarian meals lovingly prepared, chatting about nutrition, Ayurveda, travels, relationships, and our personal journeys to wellness. Another highlight was an afternoon/evening walk with a hillside meditation and picnic supper.
Emily attracted a group of magnetic, open spirits and we felt like a little yoga family rather quickly! She has a calming, compassionate heart and deeply cares about creating a space for everyone to process and heal. Emily is devoted to her personal practices and generously shares her passions for Ayurveda, meditation, and asana with others. Throughout the week, she focused on the 5 elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space. The yoga was grounding and nurturing with some challenging arm balances and other peak poses mixed in.
As a yoga teacher myself, I’m so grateful for Emily’s inspiration and guidance on retreat. I consider her a friend and mentor, and I’m so grateful for the continuous gifts from attending retreat! This beautiful experience is one I’ll never forget.
