That brought me to researching other meditation slash yoga retreats. Costa Rica also had its fair share at a much fairer price, as well as better airfare and a shorter flight. They also seemed less hardcore than Jordan’s suggestion, and more of a morning meditation, then yoga followed by breakfast. Dinner alternated between group outings or on your own. The rest of the day you could opt into arranged tours or sign up for surfing lessons and even circus training. Plus, I could hike in rainforests and still visit monkeys, like I wanted to in Bali. (And the photos of the group meditations showed no man buns in sight.) So I signed up for a six-day package at a resort.
WHEN I CHECK into the resort, it’s clean and fresh in its simplicity and beauty. I’m given a welcome packet and am told that the first meditation will be in the yoga studio at seven the next morning. After I shower and unpack, I decide to wander the grounds and find the yoga studio. There are gardens and greenery everywhere and the calming sounds of fountains. The yoga studio is outside and is everything I thought it would be with its gauzy white curtains swaying in the light ocean breeze. I had worried that maybe I’d be missing out on some Bali-spiritual experience, but right now I can’t think of a better place to be or better company than myself.
AT THE SUNRISE meditation class, I watch as others trickle in, mostly women, like I expected. Many seem to have come as a group of friends, and as we chitchat waiting for class to begin, I learn that some of the women are regular retreat-goers and friends of the instructor. Everyone seems energetic, alert, and happy at this hour.
A woman walks to the front of the room and faces us, “Namaste.”
“Namaste,” we all say back.
“My name is Melody,” she says in a soft Australian accent, and I inwardly smile as I can’t wait to tell Jordan, since she got such a kick out of Harmony’s name during our California yoga session. “This morning I’m going to lead you through the first meditation that will then flow into yoga. But first I’d like to go around the room and have everyone introduce themselves, and please let me know if you are new to meditating and/or to yoga.”
As we go around, I learn that this is a group primarily looking to deepen their practice, and I realize I’m the only true newbie. When Melody asks what made me sign up for the retreat, I say without hesitation, “This spring I lost both my job and my fiancé in the same day. I had to do some serious soul-searching, and I feel like I’m coming to the end of that journey and am ready to start another. Taking a trip by myself, and especially one that my ex-fiancé would never take,” I add sotto voce, earning some laughs, “seemed like a great start to new life adventures.”
As we sit on our mats with our eyes closed, Melody leads us through our first meditation with the theme of being present and the power of now. I still my mind and focus on each of her words. “You create your circumstances. … There is no more putting off until tomorrow. … You need to live right now. … Stop doing horizon thinking. … During your time here ask yourself how you can take action now. … Don’t procrastinate. … The actions you take now will create your ideal life. … You can create new circumstances by starting now.”
Between my jet lag and my relaxed being, I feel like I am drifting in and out of a trancelike state. I might really be into meditation or I may have needed more coffee this morning. After spending so much time lately at The Cauldron, I have developed a wicked caffeine habit. And even though I’m supposed to be thinking of the now, I’m already looking forward to returning and telling Eric about my trip, as much as, if not more than, telling Jordan. Maybe that’s telling in itself.
AFTER BREAKFAST, THE rest of the day is unstructured until dinner. I decide to head down to the pool for some reading and relaxing. The pool area is pretty quiet, and I’m able to enjoy some peace while I let the warmth of the day relax me even more. Though I try to read, I feel my jet lag kick in and I close my eyes and let myself doze.
I’m woken by some rustling noises. I open my eyes to see what’s going on and there’s a little white-faced monkey next to my lounger looking up at me. How cute!
I turn to my other side to grab my phone out of my bag to take a picture, but there’s another monkey on that side also staring at me with his hand in my bag. What the! He lets out a howl.
“Oh my god!” I scream.
Then there’s a loud rushing behind me and a deep voice booms, “Get off! Off!” and the monkeys quickly disperse. I turn around and there’s a tall, thirty-something, dark-haired guy, waving a roll of paper towels at the departing monkeys.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“I think so,” I say, though my heart is pounding a million beats a minute. “That was terrifying! Thank you for saving me.”
“You’re welcome.” He salutes me with the paper towel roll. “The monkeys here can be quite pesky when there’s food in sight. It happens a lot.”
“But I don’t have any food.”
He bends down to pick up a jocote that I put in my bag after breakfast. “Is this yours?”
“Oh! I guess it is.” Wow! Those monkeys are sneaky. “But I definitely don’t want that anymore.”
He laughs and throws the fruit over his shoulder, away from us and toward the trees. “I’m Alistair.” He holds out his hand.
“Allison.” I shake his outstretched hand.
“Allison and Alistair, how great is that.” It’s a corny remark, but I can forgive it since he just saved my life.
“Yes, that’s easy to remember. Are you staying at the resort?”
“Yep. Been here a couple days already.”
“This is my first day. I thought I’d relax by the pool, but that plan’s been shot.” I laugh. “As is trying to visit a national park to see monkeys. That was all the monkey sighting I need.”
“So, after your terrifying experience, would you be interested in getting some lunch?”
I was planning on just being by myself today. But he did just rescue my bag from thieving monkeys, and I’m too hopped up from the experience to even try meditating in my room now.
“That would be great,” I say. “And it’s on me.”
He chuckles. “Sounds great. Though, you know, this is an all-inclusive resort.”
I wink at him and then gather up my things.
I return to my room first to change out of my bathing suit into a sundress, and to generally recombobulate myself.
I meet Alistair in the hotel restaurant, and he’s changed from his swimsuit into a short-sleeved linen shirt and shorts.
After we order our meals and drinks, he says, “So, I’m guessing this is your first trip to Costa Rica?”
“You guessed right. You?”
He shakes his head. “I’ve visited a few times now. It’s a great place to practice photography.”
“You’re a photographer?”
“No. That’s why I need the practice.” He grins and I laugh.
I tell him how I’m here for the six-day meditation retreat. He seems really interested and asks a lot of questions, so I tell him about Melody’s words this morning on the power of now.
“Ah.” He nods. “Eckhart Tolle. I just read him. It’s good stuff. Huh, I wonder if meditation could help me?”