Traveler Testimony : Eugenia - Georgia, USA

This month we are so excited to introduce one of our most recent sojournistas, Eugenia, a 44 year old marketing professional and regular volunteer currently living in Atlanta, GA. She and her boyfriend Ethan joined us for our retreat in Provence, France. She added so much to the retreat, and we are grateful we got to know this kind, fun woman!

The lovely Eugenia

What drew you Eat Pray Move Yoga Retreats?  

The opportunity to combine my love of yoga with my desire to travel. In addition, the flexibility to participate in as much or as little as desired and the various day trips, provided an opportunity to include my boyfriend Ethan who isn't an avid yogi. 

Ethan and Eugenia on the Bastide Avellanne grounds

What made you decide to take your retreat? 

The location. France has always been on my bucket list and I couldn't think of a better way to experience it for the first time than with Eat.Pray.Move.

How did your trip compare to your expectations? 

The exposure to a variety of yoga, range of excursions and relationships made far surpassed my expectations.

Ethan on the Ile de Porquerolles day trip

What was it like to have Erin Lewis as a guide? 

I felt at ease. It was clear Erin was not only a knowledgeable yoga teacher and knowledgeable about the area, but an easy going and accessible person. She taught thoughtful and challenging classes and provided all of us with a taste of the Provençal region from different points of view.

Eugenia at the spa in St. Tropez

What were the top moments from your trip? 

Finally making it to France and the opportunity to experience it with Ethan, the relationships made, and the impromptu dance party :) It was a terrific and supportive group.

What lasting impressions did you have?  

The relationships made will be with me for a lifetime. I returned with a greater desire to travel, a deeper appreciation of yoga, and a desire to pursue yoga teacher training.

MERCI Eugenia for sharing your experience with us for the blog, and beautiful energy with us on the retreat!

GIVE BACK - Update :: Croatia + India

Well happy summer to you all. It's been quite a season so far over here at EPM and we're looking forward to some amazing more retreat weeks ahead this year - Iceland, Marrakesh, Croatia, and our newest in Venice, Italy!

We spent some amazing weeks in Croatia, France, and Italy in the past couple of months on several retreats and are about to head out soon for our "Fire+Ice" week in Iceland. It was such a treat to see so many past guests on these last retreats, as well as meet so many new faces.

It's been a while since we updated you all on how our GIVE BACK retreats have been doing. From the last Croatia retreat, we were able to make a donation to the CROATIA SCHOLARSHIP FUND. See the video below to learn more about what they do!

For the past 25 years CSF has been providing financial assistance to the financially deserving Croatian university students in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Without this assistance, many of these bright young men and women would not be able to obtain university education. This is made possible because individuals, families, and organizations have supported our mission by generous donations.

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Also, we have already SOLD OUT for both of our retreats in February, 2016 in Goa, India and so we're really looking forward to making an impact with our non-profit partner there, MAGIC BUS. This organization is continually expanding in the amazing life-changing initiatives they are bringing to the children and families of India. Watch the amazing video below of one of their programs surrounding gender issues and women rights. It's pretty inspiring!

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Do you want to join us on a GIVE BACK retreat and make a difference in peoples lives? Learn more about the programs HERE.

And sign up to join:

• MARRAKESH, MOROCCO (one spot left!) Sept 6-12, 2015

• DUBROVNIK, CROATIA Sept 27 - Oct 3, 2015

• SOUTHWEST, ICELAND Dec 27 - Jan 1, 2016

TRAVELER TESTIMONY: Eryn - Austin, Texas, USA

We are so excited to feature a guest from one of our most recent retreats for our Traveler Testimony. Eryn is a an artist and lifestyle photographer at LewChan Photography in Austin, Texas. She works with her husband to beautifully document people's lives and events. She is also mom (to 2 year old Olive Jane), a yogi, and an avid traveler. In fact, she met Erin Lewis in Florence, Italy when she was there to get married to husband Alex! You may have already seen Eryn's work on our site tagged as @colormepale. In fact, all the photos in this blog post are Eryn's work! She is a remarkable artist with a keen eye for culture and beauty. We were so lucky to talk to her about her experience in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Eryn at the Majorelle Gardens

What made you decide to take an EAT.PRAY.MOVE retreat?

I've known Erin since 2008 and have followed her on social media platforms. It was the wonderful photos she posts and my love for travel and yoga that drew me to her retreats. My husband suggested I take the plunge and do the Marrakesh retreat last August. I was beside myself with excitement and anticipation.

How did you trip compare to your expectations?

My trip exceeded my expectations and then some! Every detail was thought of and we were able to participate in these lovely outings, meals and practices without having to plan any of it. Erin does a lovely job of scouting and planning these retreats. I'm seriously in awe.

The Atlas Mountains

What did you learn on your trip? Did anything surprise you?

I learned so much about Moroccan/Berber culture while in Marrakesh. It was my first trip to a Muslim nation, and it was a true eye opener. I now find myself drawn to Islamic culture/architecture and anything Moroccan. The people were so kind and inviting, and the taste of mint tea will forever bring me back to the medina of Marrakesh. Something that I truly enjoyed was hearing the call to prayer 5 times daily. Every time I heard it, I was immediately reminded that I was somewhere so unlike the place I call home. It was serene and peaceful and mystifying. My time in Marrakesh was beyond perfect.

A colorful array of Moroccan rugs

   
 What was it like to have Erin Lewis as a guide?

Erin Lewis is pretty spectacular. She plans beautiful itineraries and caters to everyones' needs and then some. She was an expert at being present and calm when needed and leaving us to learn and explore on our own once we became more comfortable. She's also cool as hell and hilarious. 

At the souks

What was your favorite moment from your retreat?

I loved so much about my retreat that this is a tough one. I adored the Peacock Pavilions, the staff and the whimsical grounds and decor. Maryam is a vision and somewhat of a rockstar to me, and Chris is funny and approachable. The two of them run such a fabulous boutique hotel that I long to visit again one day. The food was OUT OF THIS WORLD delicious. Another highlight was a trip to the Atlas Mountains to visit Kasbah Tamadot. The scenery was unrivaled and the carrot gnocchi and orange/ginger creme brulee are what my dreams are made of. Lastly, I adored our time in the souks, meandering through the narrow alleys and shopping for beautiful rugs to bring home. 

On the Peacock Pavilions grounds

What lasting impressions did you have from your trip?

Traveling home was reminiscent to traveling home after my semester abroad in college. I obviously wanted to see my friends and family but I long to be back already, discovering and learning new things. Wanderlust is me. Traveling to a Muslim nation opened my eyes a lot to Islamic culture and changed a lot of my opinions of what I thought it was. It's a religion that is peaceful and welcoming. I hope to spread that message to the handful of people that have asked me about it since my return. 

We love sharing future and new experiences with our guests, and we love that it made such a warm and lasting impact. Thanks, Eryn, and we can't wait to see you on another adventure!

GIVE BACK Update :: Project Soar, Marrakesh

We had such a wonderful time on our two back-to-back retreats last month in Marrakesh. This completed our 14th (!) week there and what a pleasure it's been to have enjoyed so many guests throughout the years, and spent so much time with our hosts at the beautiful Peacock Pavilions. Our first retreat was our "Luxury" itinerary and the second week was another fun collaboration with Julian of EASEL&LENS for our "Form+Focus" art/yoga week. 

Because Marrakesh and the non-profit project, PROJECT SOAR, was our very first Give Back partner (where we donate at least 10% of the retreat profits), it's very close to our hearts and we wanted to give you an update on the work we've been doing with them there. On the weekend between both retreats we were honored to get to work work with the project in the village. There were around 50 girls that participated that day and so we split into two groups - Julian led an art class at Peacock Pavilions where the girls created beautiful mandalas out of natural pigments, petals, leaves, and love - while Erin led a yoga class at the new Project Soar headquarters building in the village. Each group had about 45 minutes at each class and then switched, and we all got together at the end for a photo along side some of the Moroccan high-school volunteers from the city.

Erin leading yoga with the girls

 Julian and the girls making mandalas

During the second retreat week, we had a bit of freetime on Tuesday and offered to the guests the opportunity to help with a beautification project in the village for part of "Project Pride". We had a great time cleaning up and painting 8 doors which led to a nice and bright new row of color for the village. It was fun driving past them each of the following days knowing we'd had a part in helping out.

A huge thanks to our amazing guests and to our hosts at Peacock Pavilions for everyone's efforts to do good and make this world a more beautiful place!

Read more about our GIVE BACK Initiative HERE. And SIGN UP to join us on a future GIVE BACK retreat! 

Welcoming our Newest Collaborator - "Zen Jen" Carter

We're so happy to introduce to you our newest collaborator over here at EAT.PRAY.MOVE! Currently living in the heart of New York City in Soho, Jen Carter teaches yoga and meditation at top New York yoga studios as well as to corporate and private students. She has been practicing yoga since the 90’s, but it wasn’t until 2010 that Jen realized her true calling to teach. After years of working in the corporate world, her life shifted dramatically when she suffered a traumatic head injury during an accidental fall. The fall and subsequent road to full recovery was Jen’s awakening to a deeper journey into yoga and meditation. You can keep up with her at ZenJenYoga.com. 

introducing our newest collaborator, Jen Carter "ZenJen"

Jen holds advanced yoga and meditation instructor certifications from New York City yoga studios Pure Yoga, Yoga Vida, and It’s Yoga based in San Francisco. She also maintains a daily meditation practice, and she views her purpose in life is to share the beauty and ease of that practice. Jen’s classes are crafted to challenge her students but also to make it easy for them to incorporate both asana and meditation into their daily lives back at home. She sees EAT.PRAY.MOVE as an amazing opportunity to explore new lands and culture while simultaneously exploring new levels within.

Jen and EPM founder, Erin, at Peacock Pavilions

EPM founder, Erin Lewis, sat down with Jen in NYC this week to do a little Q&A so that you can get to know her more:

Q: What do the words EAT. PRAY. MOVE mean to you? 

A: I discovered EAT.PRAY.MOVE when I met Erin at a yoga studio in New York City where she was teaching.  However, the actual journey began when I read the book Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert several years prior to meeting Erin.  At the time I read the book, I was going through a transformational point in my life, not too far removed from the transformation Elizabeth Gilbert was experiencing in the story. I remember lying in bed reading her tales and visualizing what it would be like to drop everything, and dedicate a year to traveling the world and truly living in each moment to its fullest potential. Although at that exact point in time I did not drop everything and move to Italy, India, and Bali as Liz Gilbert did, my “daydreaming” was what I would later realize was actually a major leap toward that path.  Through deepening my personal yoga and meditation practice, I have realized just how powerful our minds and the power of visualization are to our existence. What we think about truly does come about. Although the journey I will be hosting with EAT. PRAY. MOVE is only one week, my goal is to ensure that the experience is both pleasurable but also transformational for the guests that join.  One week of being in a completely different culture far removed from the normal stressors of life eating delicious, healthy food, combined with mindfulness, meditation and yoga is the recipe for a more joyful life that extends way beyond your week-long journey.   

Jen meditating in Marrakesh 

Q: What was your experience like in Morocco on this past Marrakesh retreat? 

A: In one word - Unexpected. Prior to Morocco, I had never been to North Africa, and had I never travelled in a primarily Islamic country. As a solo female traveler, the introduction through EAT.PRAY.MOVE was the perfect way to ease into that experience. The country was actually much more liberal than I had expected, and the religious culture was truly fascinating. The integration of prayer and devotion into everyday life contrasted with the hustle and bustle of the city, the fragrant smells of the souks, the beauty of the countryside, the mountains, the people, the food, the architecture, the weather, the yoga, the peace I found within myself through all of this…I could go on and on. If you can make this trip, I promise it will change you in ways you would never expect. 

Q: What is your favorite thing to do in New York? 

A: I love walking my dog, Speedy. He is a five-pound chihuahua with a curiosity and fearlessness in this city that never ceases to amaze me. I’ve heard it said that people tend to choose animals that mirror their own personality, and aside from his interest in sniffing other dogs’ back sides, I would say that the personality mirror is pretty much true for us. We both love exploring new places and meeting new people, and taking him for walks in the chaos of NYC is always filled with fun surprises.  

Jen & Speedy

Q: What is your favorite quote? 

A: “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become.” — Gautama Buddha

We're so happy to have Jen on the team and know that she will add amazing things to EPM. She will be leading our newest 'MINDFUL MOVEMENT' Retreat in Marrakesh this Sept 6-12. Sign up just opened, so be sure to grab your spot quickly as it will be a popular one.

DETAILS & SIGN UP HERE

TRAVELER TESTIMONY: Barbara - Washington DC, USA

We were so lucky to interview the beautiful Barbara for the latest post in our Traveler Testimony series! 

We often describe EAT.PRAY.MOVE as a family, and her own family is a testament to that. She attended a past Moroccan retreat with her husband, Teo and returned over the New Year in Iceland with both her husband AND her son, Miro! In addition to being a devoted wife and mother, she is a writer and editor who is now transitioning into podcasting. In addition, Barbara is quite the sojournista herself — she just wrote an article for National Geographic about her family's roadtrip out west, but we will get to that in a moment. For now, enjoy Barbara's experiences with EAT.PRAY.MOVE! 

Barbara and her family in Iceland

Can you share a little about yourself? 

We are a family of three living in Washington DC, where both myself and my husband work as freelance writers and editors. Previously, I was story development editor at National Geographic Magazine and editor-in-chief of Health magazine in San Francisco. I am currently stretching new muscles by learning how to produce audio stories for public radio. My husband, Teo, was previously deputy editor at AARP's website and before that at the Center for Public Integrity and WebMD. He is currently working as an editor-at-large at Mindful magazine, based in Nova Scotia. My son, Miro, is 16, is an avid debater on his high school teams, a jazz pianist, and a science and math nerd. I take dance and am in a jazz singing group. Teo loves poetry and literature. We enjoy living in DC, where we moved 11 years ago, but we miss our previous homes in San Francisco and Austin and try to get back there as often as we can. 

 What drew you to EAT.PRAY.MOVE Yoga Retreats? 

Our first retreat was Erin's Morocco trip and we stumbled upon it while looking for a special trip to celebrate our anniversary. I usually plan my own trips/itineraries but was so busy at work that I had no time to plan. I was leery of signing on to a "group trip," fearing that we might not luck into a copacetic group, so I thought: what about a yoga retreat? I take classes twice a week, but I'm no yogi, my husband even less so. But I figured the kind of people who would sign up for a trip with that kind of focus were bound to be cool, free-thinking, and flexible (pardon the pun!) And I was right! We loved the folks we met on the trip and spending time with them was totally additive to the whole adventure. 

Moroccan love

What was your most recent retreat?

Our second and most recent trip was to Iceland in winter, and it was totally amazing! I did not know what to expect, given that I usually like to go to warmer climes in the winter, and I had not really thought about the fact that the daylight hours would be limited. But the whole trip was really magical and otherworldly. We seriously felt like we had taken a break from out normal lives and ended up on another planet with breathtaking and startlingly different landscapes and hot springs bubbling up everywhere. The twilight hours, which lasted so much longer there, made everything seem dreamy and ethereal. The itinerary planned by Erin was perfect: just the right mix of touring the countryside, relaxing in the hot springs, dining on good vegetarian food and spending a few hours every day practicing yoga, sketching and drawing the landscapes we'd seen. 

 How did your trips compare to your expectations?

Exceeded them for sure. It was so relaxing to go on a trip and know everything was taken care of for you, yet to still have so much free time, independence, and not feel over-scheduled. 

Barbara and Teo keep warm in the cold

 What did you learn on your trips? Did anything surprise you?

I loved meeting the other people. Despite being a bit shy, I realized how much more fun trips are when I share them with other people.

On retreat at The Blue Lagoon

What was it like to have Erin Lewis as a guide?

Erin is the perfect guide. She takes care of everything and makes it seem like it all falls into place magically, but I know how much effort goes into making these kinds of trips come together smoothly. She is very laid back and easy to be with. She sets the tone for the whole group to be positive and grateful for all we are getting to see and do, while also being authentic and not fake or forced in any way. There is a quiet and peaceful vibe to her, but she is also vibrant and full of fun. 

What were the top moments from your trips?

Oh, so many! 

From Morocco: the trip to Essaouira, where we did yoga on the beach and took a camel trek through dunes and waded in the ocean; getting henna tattoos around the pool with lovely appetizers and drinks before going out for an amazing dinner where I cavorted with a belly dancer; exploring the medina, sidestepping snake charmers and haggling in souks for the antique jewel-encrusted pointed slippers and camel bags that now hang in my house...

From Iceland: Walking into the freezing air in my bathing suit at the Blue Lagoon to step into the warm and steamy waters of a huge natural pool at 10:30 a.m. on our first day there, just as the sun rose, a beautiful huge golden circle that colored the sky in amazing colors; snuggling behind my 16-year-old son on a snowmobile as he drove over a remote glacier with snow swirling around us and the moon on the horizon, feeling tears of joy to be experiencing this with him and my husband in front of us; Spending New Year's in Reykevik with a memorable dinner in which we all picked a color and a word for last and next year, then went to a bonfire, fireworks, and a nightclub...one of the most memorable New Year's of my life.

Barbara and Miro snowmobile on a glacier

What lasting impressions did you have?  

More travel! More living in the moment! It was the perfect break to launch me into a new year that will be full of challenges and opportunities to be creative. I hope to bring some of that energy and excitement I felt then into this year 2015.

  What was it like to experience a retreat with your family?

I think most of the people who tend to go on Erin's retreats are single and mostly women. So bringing my husband (and 16-year-old son on the last one) was something I wondered about. But I have to say it worked out so well, and perhaps even better, than if we'd traveled alone. It gave all of us a lot more freedom to do what we wanted to do, when we wanted to, and to have other really interesting people to talk to and get to know their lives and their hopes and dreams. I was so appreciative that the others on the Iceland trip were so kind as to treat Miro as his own person and talked to him as an-almost peer, which is so important at his age. He loved the trip as much as we did, and I think it's because he felt like he was treated just like the other adults. I feel we grew closer as a family as a result of sharing this amazing experience together. 

Thank you sincerely, Barbara, for sharing such a heartfelt and vivid picture of your time on EPM's retreats. You, Teo and Miro are truly representative of what we envision for our retreats, and we hope to see you for more adventures in the future! 

To read about more adventures, check out this article Barbara wrote for National Geographic retracing the route from Oklahoma to California taken by the Joad Family in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. They spent 3 weeks traveling along Route 66 talking to people about the current drought at farms and ranches and helping out at homeless shelters and food banks along the way. She is currently working on an audio story about the trip called The Mother Road Trip. 

Want a Piece of Moroccan Glam? *GIVEAWAY*

It's about that time again for a fun GIVEAWAY over here at EAT.PRAY.MOVE! This month we'll be giving away two of these handmade, one-of-a-kind clutches that were made from genuine vintage Moroccan wedding blankets!

What is a Moroccan wedding blanket you ask? Well, you can get a good idea HERE and even shop for some full size ones HERE from Maryam, our host in Marrakesh at Peacock Pavilions!

...wedding blankets are woven in anticipation of, you guessed it, a wedding, by the bride's female relatives. It can take many hours — even weeks — of work to attach those hundreds of mirrored sequins once the weaving is complete; it is thought that during this collaborative task, the bride's relatives teach her all about the birds and the bees, among other marital duties and expectations. After the wedding ceremony, the bride wears the blanket tied around her neck as a kind of cape...When complete, the wedding blanket serves not only as warmth and decoration for the bride, but also to ward off evil and to bestow fertility and good luck upon the newlyweds.    — ApartmentTherapy

HOW TO GET ONE!

There are only two, and two ways to make one yours:

1. The next guest to sign up for LUXURY MARRAKESH Mar 8-14, 2015 will receive one.

2. There will be a random drawing from comments on this post! RULES: Leave your NAME & EMAIL in the comment. Only 1 comment per person. Extra chance given for a Fackbook, Twitter, or Instagram share of the link to the retreat page on our site HERE. Be sure to tag us on either @eatpraymoveyoga! Then let us know in the comments what you did and we'll add your extra chances.

GOOD LUCK & We hope to see you in MARRAKESH!

Unfortunately, due to custom regulations, we can only ship to address in the US or Canada...or we can bring it to you on the next retreat! Drawing will end Dec 26!