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!

TRAVELER TESTIMONY :: Leigh-Ann - Ohio, USA

We are excited to share another traveler testimony! This time around, we were lucky enough to chat with Leigh-Ann from Columbus, Ohio. She works in the health and wellness industry, where she is currently creating her own hair care line! (Her tresses are certainly envy worthy.) Leigh-Ann is a long time member of the EPM family--she has joined us for retreats to Ischia, Provence and Iceland. She is a true testament to the reason we do what we do and love it so much. We asked her to share about her experience with Iceland and EPM. 

What drew you EAT.PRAY.MOVE Yoga Retreats?  

I was originally drawn to EAT.PRAY.MOVE because I loved the idea of having everything organized for me, as well as the vegetarian cuisine and the locations. Iceland looked amazing in the photos, and after going on 2 other retreats, I knew it would be amazing.

The beautiful Leigh Ann, full of love

How did your trip compare to your expectations?

Iceland was my 3rd retreat with EPM, and it absolutely exceeded my expectations.

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

I learned that Iceland is even better in person than in the photos! Everyone was very friendly and proud to talk about the history of the country. (I also learned that the cuisine there is a little different--they eat animals that we typically do not!)

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

Erin is great as a guide! I am a planner by nature, so the amazing thing with this trip and its itinerary is that I was aware of everything we were doing, but all I had to was show up. Erin took care of the rest. From the food to the activities, everything was handled.  

Enjoying a hot tub along the riverside at Frost and Fire 

What was the best part of your trip?

The best part of the trip was reconnecting with guests from previous retreats and meeting new people. Once you attend one of the retreats, you have a certain bond with the other guests. There are many repeat guests, so it's always nice to see them again.

What lasting impressions did you have of EPM?  

The first retreat I attend with Erin CHANGED MY LIFE. I attended the Ischia, Italy trip, and I was in a very stressful state. I hated my job, and it was controlling my life. I went away on this retreat and realized life is too short. I need to do what makes me happy. When I returned home I changed my career path, and I have never been happier! I began working at Whole Foods and started an all natural hair care line called 2 Girls With Curls. You can check it out at www.2curlygirls.com. 

An elegant group dinner in Iceland

These are trips that you will never forget. New friendships are formed and you get to do yoga and see the world in style.

Thanks, Leigh Ann, for sharing your beautiful story and experiences with us. We love having you as part of our family here at EPM, and we look forward to adventuring with you in the future! 

2014: What a Year! (part 2)

After our post "2014: What a Year! (part 1)" in last week's installment of our 2014 year summary, we wanted to go ahead and give you an update about the rest of our summer and fall this year.

At the very end of June we headed to our home-away-from-home of Italy and enjoyed a week among the sunflowers with a fun group! Since many of the guests were Americans, we even celebrated the 4th of July with a private fireworks show put on just for us on the hillsides of Tuscany. Then later in July we returned to the villa in Tuscany for another week of village tours, Italian cuisine, thermal spa visits, and yoga under the Tuscan sun!

In between the two Tuscany countryside retreats was spent in Florence with the first annual collaboration Five Senses Yoga Retreat where we spent five days in the amazing city of Firenze exploring one of the five senses per day - SEEING the sites, SMELLING the aromatic spas and notes of a wine tasting, FEELING our bodies in a Chianti bike tour, HEARING Gregorian chants sung by monks on a hillside church, and TASTING the Tuscan cuisine during a cooking class. It was a completely successful experience and we couldn't have asked for a better group of women.

Join us in ITALY in 2015! (click on the links for details)

June 28 - July 4 :: Tuscany, Italy
July 5 - 10 :: Florence, Italy (Five Senses Retreat)

The very next month we were off again for our first retreat in the "Land of Fire and Ice" - and what an Icelandic adventure it was! Experiencing Iceland in the summer is a treat and our group explored the southwest region from the Ion Adventure hotel to the Blue Lagoon - all with geysirs, waterfalls, and plenty of blue thermal pools in between. Can't wait to return for our Northern Lights trip for New Years!

Join us in ICELAND in 2015! (click on the link for details)

Aug 9 - 15 :: Southwest, Iceland

In September it was back to Marrakesh for a couple of weeks of Moroccan magic (summed up in part 1), before it was back to Italy in October for the "Tastes of Tuscany" retreat at a wine resort villa outside of the beautiful city of Siena. Each day was filled with different highlights of the Tuscan cuisine during harvest season. From truffle hunts to wine tastings, and cheese farm tours to city visits and spa days - we had a full week with beautiful company. 

That almost wraps up the year until our New Year's retreat in Iceland, but we were also able to scout another amazing location getting added again to the schedule next year - the breathtaking island if Ischia, Italy. Neighbors with Capri and the Amalfi Coast, Ischia is one of our favorite places and we can't wait to bring guests there once again in 2015. 

Join us in ISCHIA in 2015! (click on the link for details)

Sept 20 - 26 :: Ischia, Italy

Stay tuned for more retreats to come in the new year. Join our newsletter HERE to get first notifications when new dates are added. 

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU IN 2015! 

2014 : What a Year! (part 1)

I know we're not quite all the way through this year, and as we're still looking forward to the holiday season and to our final retreat of 2014 to ring in the New Year in Iceland under the Northern Lights, I thought it's a good time to stop and reflect on the amazing year it's been thus far.

This year we began the season in Marrakesh, Morocco at our amazing location of Peacock Pavilions - a "do good boutique hotel" in an olive grove outside the city. There were two amazing weeks there, one classic itinerary and one luxury retreat, filled with great guests as always. We also had two more weeks in Marrakesh this past September and began the "Give Back" retreat initiative, where we were able to donate over $800 to the Project Soar non-profit group that we've been working with at Peacock Pavilions. It was wonderful to be able to see the group of girls from the village again, and in September we also got to work with their mothers as well and see the difference that this project is making in their lives.

There are 3 Marrakesh retreats in 2015. Join us for a magical week and also to know you're giving back to an worth while cause! (click on the links for details)

Mar 8-14 :: Luxury Retreat

Mar 15-21 :: FORM+FOCUS Yoga/Art Retreat (only a few spots left!)

Sept 13-19 :: Classic Retreat

In May we headed to Provence, France for our second visit to the beautiful Cote d'Azur and enjoyed yoga, a visit to the islands of the southern French coast, wine-tastings, and joie de vivre! The very next week was spent with our premier week in Dubrovnik, Croatia and it was a week that exceeded everyone's expectations...bike rides through the wine country, secluded beaches with crystal clear water, yoga in the lush gardens, and the warm hospitality of the Croatian people.

We are returning to France and Croatia early summer 2015 and would love to have you join us! (click on the links for details)

May 31 - Jun 6 :: Dubrovnik, Croatia (only 1 room left!) 

Jun 7 -13 :: Provence, France (SOLD OUT)

These retreats were a great kick-off to the summer and fall that lay ahead...Stay tuned for part 2 where we'll update on how the summer and fall in Italy, Iceland, and Morocco went!