Stepping in

Leaving Huautla, I was pretty high on life when I first arrived in Puerto Escondido. I still have the vivid image of going down the main road, overlooking the sea, starring at the stretching white sandy beach stuck in between a coconuts tree army on one side and the constant unfolding of the waves in the other side.

Puerto Escondito is a surfer s paradise with still a very authentique fishing life buzzing round the main beach. It’s pretty quiet overall, the main tourist strip Zicatela gets somewhat busy on weekend but partying people would get quickly bored here.

The place I was headed for was nothing like the rest of Puerto. Just after New Years, I had a positive answer saying I was accepted for a 3 month work exchange in a holistic centre: the Sanctuary. I was to be part of the staff, helping with daily task and the rest would be figured out on the spot. But I was accepted, that is all that mattered.

I rang the bell and Pete came greeting me, showed me around the place and introduced me to the people living in: around 8 at the time. He gave me a room and I spent the afternoon getting my bearings, pinching my skin to test if I was dreaming or not. Indeed, I m not used to comfort and seeing such a beautiful place, having my own bed, checking the roof top, the garden, the beach 200m down and all these coconut tree didn’t help to make it real…but you get used to it pretty quick!

Life in the Sanctuary

Living in such a tight community was new to me. Being mostly individual for the last 8 years of my life, I was coming from another place but was up for the challenge since I am very social and maybe after all not so individual.

Knowing the people living there didn’t take long since everything is done together. But the real magic takes place on another level: this is not just any community but before all a healing center with a holistic approach of life. There is not much place for hiding but a constant flow of energy exchanges: emotions, relationship, behaviour … everything is being approached as consciously as possible.

The Sanctuary is about oneyear old and when I first arrived, not much was really in place structurally wise. I had to find my place and understand the whole dynamic of it. As any community, it’s all about dealing with daily issues and fixing up personal and communal problems. I quickly had a good connection with the people staying. I could feel right away a very safe and supportive atmosphere, allowing me to unshedd layers of myself and express me in new ways, more spontaneous, more like me.

Most of people stayed long enough to make strong connections, especially with the kind of moments we share.  The days went by really quick. A schedule had to be respected as well as some obligation to participate to some activities. The work was done in the morning, after the morning smoothie. Afternoons were spent down at the beach (200m away) or maybe to some other beaches a bit further. Once the sunset gone, everybody would be back to grab an evening snack and get together for the evening workshop if any.

The workshop offered entirely depended on who was staying in the Sanctuary as we were the ones offering them. Here is an idea of what I experienced: Ecstatic dance, Full moon ceremony, breathwork, Dreamboard creation, Creative night, Yoganidra, 5 elements meditation, Atunment healing… We had some week workshops as well where guest would come and stay short term.

Before all, it s the people here that made that whole adventure what it was. We all supported as well as challenged ourselves in many ways. So many beautiful moments shared, without judgment you can go a long way. The constant evolution of the structure was not always easy to deal with but I saw the evolution of the place from when I arrived till when I left: what a change.

Check in

At some point, “check in” was introduced. When Check in was called, anybody that wanted to participate simply joined the circle. The idea is simple: you create a circle where everybody can share how he/she feels at the moment or where is his/her head at. It cannot bring up communal issues, has to remain centered on his/her own feelings. There is no discussions allowed and what is shared in the circle stays in the circle. The talking stick is passed around and when its not your turn, you simply listen and give attention to others.

I was often a bit reluctant to participate but I always felt good and could sense the benefits of it right away. It is an amazing tool that should be used more often and could be introduced in many social contexts like within families, social groups, work meeting or anything implying strong social boundings to work well. It is pretty amazing how it strenghten and deepen relationship, brings a strong awarness of each other and could help understand and figure out communal issues too.

Teaching opportunity

I can feel that a part of me is really drawn towards teaching. Communicating, explaining, sharing etc there is just so much into it. And such a basic instinct too, deeply rooted in life’s evolution. I ve always respected how teachers had to expose themselves and give the best of them.

After feeling comfortable at the Sanctuary, I decided to try giving workshops, one of the evening ones we have 3 times a week for about 1.5 hours. The first one I did was with a friend, Hayley. We decided to bring some acting and conscious playing around the place and organise a fun workshop that we both gave. She is really experienced when it comes to teaching so I learned from her and from the first-hand experience. I wasn’t on top of it but really enjoyed holding an activity together.

Then I decided to share my passion about shamanism and organised two shamanic journeys, one week apart. Such an interesting experience, having all these pairs of eyes giving you attention. Then sharing the journeys they had was just an incredible moment for me, seeing the expressions and the reactions of each of them. This was also of great insights of energy and spirit work and taught me a good lesson of the importance of holding a circle properly.

Finally, a dancing workshop with Luna, full of fun and improvisation as it went by, rather smoothly.

Outside life of the Sanctuary

Well, we sort of have a busy schedule over there with all the activities so connecting with locals is not always easy.  I had a good friend, Jeff that took me around on his motorbike to get honey from his beehives and introduced to some nice places.

I would often spend the afternoon doing some reading, relaxing, playing a bit of guitar sometimes. Then sunset time was kept sacred: everybody gathered on the beach and I would often do some dancing / meditation.

I will not forget that incredible night out to swim with the phosphorescent algae. I never imagined that would be so heavenly beautiful. Every little move made in the water lightens up the microscopic algae around. You literally feel like being God taking a swim in another realm where anything would be possible. A fresh water of thousands and thousands of glittering stars are covering your body as you move around a starry sky. Now use your imagination…

I had one day a week off, I would often arrange myself to leave te previous day so I could go somewhere else and spent the night out too. That gave me the chance to ressource myself and get out of Puerto Escondito a bit.

Dealing with emotions

My own work was focused on emotions. I realized I had shut myself emotionally so that I couldnt allow me to feel pain, anger, sadness… Everything started slowly when I saw Lawrence a few times doing NET (Neuro Emotional Techniques). I couldn’t release much during the sessions themselves but going back to the traumas responsible made me aware of which areas I had to work on.

I kind of took on the work myself and decided to go all the way…what a journey! I would generally start by dancing and let me feel the emotions coming through and go with them until they were so strong I had to stop dancing and just release all that was cropping out.

I made it my little sunset ritual until I actually went too far: it’s one thing to get on touch with your emotions but it’s another one to dwell on them. It resulted on serious power loss that got me out of myself for a few days. Only once rested I could try to deal with it and tried some shamanic work that kind worked. In the end, a big lesson was integrated as well as how to work with emotions and how you can transform them to support you instead of pulling you down.

I released so much and got to amazing places that I started to see and feel my being of light. I have to mention that amazing connection with nature when more than 30 vultures came all around me, almost touching me as I was confessing myself to the universe.

Spirit Bird

The spirit of birds has definitely played a big part all throughout my stay. Just looking at how pelicans surf the waves in formation, how they dive into water as thriving for food, gave me great inspiration .Then I found a dead seagull on the beach and collected some of her feathers, some of real beauty: they show both black and white colours in different manners that I try to keep in one piece. Not mentioning the vulture apparition and support that special day. And finally the whole music album I ve been using to dance and play with my emotions, a jewel from Xavier Rudd, that is called “Spirit bird”… check it out.

What I´ve learned

•  Dealing with emotions
• How to open my heart
• Community life
• Some vegan cooking
• Developed my own yoga/dance practice
• Reality check in
• How to hold a circle
• A first hand on energy work
• Got in touch with my being of light / my inner self
• The ability to center and ground myself
• A first hand understanding of the spiritual realm.
• Cutting coconuts (and climbing coconut trees)

What I’ve had:

Fun, Laughs and lots of Love.

The website: www.healing-haven.com