I am not a workout girlie. I like walking, but every time I go hiking, the first 30 minutes are spent cursing myself out for opting to do this. You will not find me running to even save my life. I cannot, for the sake of anything, exercise. Yet, when the blue moon was near, at the end of May, something told me a Pilates retreat with Core Flow Studio at Summit River Lodge would be worth it.
Once in a blue moon workout.
What happens when a non-workout girlie, sign up for a Pilates retreat.
Text by Shuvechchhya Pradhan
Now, don’t get me wrong. I have been stretching a bit after work for a few months, which included a mat Pilates. But I suffered through all of it. I would always finish the session with anger and sadness. So, I told myself, I must be mad for signing up for the retreat, except that I would also host a writing session on it. Yet, when the retreat days came nearer, I told myself, maybe I could just spend my time reading a book instead of doing Pilates.
We met at the Tourist Bus Stop in Khusibu at around 7 and drove through the foggy hills and green fields via the Sitapaila-Dhakre road. It was raining, the road was muddy, yet everyone in the van had an electrifying energy. There were regular Pilates doers excited about getting away from the dusty Kathmandu. There were those who wanted to try Pilates and thought this was a perfect opportunity to do so. And there was I– someone trying to remember why I was doing it again.
It took us almost 5 hours to reach Summit River Lodge, with an almost one-hour break for drinks and snacks. The first thing we did after the refreshing drink was play the icebreaker game. There was an introduction round where everyone shared their names and their favourite things to do. Then there was a quiz with three participants winning a gift voucher from Core Flow. And finally, we were divided into two groups to play the human knot. After the icebreaker came a writing exercise where we were to be present and aware and write about that presence. The other writing prompt was to describe emotions and feelings, such as happiness and sadness, in five sensory details.
We were then assigned rooms around the retreat area itself. After freshening up quickly, all of us gathered to have Nepali Dal-Bhat lunch. The traditional Nepali Dal-Bhat was accompanied by fresh veggies and greens, either grown at Summit itself or the neighbouring villages, and the spicy-tangy achars. Everyone took at least a second helping of achar and veggies, if not the rice. After lunch, all of us went to the pool to relax before the intense hot Pilates.
While I opted out of the Hot Pilates, I could hear Kesang’s voice going, “1,2,3,4” as the rest of the group sweated it off outside in the garden. Listening to them stretching over the mats, strengthening their core muscles, made me feel left out. I wondered maybe it wouldn’t be bad at all. But then, I would rather be reading a book than being out there, sweating out with sore muscles. Or at least that’s what I told myself. After the first session, the group went to the swimming pool, and everyone finally enjoyed the evening. Some played games in the pool, others relaxed with a drink.
That was one of the moments where I thought to myself, “This is something I would like to do once in a while.” Participate in a retreat or hangouts where I knew almost no one, and had to do something new. There’s something thrilling about playing the game of “Would I like this person based on their worldview?” when you meet someone new, and you’re forced to spend at least a night together. Or have dinner together. You at least end up knowing whether the person sitting in front of you likes spicy food or not.
Speaking of dinner, we tasted the spicy-creamy Bhutanese cuisine, with red rice, green beans, chicken, and pork. There was also pasta for those who wanted something familiar, but most chose the cuisine from our South Asian country. After dinner, during the campfire, one of the participants decided to share her fire-cleansing ritual with us. This made perfect sense because wellness and healing are not just about the physical body and mental health, but also spirituality. We all gathered around the bonfire, wrote what we wanted to let go of on a piece of paper, and let the fire consume it.
The next morning, after a quick morning drink, everyone got ready for the second Plates session, set up in the retreat hall. After contemplating for a while, I decided to give it a go and settled on a mat in the middle of the hall. Richene took over as instructor, and as I followed her “1,2,3,4 and change,” I found myself more relaxed. Yes, the session was hard. I was sweating everywhere. I had to pause many times and skip completing the round. I went to drink water multiple times. Yet, by the time we were done, nothing ached. It was a miracle.
After the session, we headed out for breakfast after freshening up. And before we knew it, the time to say goodbye had arrived. Once we’d packed our bags, we met for the final writing session, where we wrote feedback based on a prompt.
Knowing myself and my previous workout experience, whether it’s a simple stretch, yoga, or even Pilates, I thought I would end up complaining the whole time during the session. I feared the pain, the restlessness, and the question “Why am I volunteering to suffer?” that always comes when I am moving my body (except when I am dancing). To realise that I had none of these experiences made me appreciate Richene and Core Flow and be grateful to Summit for this moment.
Shuvechchhya writes about her life in lifeinatotebag.substack.com.