Or Why some things worked for me and others didn't.
It was 2016 the first time I stepped into a yoga studio and oh, how I loved it. The silence, the stillness. Back then, options were limited, and I was just jumping from Yoga Nidra to Vinyasa to Ashtanga on repeat.
And then, something exploded. Suddenly, we were bombarded with things that were supposed to be revolutionary: Sound baths, Cacao ceremonies, Ecstatic dance, Kundalini activations, Soft Tantra, Shamanic anything, and even pottery. To name a few.
As a person who likes to try everything, I have experienced them all. And while some are nice to try, I know the ones that will actually survive the marketing boom are those that focus on our basic human needs:
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To feel in community.
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Silencing the noise in our minds to listen to our hearts.
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Connecting with our soul through spiritual practices.
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Returning to our bodies to feel more alive.
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Exploring our creativity.
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Finding what truly matters to you.
The practices rooted in the above are the ones that worked for me and the people around me. Not the quick fixes or the trends promising to unstick trauma in a single sitting (sorry, not sorry, Kundalini activation), but the rituals I could bring home and practice daily.
Yoga isn’t just an exercise for the body, it is a way to find discipline for our minds and quiet the noise. When I experienced burnout in 2016, yoga saved me by giving me a safe space to feel my emotions and just let them be.
Pure Cacao is also an amazing medicine to use daily to connect with our bodies and emotions, allowing us to listen above the chaos. For the past four years, I have been drinking it daily instead of coffee, and it has helped me immensely in tuning into my feelings.
Sound baths have boomed over the last two years, reminding us that music is also medicine. While I usually choose yoga, dancing, or boxing because I love movement, sound baths are my go to when I need to calm my mind but do not want to suffer through a Downward Facing Dog (which is not a resting pose btw).
Dancing, even when done arrhythmically like I do, is an incredible practice for releasing tension and moving emotions through the body. I discovered contemporary dance in 2022 and started going once a week. It brought me back to myself and helped me process a lot when I was working in a corporate job that was demanding too much of me.
There is also a reason why retreats are being offered left and right: in a world where community and slowing down are in decline, people are demanding spaces to reconnect with both. We are getting tired of queueing for an hour to see monuments and being on the go 24/7 with zero quality time with friends. Retreats offer a quiet space to rest and connect with a community. While I do not go to them often, I met some of my longest lasting friends in them.
Yes, humans will always reinvent things and release new trends (Humanity 101), but there is a reason why yoga, music, and community gatherings have been around for millennia: We love them. We need them.
So, wherever you are in life right now, trust on covering the basics. The rest will follow.
I am hosting a women’s circle in Zurich this May 30th, where we will enjoy time in community, slow down with a sound bath, drink ceremonial cacao together, and explore the meaning of love. You can book your spot here.
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