Day three of the Yoga and Writing Retreat was spent exploring the mystery of the Château de Verderonne and using our finds as fuel for our writing, eating French food, and working out our kinks on the yoga mat. We earned the clinks of “Salut” by the end of the day. (Always make eye contact in your toasts!)

Start the day with journaling and green jasmine tea before morning rejuvenating yoga with Elissa.

 

 

Rita’s  mystery object from her “Evocative Object Workshop” came with a surprise twist: we’re still not sure what it is. Hoof-fork? One of the many charming (and evocative) mysteries of the Château de Verderonne that inspired our poems, stories, songs, essays, and screenplays.

 

 

A stroll around the gardens helped us choose our own “evocative objects” to write about.

 

 

 

 

(I chose the old horse bath, now teeming with plant life)

 

 

 

 

 

We really kicked it.

 

 

 

 

 

Since our morning yoga was energizing and strengthening in the salon, our evening yoga was cooling and relaxing in the garden. After a good day of creating, relaxing yoga was exactly what we needed. After “water fountain” we tried “chasing the moon.”

 

Yoga made the walk back through the gardens all the sweeter, especially knowing that dinner (and plum tart for dessert!) would soon be on the table.

 

 

 

And for added inspiration, I’m doing some palm and tarot reading sessions on the side for our wonderful group this summer. Why not look life’s mysteries in the eye?

– Jessica Reidy, CWW Fiction Instructor