I did not pursue yoga as a child; rather, the practice was thrust upon me as I happen to be the only biological daughter of a woman who can easily be referred to as a "health nut." That being said, I've been doing several types of yoga since I was 10 years old. I'm 19 now and this past summer, I took a three-hour plane ride across 1,037 miles of land and ocean to reach the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat in Nassau, Bahamas.

When I step off the little speed boat that delivers us all to a modest piece of land off the coast of Paradise Island I have only one thought; wow. Nassau has the definite look of a paradise that, before this very moment, I could only have imagined in my most precious dreams. The tree leaves overflow with life, pouring out from behind every wall and exploding over every rooftop. Flowers bloom and animals roam as if the land has never once felt the harsh touch of human colonization. Yet I can clearly see people wandering amongst the trees. The waves lull me to calm with the soothing sounds they make as they brush up onto the sand. It is absolutely breathtaking.

Image Credit: http://www.sivanandabahamas.org/guest-information/...

A woman with a posh British accent greets us at the "front desk;" it’s a small structure with a large window. Inside is the usual equipment you'd expect to find at reception: keys, a computer, etc. She briskly details the schedule to us: at 6 a.m., we have Satsang. The Ashram website describes satsang as a time when guests and residents, "come together as a community for meditation, chanting, daily prayers, and spiritual learning." After we meditate and chant together we usually end with a lecture from one of our spiritual leaders. Other times it's a Silent Walk around the premise. At 8 a.m., we have yoga class, brunch at 10 a.m., yoga again at 4 p.m. Dinner's at 6 p.m with one last Satsang at 8 p.m.

I start to feel wary as I venture around this small piece of glory. My mom and I don't start until tomorrow since we just arrived. My nerves stem from being in a new place and learning a new type of yoga. I'm not the most adventurous person when it comes to switching up my practice, after all. I personally prefer a workout where my body is exercised to its limit and then pushed just a little more. Every once in awhile, I enjoy that day-after muscle soreness that lets me know my body is working to heal and strengthen itself. Or the endorphins released immediately afterward that seem to be my body telling me Yes, that was a good thing. Let’s do that again sometime. However, upon entering the Ashram's yoga class for beginners at 7:54 a.m. sharp the next day, I am met with a different sort of philosophy. To start, I am the only person to lay out her mat and then stand up when the instructor walks in. Everyone else stays seated. Our spiritual guide for the next two hours is wearing a bright yellow shirt and white pants, indicating that she is indeed trained to teach.

Image Credit: http://www.sivanandabahamas.org/

Once I correct my faux pas, I lie down on my mat. We rest as she speaks. When she tells us to get up and I am sitting criss-cross-applesauce on my pretty purple yoga mat, she tells us to take deep breaths. So for ten minutes or so I just...breathe. Or I try to, that is. She proceeds to chant words I don't yet know. As a generally active person, I'm not used to simply sitting before working out. Or in the middle of a beachside forest. My body was poised to move. To stretch. To work. I quickly found myself constantly distracted by the wildlife I heard; birds landing in the trees above me; lizards zipping past in the sand beside our designated wooden platform; small insects scattering about in the day; or the partly domesticated stray cats slowly making their way towards the basketball courts in order to sunbathe before brunch. The animals are actively enjoying the gorgeous sunshine and here I am...breathing. She makes us stand up and I think, Oh, finally something I'm good at; movement. But it was, again, not what I'm expecting. We stand.

"Breathe in," she calls.

"Breathe out."

We did 'slow sun salutation' a process meant to wake up your body and spirit. It's common in most practices.

Ten minutes later we're back to sitting on our butts on the smooth wood at our feet. I glance at my mother. She's doing well! As if all this slow calm isn't totally abnormal! My glance becomes a subtle glare and all I can think is, Why aren't we moving! I thought this was exercise! And why am I so bad this! I'm the youngest person in this class. I've been doing yoga since I was ten years old. I'm good...right? In short, I'm confused, slightly jealous, and extremely frustrated.

As we stretch our arms and legs, I start to panic because we are still going slow and I am still not as focused as I should be. I am literally struggling to keep my eyes on her or on my mat without completely tuning out her words. And we are far from finished. Oh, no, ladies and gents! At that moment, our wonderful instructor tells us to hold our breath. First for ten seconds. Then we release and breath deeply. Then repeat. Then we hold we hold it again for twenty seconds. Release. Breath deep. Repeat. Thirty Seconds. Release. Breath deep. My heart starts to speed up in a way mildly similar to cardio.

She begins to explain rhythmic breathing and I think No way is this real and then, No way am I not doing it. I suspect she can tell clearly that I am not fully invested and I want to prove that I am taking this just as seriously as my older peers. She counts, "One- two. One- two." On one, we take a quick inhale. On two, we blow it out. It was surprisingly fun as well as surprisingly difficult.

At the end of our breathing phase, or pranayama as they call it here, we lie back on our mats in traditional savasana, or “corpse pose.” As the name suggests, we lie completely still and become lost in a unique silence that overcomes our newly opened minds.

My stomach is pleasantly sore, my body is only somewhat stretched, and my head is a bit light. I am shocked to realize that I feel as though I did a good amount of exercise even though I hardly moved at all. I feel almost as relaxed and satisfied as I normally would after having completed a much harder workout back home.

As I rise to standing, I can smell brunch being served. I’m not hungry but being that it’s 10 am and I haven’t eaten since yesterday, I figure that’s just my yoga-high playing tricks on my mind and that I’m actually starving but too damn happy to realize it.

Image Credit: http://www.sivanandabahamas.org/guest-information/...

Food at the Ashram is always vegetarian or vegan, cooked and prepared by fellow yogis and ashram staff. I grab a metal plate and utensil before I join the short buffet line eager to partake in some vegetarian goodies with my new temporary family.

Image Credit: http://www.sivanandabahamas.org/guest-information/...

A small speedboat leaves the island every hour for those who wish to explore the mainland if they’re craving meat, cold drinks (room temperature beverages are thought to be better for digestion), shopping, or just lively atmosphere. I sometimes partook in this boat ride as I found myself determined to find my center but also to explore my new surroundings every now and then. In many ways, the mainland reminded me of home with its congested traffic and people bustling about every which way. It was fun for a while but I would quickly start to miss my little retreat.

My time at the Ashram continued this way throughout. I did eventually get better at the practices. A city girl at heart, I can’t say I really “became one with nature” but I did truly love to be in it as often as I could. I met people from all over the world at this retreat.

On my final day, at the end of the summer, one of the head spiritual leaders, who wore orange robes in order to distinguish themselves from the others, was taking a walk around the premises. He paused by a tree and reached to gently pick up a clean, pink flower that had fallen in the dirt beneath it. I was sitting on a bench waiting for the speedboat and melting in the heat when I looked up to see his hand outstretched as he handed me the flower with a smile. At my thanks, he lifted his hands in a prayer form and bowed his head. Then he turned and continued on his leisurely stroll.

Returning to the city was not as shocking as I feared it would be but still odd. I found that I missed my buses and subways and car horns alike. The loudness that American people can create just by being is something I’ve come to enjoy. But my struggle and subsequent journey at the Ashram will always hold a special place in my heart.

Image Credit: http://www.sivanandabahamas.org/

If you are a person passionate about yoga and healthy living, I recommend that you try to visit a retreat at least once in your lifetime. But it is not the only option. One can still get a perfectly good practice without ever leaving home.

The practices at the retreat eventually became much harder than the beginner course I described. For an example of the type of yoga I practiced at the Ashram; you can view this video taken at the Ashram in California:

For an example of the “chanting” I mentioned, here is a video of lyrics to the daily Sivananda chant directly from the Ashram in Nassau:

If you'd like to learn more about Sivananda yoga and the Ashram Retreat, here is a link to frequently asked questions on their homepage: http://www.sivanandabahamas.org/guest-information/...