I had to sing loudly along to the stereo in my car to stay focused on the dark, curvy roads the last several miles on my way to Circle Yoga Shala near Jasper, Arkansas. I had been invited to attend a women’s weekend and wasn’t sure what to expect, but it sounded nice. It was dark when I arrived. Owner Holly Krepps greeted me and showed me to my private room inside a rustic barn that has been beautifully remodeled. I unpacked, gathered my bearings, and headed to dinner.
On my way, I admired how cleverly Holly and her husband, Matt, used native stone from the land and repurposed wood for the walls. The mixed interior décor is handpicked, authentic, and one-of-a-kind. It is both rustic and modern, and full of charm. The overall impact of the structure was sturdy, ecological, and made to last for generations to come.
Dinner was a garden-to-table gourmet meal, and Matt happily accommodated me with a vegan option. I had a delicious fresh-picked garden salad with rice and orange slices. As we ate, Holly spoke of their mission and vision for the space and land. It was clearly a reflection of what I had already noticed—respect for the earth, a desire to be self sustaining, and commitment to helping by sharing their gifts with integrity. After dinner, Holly announced we would meet upstairs in the barn for “circle.” Circle. What does that mean, I wondered.
The upstairs of the barn was just as nice, clean, and beautiful. It smelled homey, like dried flowers. I felt cozy already! I joined 28 other women in a big circle on the floor. Holly led the group and set the mood for the weekend. She welcomed us with genuine warmth and invited us to share about ourselves and simply be together. We each were presented a card with a different stanza from the poem “Imagine a Woman.” Holly asked us to share how we ended up there and why. She emphasized, “We don’t care about what you do.” What a relief! Finally, a truly work-free weekend where you weren’t even allowed to talk about work! Each woman shared about herself, not what defined her according to anyone else or society, but about her own heart and what lead her to being there. We started connecting and warming up to each other.
In the morning I made my way to the farmhouse for breakfast. One whole wall in the dining room is a chalkboard where the agenda was written. The schedule: breakfast, activity, lunch, activity, dinner, then drum journey. Hmm, I wondered what was in store.
At Circle Shala they have a world-class, transformational yoga teacher training program, so of course I expected to do a little yoga. The yoga was like none other I have experienced. It was gentle and opening. We stretched and moved, then laid down and Holly instructed us how to talk to our bodies. We learned to ask what our feet wanted from us, all the way up to our hearts. Then, more circle!
We shared how our bodies spoke to us and how we must remember to listen. I realized how much our society teaches us to ignore signals from our bodies and just keep up productivity. We started to see each other in ourselves. One of my favorite things someone shared was, “I’ve never asked my legs what they wanted before; they said, “I want to dance.”
Baring our souls opened our hearts, and opening our hearts helped us to heal. There is, as Holly would say, “big medicine” in being heard and seen by others. After each uplifting activity, we returned to circle and shared. We spoke one at a time, and as we shared, women smiled, cried, laughed, and nodded in understanding. No one corrected you, tried to fix you, or judged you. We learned to listen, truly listen, and be present.
The next day, we danced! I must confess, I dance all the time in my living room with arms flailing around, booty shaking, and frenetic feet stomping, but I never thought anyone would see me or join in! We danced to express transitioning from being a girl to becoming a wise old woman. Each song captured the essence of the different stages of womanhood. After, we were ready for another wonderful lunch. This time it was a nice bowl of hot soup with a kick of heat from end-of-the-season jalapenos.
It was time for closing circle. We cried with joy and laughed out loud and smiled at each other’s souls. I had confessed at the first circle that I tend to have a hard time connecting with other women. At closing circle, I expressed that I hadn’t seen anyone giving me a judgmental glance. Then I stopped myself and said, but the truth is, I wasn’t looking for one.
I left this retreat feeling like I bonded not just with the women there, but with all women. “Imagine a woman who values the women in her life. A woman who sits in circles of women. Who is reminded of the truth about herself when she forgets. Imagine yourself as that woman.” – Patricia Lynn Reilly
Circle Yoga Shala is a special place located in the serene depths of the beautiful Ozark forests near the town of Jasper. It exists as the result of the passion, expertise, and effort of Matt and Holly Krepps who, with the help of family and friends, transformed 25 acres of working homesteaded land into a self-sustaining and healing space. This beautiful couple has been united in teaching yoga and training yoga teachers for more than a decade. They host retreats of various kinds all year round. You may visit the land and enjoy nature as a bed and breakfast guest without attending a retreat or workshop. For more info, visit circleyogashala.com or call 870-861-5175. M! December 2013/January 2014
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