Out Of My Comfort Zone

by NATALIE SMITH (Australia)

I didn't expect to find Cambodia

It all started when I signed up for something that has always made me cringe. A 7 day, no electronics, no phones, vegan, yoga and meditation camp, in the hills of cambodia. I live on the internet; I love my dairy and meat produce; and well, yoga and me have always had a hate relationship, no love, I just don't bend! Lastly, I had no idea how I was going to sit still in one spot in scilence for meditiation! All up, this camp was everything I am not! Why did I sign up? Because I like to smash my comfort zone, and at the end of the day, I knew it would do wonders for my mind and body, so why not give it a go right? From day one it was super awkward. Arriving at the pick up zone in Seam Reap to meet the others who were also on camp, asking around peoples names, where they were from, what they do for work, you know, the usual chit chat stuff. I found out the majority of people were yoga and meditation instructors, or had been practicing for years. Great. All I could think to myself was 'WTF am I doing here?!'. I had lots of confused looks when they got to me in the circle where I proceeded to disclaim how much I dislike yoga and meditation. Noone could understand why I'd book in for something I dislike, and miles over the ocean in another country to try it! Anyhow, I followed the program. I tried each day, as best as I could, to get my Om on! Each day 6am breathe work, meditation, and yoga in complete silence until breakfast, and then you spend your day pottering around camp. No electronics allowed so you reconnect with the world around you. There was push bike riding, art supplies, plunge pool, musical instruments, rock climbing wall, slack line and a few other toys to play on. Enough things to fill in the day away from a computer screen. Needless to say, I didn't have a great deal in common with the rest of the group and spent alot of time doing my own thing during the day, ocassionally having someone come join me and quizz me about my choice of being there. Later in the day it was more yoga and meditation. This was the timetable for most of the week. A few group activities were thrown in each day, like music, painting, or cooking classes. You could choose to participate in these or opt to go your own way for the day. Before each meal you would stand around the food table in a group to give thanks, where the group leader would read a paragraph from his book. Things about living in the now, and being grateful, and then we would eat the very vegan meals placed before us. Surprising very tasty! Come day three I was actually starting to like the yoga; the pins and needles in my legs from the meditation position didn't come on as fast; and I think I am actually starting to enjoy this! I started feeling alot more relaxed in my head, my body felt a lot lighteter than the start of the week, less aches and pains, and my posture defiantly improved. By day five I was actually feeling so relaxed and content in myself it surprised me. All this time away from the electronics gave me time to focus on me, and learn to just be in the now and not worry about the past or future. It taught me to pay attention to my body and how it feels so that I can be the best version of me. So after the 7 days what did I get from this previously thought to be camp of my nightmares? I got me. I found me again, and reconnected with myself to be more at peace. I didn't expect to find my new love for yoga and meditation, but now I try to add it into my daily life, at home and on my travels. Get outside your comfort zone, and you'll be surprised at what you can discover!