Appreciations for Harbin Hot Springs

Patrick and I just returned from our first trip to Harbin for our 10-year wedding anniversary celebration.  I was so happy that we committed to ourselves in this nurturing way.  It was a big treat to get away together in a beautiful healing place without any distractions like work, phone or the internet.  We completely immersed ourselves in the easy flow of sleeping in, yoga, meditation, making healthy meals, soaking in the tubs, dinner out, and various other events.  

There are many mineral bath pools, from cold to super hot, and clothing is optional.  And the baths were truly healing.  They’re detoxifying and deeply relaxing.  I really appreciated that the two main pools we enjoyed were to be used in silence.  So many people sharing space without talking.  It felt like a group meditation.  There is something sacred about being in a healing space with people in silence.  It was like a sanctuary.  The outdoor pool we enjoyed was under a humongous fig tree.  The super hot pool is in a small darkened indoor area- much more intimate and like a cave. There’s no seats, so everyone leans against the walls.  It was strange at first, not to be able to sit down.  Then I got to appreciating the way people took personal space against the walls, and couples would cuddle into each other or practice Watsu, one gently cradling and swirling the other around on their back in a calming, soothing rhythm.  Patrick did it to me.  He held the back of my head in one hand and one knee in the other so the leg could hang down in a mild stretch.  It was divine.  It was part of our homework from my Hendricks buddy, for him to hold me in this way so I could practice completely letting go into his arms in a womb-like environment.  This is where Watsu was invented and I’m hooked.  It can be a great way to heal early trauma, especially related to birth, but also can be great for trust-building, soothing and relaxation. I experienced it all, and he’d never even done it before!

I took a few yoga classes and we also attended a class for couples and a community ecstatic dance.  All were good to awesome.  I love how no matter what the class, I get something out of it.  I take away at least one thing from each teacher or lesson that I practice again, or offer in my own classes.  At the end, we checked out their workshop facilities and explored the possibility of bringing our own group there for either a yoga retreat or yoga therapy training in 2015.  I’d love to share this place with friends and I think it would be a fabulous place for a healing retreat.  The workshop spaces are self-contained with their own kitchens and bathrooms in secluded environments.  Very beautiful views. 

For me, the general theme of the weekend was Love.  Deepening our love was our intention upon going, and I felt the energy of love everywhere; from the other couples cuddling or doing Watsu, to the divine food the cooks prepared at the restaurant, to the kindness we experienced from the staff and teachers.  Opening to Love within and around us is an essential part of yoga.  Without love, it’s hard to find a reason for living.  I think we’re all looking for love, for a deeper connection with ourselves, with others and with something bigger than ourselves.  And for me, going on a retreat and focusing on healing and being with my partner was the perfect elixir for generating love.

I hope to share this place with you at some point soon!
Let me know if you’re interested!  

Namaste,
Robyn