The sun had risen softly that morning, not in its usual triumphant blaze, but as a gentle, golden hush over the trees. The air was still cool, tinged with the scent of dewy pine needles and the sweet breath of the lake. The retreat’s morning bells rang lightly in the distance—three slow chimes—signaling that breakfast had ended and the morning mindfulness activity was about to begin.
The yoga mats had already been unrolled in a semicircle on the soft grass clearing nestled beside the glade. It was a sacred spot now—quiet, surrounded by trees that swayed just slightly as if listening to the silence themselves. Birds chirped overhead. Some participants stood stretching, while others sat cross-legged, eyes closed, soaking in the quiet that only nature could give.
Katherine and Carolina walk
