Hippy go lucky

There have been more times than I can count where someone has called me a massive bloody hippy. Yes, my life involves lots of checking moon phases, cooking vegetarian food, the occasional talk about chakras and my bookshelves are indeed heaving with titles such as 'Healing Mantras', 'The Only Way Out Is In' and 'Women who run with the Wolves' (all excellent by the way).

Although I am a Yoga Teacher, I don't actually think I look like your classic hippy. Yes, I do have a nose piercing and I like patchouli, but I have a fondness for t-shirts, tight jeans, trainers and skateboards. This allows me to sneak under the radar sometimes, you let me in and then I pounce spreading my gospel and hippy ways. This is one of those times. 

I recently returned from another fantastic trip with Surf Sistas where we held a week long Surf and Yoga retreat on the glorious southern tip of Portugal. I fell in love, as I often do when I travel, with its wild, rugged shores and rolling, green hills.

Gathered day in day out with our merry band of gals, our female surf coach and guide, it got me thinking. This needs to happen more... Women, coming together. Engaging in something visceral and life affirming. Like throwing yourself in the swell, feeling it move through you. Reminding us of something older than we. 

I think this is one of the reasons I like surfing, it scares the shit out of me, but it totally reaffirms that I am indeed alive. And when you plant your two feet on that board and every girl on the shore or in the water is whooping your name, whistling and a hollering praise, it only adds to the power. Women praising other women. There's something special in it that every cell in my body recognises.

As each night fell, after another day of being exposed to the elements; suntanned, salted, the sand still visible on skin. We came together, sharing huge jugs of Portuguese sangria and shrieking with laughter, unobstructed and abound, under the knowing and watching eyes of those huge fecund hills, we all slept easier I think. 

So, yes, there's no denying it, I am a massive Hippy. I think you can be too if you'd like to try.

Hayley x

Hayley Johns, Surf Sistas Yogi 

Read more of Hayley's words here on her blog: http://thegoldenthread.tumblr.com

Find Hayley's classes in London: http://hayleyyoga.com/

Join one of our Surf & Yoga Retreats in luscious Portugal: www.surfsistas.com/girls_womens_surfing/holidays/portugal