The Best Part of This Wellness Retreat Wasn't What I Expected

So on June 14, for the AWR Asia Lotus Wellness Retreat and Women’s Fitness Asia Switchplay Yoga at Makati Shangri-La Manila, we woke up at around 6:00 to 6:30 in the morning so we could make it in time for registration.

Our little wellness group for the day was me, Ate Jobelyn, Ate Camyl, and Tita Quing.

The goal was simple: show up, attend the classes, enjoy the event, and hopefully not embarrass ourselves too much during yoga. When we arrived, we registered, took a few photos, visited some of the brand booths, and created a little content around the space. It already felt like one of those days where everyone came ready to move, glow, and be part of something.

There were women everywhere. Some looked like they had been doing yoga forever. Some were with friends. Some came alone. Some were probably just like me, trying their best and praying their balance would cooperate.

Our first session was very high energy and honestly, very empowering.

It also required a lot from the body, which I learned quite quickly because there were a couple of falls on my personal behalf.

But that was part of the fun. At the start, I was struggling. I was still not doing as well as I wanted to. But the longer the session went on, the more my body started to understand what was happening. I could feel myself getting a little better, even in small ways. And honestly, that felt good.

Not every wellness moment has to look graceful. Sometimes wellness is just falling, laughing a little, and trying again. After that, we were supposed to attend the sleep meditation class.

We missed it.

Not for any deep reason. We were just busy doing our own thing, enjoying the booths, taking our time, and having fun. By the time we realized it, the class had already started.

But honestly, it ended up being a great mistake. Instead of going to sleep meditation, we went to the gym.

My friend and I spent some time at the fitness center. I rode the recumbent bike while she walked, and it felt nice to move without pressure. No class to keep up with or a pose to perfect. Just movement.

Then we went into the women’s changing area and saw the jacuzzi. Then the sauna. Then the steam room. And suddenly, the day changed.

We realized our passes allowed us to use the facilities, so right there, we mentally decided: okay, after all the activities, we are coming back here.

After that, we had lunch, and the food was really, really good. By then, the day already felt full in the best way. We had moved, explored, eaten, taken photos, visited booths, and laughed at ourselves a little.

In the afternoon, our group split up.

Ate Jobelyn and I decided to attend Inside Flow, while Ate Camyl and Tita Quing chose the gentler route with MUNI Meditation.

From what I heard, their session was peaceful and restorative. They were guided through a meditation experience, and Ate Camyl even ended up falling asleep, which honestly sounds like a successful meditation to me.

On our end, Inside Flow became my favorite part of the entire day.

It felt like a mix of yoga, Vinyasa, dance, and ballet. Everything was continuous. One movement flowed into the next, and instead of feeling like a workout I needed to survive, it felt like something I could actually enjoy.

We were moving, stretching, dancing, breathing, and just letting the body follow.

It was so, so nice. It was also the most fun I had during the retreat.

After that, instead of attending another meditation session, we decided to follow through with the promise we made earlier.

Jacuzzi time. We changed into our swimsuits, tried the sauna, sat in the steam room, and just enjoyed ourselves. And honestly, that became one of the most meaningful parts of the day.

We were just doing what girls do.

Pampering ourselves. Talking about life. Ranting about things that made us sad. Sharing what we needed to share. Letting things out of our system.

It reminded me that wellness is not always silent. It is not always candles, deep breathing, or perfect stillness. Sometimes wellness is talking.

Sometimes it is sitting with women you trust and realizing you do not have to carry everything alone. Sometimes it is being in a jacuzzi after a long day of movement, laughing with your people, and thinking, “Maybe women really are happier because of the communities they have.”

That was the biggest thing I took home from the event.

Yes, the retreat had yoga classes, meditation sessions, wellness booths, brand experiences, good food, and generous goodies from partner brands. There were also talks on motherhood, mental health, sports, leadership, and women in fitness, which added to the bigger purpose of the day.

But for me, the heart of the experience was more personal. It was waking up early and making the trip from Bacoor to Makati. It was falling during yoga and still continuing. It was missing a class and accidentally finding something just as good. It was discovering that a wellness pass also meant jacuzzi, sauna, and steam room access.

It was spending time with Ate Jobelyn, Ate Camyl, and Tita Quing in a way that felt honest, intimate, and needed. It was realizing that community can be part of recovery too.

By the time the event ended, we said our goodbyes, met a few new people, collected our goodies, and started making our way home.

And on the drive back, I had one thought: I want another event like this.