Un téntol

Time for a Pause

Before unparalleled views, suddenly, the only thing that exists is our body: with each stretch, all our attention focuses on the muscles, which expand as our mind relaxes.

Author: Aina Coll

Photographer: Jaume Oliver

Asking for a "téntol" is requesting a pause, interrupting the game for a moment, and then continuing. As children, in the schoolyard and in the square, we shouted "téntol" to catch our breath, drink water, or discuss the play. Sometimes, even to restore order. As adults, however, taking a break, choosing to take time for oneself, has become a sort of privilege, a gift that Maria Portalo and Xisca Melià remind us we deserve to enjoy.

Perhaps that's why, because we experience it so rarely, a few months ago we marked 'Un Téntol?' on the calendar with great excitement. The plan? To gather, in an idyllic setting of traditional architecture and Mediterranean vegetation, with women eager to connect with themselves and each other. To converse, nourish ourselves, practice yoga, get creative, admire beauty, play, feel good. A fantastic plan.

The silence and nature surrounding Es Fangar Agroturisme, in Campanet, make it the ideal place to gift oneself a day of "téntol," even more so if you leave everything, as we did, in the hands of Maria and Xisca, two passionate advocates of women's well-being and facilitators of a day of calm and reconnection.

Xisca, a physiotherapist specializing in therapeutic exercise for women, and Maria, a psychologist and yoga instructor, are the entrepreneurs behind this project. They take care of every little detail so that we only need to arrive with comfortable clothing and a willingness to enjoy the benefits of practicing pilates, nourishing ourselves healthily, or learning about the properties of essential oils—some of the themes that underpin their irresistible offerings.

Today, a Saturday in June, we delve into one of them. In the beautiful garden of Es Fangar, a sea of yoga mats awaits us to begin the day practicing yoga, guided by Maria's sweet, measured voice. Before unparalleled views, suddenly, the only thing that exists is our body: with each stretch, all our attention focuses on the muscles, which expand as our mind relaxes. Tension eases, and breathing becomes synchronized.

Connected with every inch of ourselves, it's time to awaken the mind. Maria and Xisca invite us to connect now with what we desire—the memorable summer, why not, that we'd like to experience. We do this through a collective vision board: we cut out images, write, paste flowers, draw. A creative exercise to focus on what truly matters, where we want to go. An inspiring game that turns out to be beautiful because it also draws from what matters to others and where they want to go.

Well-focused, after caring for body and mind, it's time to nourish ourselves from within: a long table filled with food awaits us to celebrate breakfast together. Fresh fruit, yogurt, and cereals with which we prepare, to our liking, a bowl full of nutrients that we savor while conversing in the shade of a vine.

We chat, laugh, get to know each other, share anecdotes and impressions, enjoy the moment. We celebrate having decided to be here today, gifting ourselves a "téntol," a pause we receive as an offering, a breath that, like in the game, will give way, once again, to movement. However, now we can continue differently, from another place.