Rimante Griskeviciute-Leite, a former flight attendant, shares her inspiring journey from a private jet crew member to a personal Yoga teacher.
After 13 years of flying around the world, it was time to land… My internal GPS was signaling the middle of the desert, on the top of the “Mother Dune”… Oh dear, is my GPS broken?
After the most incredible 13 years of working in aviation, it was time to put the suitcase back to where people keep their suitcases. Closet…Most, normal people, are waiting, with great excitement and joy of that day of travel. For me, it became quite the opposite. Calling for the grounding was so intense that any form of traveling became much hesitant and unwelcome. The sole thought of taking a bus journey to the supermarket caused anxiety. From loving traveling, I went in wanting to feel my feet on the ground.
I was extremely grateful to Emirates Airline, they took me in as a 21-year-old infant, in their loving arms, and literally took good care of everything. World-class Flight Attendant training, amazing facilities, all support from the management. 5-star hotels, good accommodation, bills, everything was taken care of. You just needed to remember to buy food. Remember to sleep, but I mean, really, who sleeps in their 21s? All you needed to do was to make sure you show up for work. Good if you look, at least, semi-awake.
I loved working for Emirates. I was proud to be one of the “red hats”. Because, I felt grateful to have such a good employee, I felt personally invested and interested for them to succeed. I loved flying, so much, back then!
Later, one of the passengers invited me to join a Private Jet company called Zetta Jet. That was the most memorable year of my life as I got to meet colleagues who became like my family. Also got to fly people I looked up to and admired my whole life.
Cycling, yoga, triathlons, active Osho, silent Vipassana meditations, and many other exciting tools were always there as positive coping mechanisms.
Just before Covid 19, I did resign from flying with Global Jet Luxembourg and went to do another Yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India. Also hoping that Yoga will help to release accumulated stress from previous difficult experiences. To unblock all chakra blockages as they say in Yoga.
When in Rishikesh couldn’t stop thinking of my bicycle and Dubai desert dunes. The first thing I did, when I was back to the beloved city of Dubai, I got on a bike and the rest was history…
“Where is your Yoga mat?”, one of my Yoga teachers asked, after I shared some photos of the bike and the dunes. So that’s how my project was born.
The benefits, of cycling in the picturesque landscapes of the Dubai desert, I experienced firsthand myself. Then added Yoga in the dunes. After every session, when driving back home, I felt as if something very magical has just happened. All stress, worries, anxieties, all dissolved in space and there was nothing else other than silence and stillness. Precious, priceless, peace of mind, and tranquility.
Next, how I could help others to benefit, experience, and get themselves in that place, that already exists within…
Now I take people to the desert. While on a bike, we get to see and experience the sunrise or sunset. The cycling track stretches miles into the desert. Seeing oryxes, camels, deers makes your session even more special. You feel the oneness of you and the nature, sense of belonging, and acceptance.
Then, unrolling Yoga mats for meditation, Yin, Vinyasa style Yoga, Tibetan healing sounds. As you cycle back you feel the warmth and healing sun rays gently caressing your face. During sunset sessions, while cycling back first stars appear and it gets so quiet you can almost hear your own heartbeat.