By Kate Tanner
A New Day. New chance. New effort. New compassion, peace, and gratitude. Peace. Each. Breath.
I wrote that in my journal one night so that I would see it the next morning.
By Nikki Lee
The second week of Yoga Teacher Training in Costa Rica briskly came and went filled with waves of emotions, challenges, and most importantly smiling bright eyes. We amped up our asana practice and our minds, feeling warn out by day 14 yet still yearning for more knowledge. My eager body rested whenever given the chance and was regularly replenished with the magical fruits and vegetables provided by the jungle of Costa Rica. Read the rest of this entry »
We had a new Yoga Teacher Training program in Costa Rica this last August with Alan Lowenschuss (Allowah Lani) and his assistant, Ali Gardella. The class was small and just the perfect blend – as it always seems to be. Every day was filled with such calmness and focus and their good energy permeated the whole mountain top in Nosara, Costa Rica.
By Chelsea Guibord
This is a phrase that I have heard repeatedly during yoga teacher training in Costa Rica. A primary focus of yoga is working to cease the fluctuations of the mind, a skill that I have found quite challenging. About mid-training, I lost my form in a cobra pose and pulled a muscle in my low back. I allowed the discomfort to flood my mind with thoughts such as, Now I’m not going to be able to practice asanas, If I sit out I’m going to look weak, Why am I the only person and struggling? I can’t fit in with the group when I feel so tired and negative, and so on.
CRUNCHY PINK QUINOA SALAD WITH SPINACH, BEETS AND CUCUMBERS
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
2 Beets, Raw
½ cup Cucumber
½ cup Onions, Spring or Scallions
½ cup Quinoa
1 TBS Juice – Orange Juice
1 TBS. Olive Oil
1 ½ C Spinach, Raw
DIRECTIONS:
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This month’s yoga retreat pose is Ustrasana, the Camel pose. This position stretches the entire front of the body as well as the ankles, thighs, groins, abdomen, chest, throat, the deep hip flexors, and the back muscles. It improves posture and stimulates the organs of the abdomen and neck. This posture is recommended if you have respiratory ailments, mild backache, fatigue, anxiety, or menstrual discomfort.
Ginger as an ingredient we use in many of our yoga retreat meals here in Nosara. Not merely for flavor but because of the natural benefits ginger has to offer. Ginger is known to have calming properties and has a soothing flavor with a touch of bite to it which can help keep you feel alert and calm.
Ginger is commonly used to help an upset stomach, motion sickness or general low-grade fevers. It is also excellent for nausea and for warming you up when you feel cold. Ginger is reputed to help ward off colds or improve your recovery time as well.
There are many benefits to yoga. It stretches and strengthens the muscles, improves flexibility as well as provides a different outlook on life. Specific poses may have additional benefits for individuals seeking to achieve a particular state of being or health. Whether it is to decrease the amount of stress or stimulate the nervous system to improve circulation, there is a yoga pose that that may help.
The yoga retreat pose of the month is Adrha Matsyendrasana or half lord of the fishes pose. This yoga pose is known to open, lengthen, nourish and realign the spine, and to stimulate the nervous, digestive and reproductive systems.
I am in constant awe of the transformative process of becoming “awake” in a higher way, through each day, each asana, each conflict and each delicious experience of bliss. This has been my journey. As I prepare to lead a new retreat of yoga teacher trainees in their process and journey of yoga at the Costa Rica Yoga Spa, I am amazed by the transformation of relationships and space that has occurred in such a seemingly small amount of time.
Costa Rica Yoga Spa just finished another successful retreat with thier patented Sun Surf and Yoga program which is the most comprehensive surf and yoga week out there. The people were from all over but were all at the same level of yoga and surf so we started from the ground up and by the end of the week everyone was surfing and toned up from the yoga.
Our days consisted of yoga first thing and then fine gourmet vegetarian cuisine and then it was hitting the yoga pavillion for more surf instruction and wave physics and then it was dawn patrol surf trips to Playa Guiones where Darin and Krystyn again had lessons on the beach then hitting the water with a vengeance. Then it was a little treat of Robins homemade icecream as everyone deserved it then back to the ranch with a view where all enjoyed chill time by the pool before some more yoga and perhaps a surf movie and i must say the highlight was a custom surf big board pictionary game using surf lingo that was the funniest night we have had here.
There was also a special Playa Carillo trip thrown in where we met the famous Popo of Popos adventures surf school and surfed with his posse on a stunning palm tree lined beach. I must say that as a surf and yoga team there is none better that Costa Rica Yoga Spas Darin And YY. Oh i almost forgot to mention the magical mystery tours and other adventures such as the canapy tour that all enjoyed. Wow what a great week!
