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Shaktis Retreat Leaders Share How Retreats Impact Communities With Love, Power, Courage, and Awareness.

This will be Shaktis 3rd year to partner with True Nature Education and lead a retreat in Costa Rica. We are thrilled beyond words to have such a dynamic and vibrant trio of ladies as a part of our family. We are constantly inspired by the community they build with their students! We asked them, what they thought made their yoga collective so strong and present, and their answer was simple, retreats. Retreats are a fantastic opportunity to build bounds, break barriers, and form connections with your fellow yogis. Want to experience this magnetism first hand? Join their retreat today! Click here to learn more and sign-up. Explore more of Kelly, Jennifer, and Lauren’s Costa Rican retreat and how they foster this feeling of togetherness. Lauren was kind enough to share her thoughts and a little preview of the Pura Vida that is in store!

“One thing I know for sure is we all three connect with the ocean and each other. Kelly, Jennifer and I are excited to travel to the beautiful Costa Rica and lead our first retreat all 3 together. The three of us have known each other for over 5 years and we have supported each other in the growth of family, being students, teachers, studio owners, and community leaders. Kelly and I founded Shakti Power Yoga in Nashville in 2012, and a year later Jen founded Glow Yoga in Gulf Shores and just recently opened one in Mobile, AL. Jen We all three thrive on creating community and sharing our love of yoga with all we meet. Yoga has shifted each of our lives and it opened us up to something bigger. We want to make a powerful impact in our communities and generate love, power, courage, and awareness. This will be Shaktis 3rd year to partner with True Nature Education and lead a retreat in Costa Rica. The time we spend there is absolutely magical, seriously each moment is special and we have fond memories of the joy and restoration it brings us. We thrive on creating community and partnerships and our yoga retreats allow people to step away and create space for new relationships, for rejuvenation, for fun! Let me share just a little taste of our wonderful experience. We stay at a beautiful resort in Santa Teresa Beach. The journey from San Jose is adventurous and a special time to connect with the everyone on the bus and boat. From The moment we arrive we are greeted by the kind staff and taken to our bungalow. The smell and breeze of the ocean is present right when you arrive and you know you are only a few hundred yards from the sand being in your toes, oh bliss. The bungalows have hammocks hanging just outside, perfect place to cozy up with a book or a nice afternoon nap. There is a calm about the place and feel of home. Oh and the practice space, it overlooks the ocean and the sound of the waves remind you to breath deep and free. The warmth on your skin adds the extra heat to the practice allowing you to dive in and let the residue fade away. You are a part of nature, free to play, grow, and explore. The Costa Rican fare speak to my heart and body. You can eat clean and fresh and feel nourished everyday. The resort has an amazing restaurant team that cares about the food they are serving and most of all are so kind and welcoming to each one of us. We have created friendships over the years and look forward to returning and connecting with the amazing staff. The community service project we commit to each trip is one of the most memorable experiences. We volunteer at a local school. We play soccer with the kids, sing, teach yoga, paint, garden, or anything we can do to be of service for the school. I know we get more out of it than the students. Our hearts are filled when we get to make a real connection with children and the feel of welcome and love from this is inspiring to see. I feel we left more connected and stronger as a group after this project, we still talk about the amazing kids and look forward to returning next year. Kelly, Jennifer, and I have a strong connection and we do a great job of going with the flow and working together. I think we all 3 could be sisters! We each have our own unique way to connect with people, how we teach, but we all three are committed to impact and build community and to live an INSPIRED life. We are excited to share our love of the practice in Costa Rica Retreat in 2016. We hope you will join us! Pura Vida!

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"FOR LOVE IS HERE AND NOW" ALANA’S INSIGHT ON TRUST IN THE UNIVERSE AND ON SUP YOGA

“Ma’ane’i no ke aloha,” is Hawaiin for , “For love is here and now.” Every day of this summer has been led by love. It has been a journey of heart expansion. Since my first retreat with True Nature Education this past January in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, I have learned that home truly is where the heart is. Living from the heart is a way of Be-in. It is not something that can be learned, rather it is something to be returned to. It is a home coming.

I have been undone by Costa Rica. I am being rebuilt with Love. Last year, I lived in Costa Rica for 6 months. I moved there thinking I would get married to my then boyfriend, buy a home there, have some kids, settle down, teach retreats, happily ever after, etc. Things do not always work out the way we SEE them working out but I know that we are all in good hands with the Universe. My plans didn’t pan out the way I thought they would. However, they have turned out to be better than I could have fathomed.

I left the boyfriend. I decided to move back to the States after my January Retreat. My heart is with yoga and showing others how to find compassion for themselves and the world by SEEING the world. This is a BIG piece of my Path. It is what lights me up from within. That is how I know. A great teacher once told me, “Listen closely to what the heart deeply desires and follow it with complete abandon.’ I knew I would continue to teach in Costa Rica . The retreat turned out to not only be a life changing experience for my students but for me as well. I was shedding my old snake skin to become an empty vessel for Spirit to use. All I knew from that moment on was I was meant to help others by using the faculties that God gave me. My inherent gifts and passions. I knew that I was meant to inspire others to do the same. I had no idea what the details between these points would be, but I trusted the Universal Spirit to take care of it… and so it is.

I made a vision board in early 2014. On it, visions of beautiful retreats and service work, a career and Path in yoga, yoga photography and modeling, singing kirtan and beyond, writing, having a beautiful home, paddle boarding and surfing, traveling the world and connecting with myself and nature in a way I hadn’t before. All of these have come to fruition in different stages since.

After Costa Rica, I moved to Boulder, CO to settle down and come back to after teaching retreats. What happened the following month after the move was totally unexpected. Boulder was highly competitive and my saving was dwindling. I know from experience that my Creator does not want me to struggle.. I prayed and meditated on what was I to do next. I had the inspired thought to call a new studio that had opened up just before my Costa Rica adventure. I asked the owner if there was space for me at the studio to teach full time… her response was that and beyond. I would fly back a week later to become a manager and lead teacher of the studio. This studio is founded in love. I absolutely LOVE Ruah. Through teaching at Ruah I met this wonderful lady who owns a stand up paddle board yoga company called SunriseSUP. She knew I was in love with surfing from my time in Costa Rica and thought of me for teaching with her in the Annapolis area.

I have been teaching all summer and while I don’t have the West Coast swell here, SUP keeps me connected to the water and ultimately keeps me grounded and humbled. I am a beginner at yoga all over again, both teaching and as a student. I am re-learning basic postures like Warrior 1. I absolutely LOVE it. It is ultimately making my earth practice much stronger.

My retreat for Jan 2016 is full and we are now checking into overflow options for guest! I am incredible grateful. I am preparing to launch a second retreat in Peru with True Nature Education (Stay tuned!). The more I TRUST in the Universe, the more I am miraculously taken care of in ways hadn’t even dreamed. The gift of it all is I can be PRESENT for these gifts today because of my continuous practice and desire to experience life fully. Join me for love, laughter, adventure, and yoga abroad.

Mahalo,

Alana

“I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of ‘Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this,’ and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.” Marissa Mayer

Interested in checking out a Costa Rican yoga retreat? Check out all of our retreats here!

True Nature Travels Blog

Letters From Lindsay: Being the Bridge

Dear Friends,

A beautiful sunny morning, after almost a week of rain, rain and more rain. I like rain, however I honestly enjoy when the sun shines! I am sitting on my table, typing this letter and baking a cake for my sister.

A mom’s life is something like this… We can work, clean, cook and care of the kids at the same time… The cake smells delicious and it is also for my mom, who came back home yesterday after her monthly stay in the hospital, the cake is almost ready and this is also for you…

Yes, for you!

Thank you for booking your vacation through True Nature Education and for giving a special value to your fun, to your time, to your expectations. There are too many reasons for us to be thankful. I am so blessed! I have a wonderful family, a mother who is fighting against cancer and you know what, she will be the winner!

It feels great to be the bridge between cultures and languages. It feels amazing to know that your visit will make a possitive change in the life of so many people, because every step you do in my country, you are making a difference.

Behind the volunteer service, there is a happy family getting the benefit and a happy community improved. Behind the school presentation there is a group of ladies preparing a special present for the kids. And, it is possible because of you.

This year, we will have a party for the people in the community, on December 21. We do not have the Thanksgiving day tradition in Costa Rica, however it will be something like this after your visit. We are going to have a party, food and presents for the people in town, for the neediest families. If you want to join this cause, you are invited to bring something, anything counts. It is fine if it is a second hand article or if it is new.

Cake is on my table now. I wish I could send you a piece of cake…

Pura Vida and Happy Holidays,

Lindsay

Lindsay Padilla is a nature lover and mom of two boys. She has been teaching Spanish since 2006 and working for the development of rural communities in Costa Rica. She enjoys writing, reading and swimming.

Are you interested in learning more about the Costa Rican way of life, called Pura Vida? Our service programs which can be added on during any of our retreats include opportunities to stay with Lindsay and her family and support our efforts in their village. Learn more here.

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5 Ways A Service + Adventure Trip Can Change your Family

Have you ever wanted to “get something more” out of your family vacations? Do you want your vacations to feel more like a transformational journey, not only for you but for your whole clan? Do you want to have an experience that will create lasting positive change for you and those you love the most? Have you ever considered taking a service adventure trip?

1) Take a break from the “Normal” Vacation

The normal vacation to each family might look slightly different, but it usually consists of going to hotel, usually the same type of hotel you have visited before, sitting by the pool, going shopping, eating at the usual restaurants, etc. When you take a break from the normal vacation and take part in a service/adventure trip you realize the possibilities that are available when traveling together. Your horizons are expanded and fresh memories are etched in your families journal of time, that in the end you remember much more than the “normal” vacation and inspires you to have a new outlook on a new type of vacation

2) Create a deeper appreciation for what you have

There is nothing like returning home, especially when you have visited a place that is dramatically different than where you live. I remember returning back from a trip to the mountains of India where I had no hot water, still to this day, I have a sense of gratitude when that hot water comes out of my shower at home. On a service and adventure trip you visit places that represent simplicity, quaint beauty, at at times poverty. Sharing in the opportunity to visit places like this bring a sense of perspective on the world and also a sense of deep appreciation often when we come home.

3) There is nothing like being of service as a family

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We do a lot as families, work hard, play hard, laugh hard…But when we take a break from the fun and intimacy of our family unit and participate together in being of service something very meaningful often arises. I remember the feeling of humbleness and appreciation I had when I was young and watched my father serve a homeless person Thanksgiving dinner. When we are service we have a sense of aliveness. When we work to give back as a family we come together for a greater purpose which helps strengthen our family unit and sets a precedent to continue to be of service.

4) Realize a new calling

When we take a break from our normal lives and delve into a journey abroad new doorways are opened that don’t necessarily close when you return home. We have heard numerous stories of family that have traveled with us, and when returning home have changed the trajectory of their lives. Kids who decided to start service projects at home, teens who decided to shift the college they want to attend, and even adults who decide they want to make a change in their career. When we take a leap, do something new and fresh, and give back to others we often feel a spark within that sheds a new light on life and possibly a new path for us to walk upon.

5) Create a deeper sense of connection of Love in your family

As humans our greatest need is connection. When we are present with one another we feel connected and often loved. When taking part in a service/adventure trip you will be engaged together as a family, present with new experiences, and most of all connected with one another. Most of the time your technology will be put away or won’t work, the TV won’t be there, your work or school won’t be calling, and you will be immersed in the True Nature of your environment while also nurturing the True Nature of everyone in your family. When leading these trips, after a few days, I begin to see the essence of our guests begin to come forth, the walls and defenses that we often have at home begin to fall away, and their true colors begin to shine. Sometimes these are parts of ourselves our families have not seen in sometime or maybe have never seen. In this space of authentic experience and being we learn to appreciate and love one another in a new way.

True Nature Travels Blog

Top 5 Mindfulness Tips to Improve your Relationship

You can incorporate mindfulness into just about anything these days. Eating, walking, working, yoga, communicating. One of the most powerful places I have integrated mindfulness into my own life is in my relationships. My wife and I have embraced mindfulness practices into our partnership and marriage pretty much from the very start. But, it doesn’t end there! Now that we are a family of three – my three year-old daughter and I are finding our own rhythm with how we will share mindfulness together as well. I have found these following five tips helpful in all sorts of different relationships. You can apply the fundamentals of them into any relationship in your life.

1) Practice Mindful Listening and Speaking

1798239_828278707187390_613283910_n — Now that we are a family of three – mindful communication with one another is more important than ever!

It has become a norm in our culture to speak a lot, speak fast, and to interrupt. The practice of Mindful Communication can be simple and also quite powerful. It is easiest to begin to practice with someone in an intentional setting, where you are carving out a certain amount of time to try the exercise. Choose who will speak first and who will listen. The person who is speaking has “the floor”and can share whatever they would like. A possible theme can be “How are you feeling now? What is alive in you? How was your day?.” The person that is listening, does just that, listen as fully as possible. The listener might find his or her attention wandering, (that is completely normal), when you realize you have drifted simply come back to your parters voice and words. When they are complete, offer a simple acknowledgment (ie. Thank you.) and switch.

2) Share a Mindful Meal

1266972_741898615825400_1742107815_o — One of our many retreat centers in Costa Rica serving up delicious, wholesome, organic and fresh food. It’s easy to eat mindfully here!

I know one of my tendencies is to eat fast. There are numerous studies that show the value of slowing down how fast we eat. When sharing a mindful meal with someone you have the opportunity to slow down and appreciate your meal and your company. You can begin your meal by offering a word of gratitude. Together you can appreciate what you are eating, observing the smell of the food, the presentation, and then together sharing in the taste of the food. To add another piece to this practice you could try to weave in some Mindful Sharing or even try out a silent meal where you don’t talk, but simply enjoy your food and your company in a new and fresh way.

3) Take a Mindful Walk

10712915_966926933322566_7163971573909562191_n — My daughter, Jaya reminding me to stop and smell… the mushrooms!

Walking meditation is one of the most common forms of Mindfulness practice. Taking a walk can be a wonderful way to slow down, get outside, and share in the present moment with another. It is said that the slow and constant pace of walking can have greater benefits on the physical than many intensive exercises. When walking together we also have an opportunity to share mindfully. Practice mindful observation, where you see through the eyes of a child. Point out the beauty that surrounds. Thich Nhat Hanh calls this practice “Kissing the Earth together with every step.

4) Mindful Intimacy

10687169_971768596171733_7891125848790749212_n — Having a little one, running a business and also supporting my wife who has a very successful career as a musician (and travels a lot!) requires conscious and mindful effort at times for us to stay and feel connected. Sometimes, we just need to remember to have fun together. I snapped this picture of us recently on our bowling “date night.” When you both know how much time and energy it takes to be together, you appreciate one another that much more. We had a blast!

Yes, of course, one of our favorite and most familiar places of authentically being mindful is when we share in intimacy with a loved one. When sharing in intimacy you have one of your greatest opportunities to be mindful. The best part of this practice is that it normally happens naturally. When we are being intimate with another, we are drawn into the moment and our mind normally settles into the comfort, nurturing, and love that is shared in a space of intimacy. Nothing to do, nowhere to go. Some tips to enhance your experience can be to sit silently for a few minutes before you begin, look into each others eyes, and try breathing together.

5) Create a Regular Mindfulness Practice Together

10406344_941615669187026_5252537505237634503_n — From the moment we said, “I do,” we have made mindfulness one of the core values in our marriage and family.

Weaving awareness into our regular day life is true goal of mindfulness. But one of the most beneficial ways of practicing is to create a regular formal meditation practice, and to practice with someone else. Try to create a routine, where you meet at the same time, ideally in a place that is special to both of you. Be as intentional and reverent as possible, and use the presence of one another to support the practice. There can be something so sweet, simple, and intimate about sitting with someone in the space of silent practice.

Do you have any mindfulness tips that have worked or helped your relationships? I would love to hear them!

Joshua Canter is the Founder and Director of True Nature Education. He holds a MA in Contemplative Psychology with an Emphasis on Mindfulness. Joshua is a meditation teacher, trained facilitator, retreat leader trainer, and yoga instructor. Since 2002, Joshua has been living part time in Costa Rica and in Asheville, North Carolina, teaching courses and workshops, leading retreats, and accompanying his wife, Luna Ray, musically she travels throughout the United States. Joshua is also a father to his daughter Jaya Arielle.

True Nature Travels Blog

Being Something More with Sheetal Ajmani

Sheetal Ajmani is passionate about empowering others to live a life from their souls calling. As a pediatrician and yoga teacher she has found the perfect balance between sharing eastern and western philosophies of what the picture of true health looks like and it all begins with being connected to what feeds your heart and makes you feel aligned with your spirit. Her retreat next summer in La Fortuna, Costa Rica “Disconnect to Reconnect” will being students on a journey to take a needed break from information overload, set intentions and relax against the blissful backdrop of the jungle. More about Sheetal and her retreat here.

1. What does it mean for you to “be something more” as part of your yoga practice, teaching, and your intentions for your retreat?

To be something more means living my life to its fullest capacity. It means to live with an open heart, letting love and faith override fear and doubt. It means continually expanding my awareness and consciousness through my daily sadhana (practices) and then sharing that awareness with others through compassion and understanding. It means striving to always remember that I am most simply a peaceful, loving soul.

2. Who has been your greatest influence and why?

My grandfather. Although he passed away when I was only 12 years old and he resided in India while I was born and raised in the U.S., it was through his example that my interests in yoga, meditation, and ayurveda were ignited. He taught me my first sun salutation on a visit to India shortly before his passing. He was a true yogi. He dedicated the last few years of his life to an ashram that he created in India; he lived there and was active in the daily yogic practices, as described in the Vedas. I remember him often, and through his remembrance, I honor my family lineage in yoga.

3. If there was a yoga pose or mediation practice that described you – what would it be and why?

Tree pose. There are so many elements to this pose – feeling grounded, maintaining balance, opening, reaching towards the sky. Staying grounded in reality, in truth, and in my daily practices is so important to me. Maintaining balance through all facets of my life – work, family, friends, my own self-care, is vital. I always strive to remain open – open in communication, in understanding, and open to what the Universe has in store for me. And, reaching towards the sky – to me, this means continually striving for spiritual advancement.

4. Other than yoga, meditation, nutrition – what are some of your passions?

Music and travel! ☺
Music is food for the soul! I love going to concerts. I love looking around at all the smiles in the audience as the notes, beats, and lyrics touch people’s heart and soul. I love watching the musicians, completely in their element, with creative energy just flowing right through them to us. Music is just so powerful.
And, travel. I love seeing new places and experiencing different cultures. Travelling always leaves me feeling completely amazed at all of the magnificent people, places, and things that exist in this infinite world! I always find it so interesting that despite the varying cultural differences that exist, we are all intrinsically the same – we all have the same basic needs, joys, sorrows, and desires. And, I love that smiles and laughter translate the same in every language! ☺

5. What is on your “Costa Rica Bucket List?”

This is a tough one because there is so much to see and do! I am really excited about exploring the rainforest, both during the day and night, on the Rainforest Mysteries and Night Rainforest tours offered at Luna Nueva. And, I definitely plan to check out the Arenal Volcano – by foot, boat, or horseback is yet to be decided!

Disconnect to Reconnect – Summer 2015

View our entire 2015 Program

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Letters from Lindsay: The Tico Life

Before you pack and take a plane to Costa Rica, consider reading this.

Sometimes I am jealous of the ones that work in a building, with air conditioning and luxury lamps and decorations… But then I take a step back. Look where I live, look where I work. I just sit on my porch and look at nature’s decorations on my floor. There is a butterfly that almost looks like an owl when you see it, and it is same color, like my tiles. I feel the wind instead of the air conditioning.

After the hard work I did feeding the turkeys, chickens, and rabbit in my parents home, I decided to rest for a bit in my hammock, considering that Andres is still in the school and Gabri is enjoying his nap.

Many people would like to visit my country, and I deeply feel I should advise them of something before they go to pack…

I wish I could write this blog in a faster way, but there are too many birds singing in my garden, and I can’t help but be distracted. Having too many birds is a real inconvenience for those visiting my village; it can be difficult to see and listen to the birds of all sizes that flock around.

There are many trees. It seems that this is the season for mamones, guayabas, pejibayes, bananas, oranges and more fruits. There are too many butterflies, humming birds, toucans, parrots and even macaws eating the delicious treasures from the trees.

So I will move to my yard, where perhaps it will be more peaceful for writing…

The green grass looks like a rug. There are some insects climbing up the colorful plants, the day is sunny, and I am sitting under a palm. I think of the day when Keilor and I planted the palm trees in our property; now they are big enough, almost 4 meters. The soil here is rich… Poor farmers: I guess it is hard to them to have lots of kilograms of yucca, tiquisque, ñampi or malangas per every single plant. Yet maybe it is not all too bad because they are getting stronger from their hard work. It makes them to save money and time, because it is the equivalent of going to the gym!

Well, my neighbor is asking for mom, she was calling her, but mom didn’t respond. When mom gets into her kitchen, she forgets the world, and there is a new world for her. She makes delicious food, and this is another problema to add in our “think about it list”… She wants you to taste all of her food creations. Sometimes I have to taste homemade bread, gallo pinto, tortillas, and picadillo in the morning, then when I come back from work, I usually get her sopas or tamales or any other kind of dishes, that include fresh vegetables such as carrots, squashes, pumpkin, potatoes, yucca, plantain, tiquizque and an endless list of products from Costa Rica.

There is a sound in the house. It is Gabri waking up, and he is hungry… I have been writing, and there is not lunch prepared for him, so I will give him a cup of sugar cane juice, the one we prepared yesterday at home. There are some pieces of guanábana, papaya and watermelon in my freezer, and some anonas and caimitos that my friend from school gave me yesterday. She has lots of fruits, which she shares with her friends, otherwise she wouldn’t know what to do with her harvest. Anonas and caimitos are not so popular here, so I appreciate her gifts, and I like to give her back some cacao or chocolate fruit. There are some cacao trees on my in-laws property. It was a big problem to me. It was a heavy bag full of fruits and love. It was also a big problema for my co-workers, who had to experience the same experience… Costa Ricans are so friendly, it is hard to stop every time you see someone you know along your way. They want to ask about you, about your family, your pets, your plans for the future and finally, they all give you lots of blessings and hugs, it makes your arms so strong, after giving and receiving too many hugs.

Gabri is happy but thirsty. Sugar cane juice is so sweet, so he probably needs something different now. We have many coconuts here, but I don’t know how to use the machete. This is something to consider… Take a lesson about how to use a machete in Costa Rica! There are many fruits and vegetables that require the right use of this tool.

Let’s drink water, it is pure and good for our health… Then we will have more time for learning how to use the machete and of course, for describing my “hard life” in Costa Rica, the things nobody explains you before you come.

There are not concrete walls around me; what I see is just the green pastures, the unpaved road and the neighbor’s cows enjoying their happy life. The light comes directly from the sky and sometimes, when we have enough time, we make a fire at sunset and sit around it, just to listen to the Mother’s Nature voice.

God bless you, and God bless Costa Rica!

Pura Vida,

Lindsay

True Nature Travels Blog

5 Ways Moving to Costa Rica Improved My Health

By Alana Roach
Alana is a part of our 2015 True Nature Education Faculty. She is leading her first retreat January 17th – 24th in Santa Terest, Costa Rica. First published on her blog.

Pura vida or PURE LIFE holds true in Central America for me. It was a big reason why I came back after visiting for the first time only 6 months ago. Despite my best efforts on the East Coast in the US, I still had some troubling symptoms that led me to believe I was less than healthy. Costa Rica inspired me to redesign my life because running from errand to errand to then sleep and dream about errands was not conducive to my well-being. My body and mind revolted. I would be so often tired by the end of the day that I had no time to even share my day with loved ones. I would fall sick from exhaustion. My mind felt fogged over. A general haze seemed to be engulfing every fiber of my being. I would get covered in tinea versicolor. I would have what they call, “Teacher burn-out,” and there is seldom serenity coming from within when a teacher is running on E. My hips hurt. My digestion got blocked up from God knows what because I ate as organic and healthy as I could.

During our vacation visit in March, I experienced my first dose of PURA VIDA. My mind started to de-fog, I slept more soundly, the food here felt more nutrient dense, I had energy despite rigorous hikes, I felt like I could BREATHE, omg… the air quality here is so magnificent, you should smell it! I became fortified and purified by Costa Rica. It became even more pronounced to me as soon as I left this paradise, that I needed to come back asap. When I left Costa Rica the haze crept back in, my energy body immediately felt sludgy, my mind felt chaotic, my digestion returned to it’s sensitive state, I got sick a week later, and I got consumed by consumerism once again. No longer than a month back in the US and I knew I had to come back to Costa Rica for my health.

So here we are in paradise, and I am here to share with you 5 Ways Moving to Costa Rica Improved my Health!

1. Vibrant skin. Tinea Versicolor Gone!

I am prone to what dermatologist call Tinea Versicolor, which is a long term fungal infection. I have had it since I was 13 . TV breaks out in humidity and in being a yoga teacher that means I was covered in them. 2 weeks after arriving in HUMID Costa Rica, eating the local grown fruits and veggies, breathing the air, drinking the water, they went away. I have heard this is the case for some others who suffered from this fungal annoyance. It is gone, it is humid here, those two factors don’t usually line up for Tinea, but apparently PURA VIDA wins in this case. I won’t try and figure out the mystery, I will just enjoy (Thank you, Costa Rica).

2. Cardio Heaven.

There is so much raw beauty here that I can’t stand being inside for more than shut eye, it is incredible how nature draws you out when there is a beautiful symbiosis between you and it. Since moving here we are surfing almost every day and walking EVERYWHERE. My body is thanking me for it. I would squeeze in 20 minutes on the tread mill when I could between errands before and now my whole day is rich with heart healthy activity.

3. Improved Digestion.

Maybe it’s all of the locally grown fruits and vegetables that you can buy at any and all of the markets in town (There are about 5 to chose from.) Maybe it’s the quality of the water. Whatever it is, my digestion hasn’t felt so smooth in years. I am seriously boosting this as a reason why you should consider visiting here because I feel like digestion is KEY to leading energetic, happy, healthy lifestyles through all ages. I barely take any vitamins here and I don’t feel like I need them (I used to take about 20 vitamins a day) because everything has so many vitamins naturally.

4. Freedom.

In the town I live in there are no McDonalds or shopping malls to speak of. There is no reason to bring your phone with you everywhere because the island life won’t allow for it. There aren’t tabloid magazines hanging in a checkout line. There are no sounds of traffic or sirens whirring by every second. There is mostly the sound of nature, ocean waves, and silence if you chose it. I can’t express adequately with words how freeing this all is, but you have to experience it for yourself or perhaps meditate with it in mind to get a taste. It is truely ineffable. I have found a new way of being and my body, mind, and spirit feel renewed by it.

5. Happy mind.

I get to wake up everyday knowing that I am painting my life the way God intended it to be. I had a lot of, “What ifs,” “Can I really do this,” and “Am I worthy of this?” When I sat in silence and tapped deeply within the resonance of my Higher Self, the answer was always, “Yes.” Yes, I am taken care of. Yes, I can do this. Yes, I am worthy.” Moving to Costa Rica is another leap in my saying YES to my soul’s deepest yearning. I am co-designing my life with the Creator, sharing my passion for love through yoga with the world and let me tell you, my health is reaping the rewards more and more everyday because of it.

I look forward to resonating with you here in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica in the New Year, January 17-24 for Explorations of Self:A Costa Rica Yoga Experience. Register Here.
I’ll see you on your mats and in the ocean, PURA VIDA!

Love and light, and pura vida!

Alana Roach
CYT, E-RYT, Reiki, Retreat Leader & Travel Blogger
www.alanaroachyoga.com

alanaroachyoga@gmail.com

Follow me on facebook/twitter/instagram @alanaroachyoga

True Nature Travels Blog

#EverydayMindfulness Instagram Challenge October 1-14!

Please join us from October 1-14 for our very first Instagram Challenge! (btw – we are @truenatureeducation on insta) Yes, we are finally jumping on the instagram challenge train – and when our team here at True Nature thought, “What sort of challenge would reflect what is important to us,” MINDFULNESS came up right away and how we look to bring presence and mindfulness into our work for the company and also into our everyday lives.

A little bit about mindfulness (from our point of view)…

Mindfulness is a VERB. It is a word created to be put into action and not just talked about during a yoga class or thought about while meditating or read about only in books. In fact, mindfulness is one of the most important tools you can invite into your heart to bring your practice off the mat and the cushion and into your day to day life. In short, mindfulness is pretty freaking awesome.

From lowering stress, improving health, shifting relationship dynamics, increasing focus in students (of all ages) there are a plethora of studies and research out there that basically talks mindfulness up to being a key element to invite into your life, if you want to live with a sense of connection, freedom and happiness to the life you are living. Mindfulness helps us to notice the presence, peace and beauty that is always available to us, in each and every moment.

The Challenge!

OK! So, here is what we are asking you to do. Post an image everyday (or as many days as you can) and share how you chose to mindful in that moment. Maybe it was going for a walk, doing the dishes, changing a diaper, sending emails, having a conversation – truly, while we may not really have the opportunity to practice headstand in every moment of our lives, we DO in fact have the chance to practice mindfulness – so get creative and go for it!

We hope you will join us all through the month of October using the hashtag #everydaymindfulness and posting an image of where you found an opportunity to practice mindfulness in your day. Maybe it was sitting in traffic or walking the dog, washing the dishes or simply connecting with a friend. We look forward to seeing you during this journey. Let’s set an intention together that by taking five minutes a day for mindfulness, that it transforms us to notice the life that is right here, in front of us, always unfolding.

Our Sponsors!

Samara Zelniker – Follow her on instagram @mindfulnessmatters

Samara Zelniker is the founder and president of Mindfulness Matters. She began her company after several years in the corporate workplace. She often came home feeling depleted, unfulfilled and with limited time and energy to focus on extracurricular activities. She thought that if she were feeling this way, others probably were too. A shift in focus from stress and sluggishness to health and action was a must. Samara received her 200 hour teacher training through Power Yoga Canada.

She recently went on a life changing trip to Nairobi, Kenya where she helped train 150 people from all over Africa to become yoga teachers. Through this, she received an additional 100 hours of teacher training through Africa Yoga Project. She was deeply touched by the people that she met and inspired by how yoga shaped their daily lives.

Alana Roach – Follow her on Instagram @alanaroachyoga

Alana is a 2015 True Nature Faculty Member and is hosting her first retreat in Costa Rica January 17th-24th 2015. Alana’s love for yoga came from firsthand experience with just how powerful the practice is.

“In 2009, Yoga found me. I felt as though I was at true peace. I finally knew what the word meant. Until that moment, I had just understood it cerebrally. There is something profound to be said about Peace dropping into the heart. I realize now that I have been training to practice and teach yoga my whole life”

In 2012, her journey took her to India for 3 months where she trained with incredible locals near the Himalayas and fell into a rhythm of practice that felt sustaining. She has been teaching ever since all over the world and is currently in Costa Rica to spread the light of yoga there. CYT and E-RYT certified in Vinyasa with a focus in Ashtanga Yoga and her personal studies of energy work, yoga theory, and style ranging from restorative to power and everything in between. With over 1,000 hours of teaching experience, Alana teaches all levels and all ages. www.alanaroachyoga.com

Dana Phillips – Follow her on Instagram @tulaajewelry

Dana Phillips is a Reiki Master, Meditation Teacher, Mom to two-legged and four legged beings and founder of Tulaa Jewelry where she designs and creates each piece using healing stones. Dana reiki’s each piece to activate the natural healing qualities of the stones. She loves custom orders and feels that she can then connect directly with her customers by creating special pieces specifically for their needs.

Prizes from the Instagram challenge are from Dana and Tulaa Jewelry!

Jessica Durivage-Kerridge – follow her on Instagram @whereismyguru

Jessica Durivage-Kerridge is the Global Relations Coordinator right here at True Nature! Her first true love affair was with travel and seeing the world. She’s a mystic mama who wears the badge “seeker of truth” on her heart (and who wears her heart on her sleeve). Since 2001 Jessica has been an passionate and purposeful traveler with several trips around the globe sharing her gifts and talents to the communities she meets.

Jessica now resides in Myrtle Beach, SC with her husband Carl, son Ellis, dog Julia Olive and two cats, Suki and Spooky. You can find more about Jessica, her writing and teaching at www.whereismyguru.com and www.365thingsproject.com

Get started NOW and promote the challenge!

Use this copy (or edit for you!) and grab one of the photos below to let your community know that you are down with #everydaymindfulness and we will see you on October 1st!

Join me and @truenatureeducation @mindfulnessmatters @alanaroachyoga @tulaajewelry and @whereismyguru all month long this October for their #everydaymindfulness instagram challenge! We will be sharing moments of #mindfulness during our busy days to find more peace and presence in our lives!

True Nature Travels Blog

Six Ways to Make Your Yoga Retreat Unforgettable

Leading your own yoga retreat is a dream just about every yoga teacher has had at one time or another in their “yoga career.” If you live in the virtual world of yoga, its difficult not to find dozens of images crossing your computer screen each day of breathtaking beaches and stunning landscapes dotted with peaceful yogis mastering an amazing pose or resting blissfully in savasana. If you have ever thought to yourself, “That could be me teaching that class…” read on. Here are six ways to create an unforgettable yoga retreat experience for your students.

1. Set clear intentions and goals

As much as you want to offer an unforgettable experience for your students, you are also about to embark on a life changing journey leading a yoga retreat in a foreign country. Create clear intentions, goals, timelines for your self right at the start and this will help to ensure you are on track. Intentions and goals can include how many students you need/would like to sign up for your retreat, cultivating the focus for what you want to teach during the retreat, what kind of outside activities you would like to offer your group, etc. From manifesting the over arching “vibe”of your retreat from the day you say go, to knowing all of the details inside and out, this will help to grow confidence and faith in yourself as you set out in the unknown and the more confidence and faith you have in yourself, the more your students will have in you as their guide.

2. Make sure the logistics of the trip are effortless and easy

There is nothing worse than traveling to a different country with a different language, customs, etc. and not have the logistics of your trip organized with every i dotted and t crossed. Planning for scenarios A, B & C is often necessary, as there are times events don’t always unfold as planned. Make sure you have the support you need up front. Organizing your trip with an experienced travel company is important as they have the know-how to predict what could shift during your retreat and how best to put plans in place to keep space you are creating as contained as possible.

3. Add an element of service to your trip

We have led, supported and helped to organize hundreds of retreats over the last ten years. No matter how much energy and effort a teacher puts into creating an amazing experience for their students, when they incorporate the element of service into the retreat, the students always go away with that time being one of the main highlights of their journey. Creating a space for your students and yourself to be able to “give back” to the land and people is always a win/win. Do it.

4. Make sure to schedule plenty of “downtime” for your students and yourself!

When we say “downtime” we don’t mean mediations led by you. We mean “nothing on the schedule” downtime where everyone has an opportunity to soak in the experience they are having. And, almost always, you as the teacher will have some logistics to handle, so this ensures that you can take care of business and have plenty of time to swing in a hammock as well.

5. Immerse yourself in the community aspect of the retreat

Strong bonds and friendships will be formed on your retreat. Your students are having a “once in a lifetime” experience. Even in a weeks time, you will find that there is a unique community amongst your group. Making sure you are not tied up with too much logistics or too packed a schedule (see #4) will help to make sure that when you are not teaching or leading the group, you can just enjoy the experience with them as well. Teachers sometime feel like they need to remove themselves from their students if they are not leading a class. Immersing yourself in the sweet moments of the trip that happen “off the mat” will foster deepened teacher/student relationships as well as allow your students to see you being relaxed and, well, just you as you are (without your teacher hat on).

6. On the eve of your adventure, be ready to let go and go with the flow

You have planned everything perfectly, your timeline looks great, you have plenty of downtime scheduled, playlists are made, your surfing lessons are scheduled and tomorrow you board the plane to lead your first yoga retreat. (GO YOU!). Take a deep breath and be willing to let it all go. All of this experience is part of your own path as a lifelong student. It is inevitable that, as with life, there will be things that do not go exactly to plan. Be ready to go with the flow, be open minded and just have fun!

Teach for us! We are currently booking for our 2015 Retreat Season and would love to help you make your dream come true of leading a yoga retreat in beautiful Costa Rica! Check out how it works HERE.

Tag: costa rica

Pura Vida and Happy Holidays,

Lindsay

1) Take a break from the “Normal” Vacation

2) Create a deeper appreciation for what you have

3) There is nothing like being of service as a family

4) Realize a new calling

5) Create a deeper sense of connection of Love in your family

1) Practice Mindful Listening and Speaking

2) Share a Mindful Meal

3) Take a Mindful Walk

4) Mindful Intimacy

5) Create a Regular Mindfulness Practice Together

1. What does it mean for you to “be something more” as part of your yoga practice, teaching, and your intentions for your retreat?

2. Who has been your greatest influence and why?

3. If there was a yoga pose or mediation practice that described you – what would it be and why?

4. Other than yoga, meditation, nutrition – what are some of your passions?

5. What is on your “Costa Rica Bucket List?”

Lindsay

1. Vibrant skin. Tinea Versicolor Gone!

2. Cardio Heaven.

3. Improved Digestion.

4. Freedom.

5. Happy mind.

A little bit about mindfulness (from our point of view)…

The Challenge!

Our Sponsors!

Get started NOW and promote the challenge!

1. Set clear intentions and goals

2. Make sure the logistics of the trip are effortless and easy

3. Add an element of service to your trip

4. Make sure to schedule plenty of “downtime” for your students and yourself!

5. Immerse yourself in the community aspect of the retreat

6. On the eve of your adventure, be ready to let go and go with the flow

Attend Another Retreat

Tag us on your global adventure #TrueTravels