May 9, 2018 |
I’m finally done unpacking my bags after leading a yoga retreat at the beautiful Sansara Surf and Yoga Resort in Panama and have so much I want to share.
Anytime one travels there is an opportunity for growth and transformation, to get out of a comfort zone and learn from the people and the culture of the region you are blessed to visit. My hope is that the yogis who attend my retreats take a journey that not only brings new travel adventures, but also deepens their yoga practice, and allows time to journey inward to learn more about themselves. The cool thing is that I get to learn right along with them.
The week in Panama taught me so much, but I have to say that the most important things I learned in Panama came from Kenny, one of the surf instructors at Sansara. On the last night of the retreat, I shared a list of 6 things I learned from Kenny with the retreat yogis, and I’d like to share them with you as well!
Everything you need to take away from this week in Panama I learned from Kenny.
1. Honk, Smile, Wave, and Shine Your Light
I’m prone to motion sickness, so whenever I go out on an excursion that involves riding in a car I call ‘shotgun’, so I get the front seat. On this retreat that meant I got to sit up-front with the driver Kenny. The front seat provides an eyewitness view of the local scenery and opportunity to see Kenny, who is a native of Cambutal in action. Along the way to surfing or a waterfall hike, he taps the horn at everyone he sees to say hello, his hand goes out the window to wave or to shout out an endearing call to the passerby, and he does all of this with a highly contagious smile. The first time I went out with him I just watched it all play out and marveled at how connected he was to his community. The second trip with him I decided to get in on the fun and started waving and smiling at everyone I saw too. When I did this, something magical happened. I saw the person light up, smile, and wave back at me. There was an exchange of energy, of light, and love. As soon as the person I waved at realized they didn’t know me but still lit up their face with a smile, my heart and smile got brighter and bigger. It felt so good and it made me realize how closed off I can be at times when I’m back at home. I couldn’t wait for the ride home, so I could get supercharged with the energy of sharing and receiving smiles. So, lesson #1 from Kenny – share your light with others! Walk through the day with a smile. You get what you give – so give smiles and love and that is what you will receive. Smiling and kindness are a super power we all possess, we just forget at times to harness our power, so be a yogi who is shining their light, love, and compassion in the world.
2) When you let go of FEAR and become FEARLESS it brings SWEET rewards!
When Kenny would drive us to surfing lessons or other adventure excursions he was extremely present. That is one of the things they taught us about surfing, keep your eyes open and watch what is happening around you. Kenny’s eyes were always on the road to keep us safe, but also to have a lookout for monkeys, sloths, and mangoes. When he spotted any of these he pulled over, so we could get a closer look.
One day on the way home from surfing he spotted a mango tree that was bursting with fresh mango fruit and pulled over. After further surveying the tree, Kenny realized the ripest mangoes were at the top of this gigantic tree, but that didn’t stop him. Fear pushed aside, Kenny began to climb the tree like Spiderman. Once he reached the top he started throwing down fresh, ripe mangoes to us.
After that first throw in the video above, we didn’t miss catching any more of those tasty mangoes. They were absolutely the best and sweetest mangoes I’ve ever eaten. As I enjoyed my tropical treat it made me think about the fact that if you really want something, and can let go of the fear of climbing up a tree, or onto a surfboard (or mountain, or any obstacle), the fruits of fearless action in order to fulfill a dream can bring sweet rewards.
3) Practice Seva – Selfless Service
One day on the way to surfing Kenny and I both reacted alarmingly when another car approaching us was driving down the wrong side of the road. Thankfully the car got out of our way and as we turned the corner we realized it had swerved off center because there was a fallen tree tangled in a utility wire that was blocking the road. The tree had fallen in a way that a car could still drive under it on one side of the road. As we slowly approached the tree I thought Kenny was slowing down to drive under it, but instead, he pulled over and jumped out of the car and went into action. He waved down the truck with the rest of our group to stop, pulled out warning flares to place in the road on both sides to alert those driving down the street that there was an upcoming obstacle, cleared away what he could, and contacted the authorities to get the road cleared.
Kenny could have kept driving. He did have an obligation to get all of us to the beach for our surf lesson, but instead, he chose to do the right thing, to be of service to others.
It made me really think about where in my life are my eyes closed? Am I driving right by a problem and not offering any help or assistance? How can I be more of service? In my studies of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali it says time and time again that we are here to give and give and give. When we are of service to others without any expectation of reward for this service, that is when we are the happiest.
Beach Clean Up Day – Seva Project in Cambutal
“Forget your selfishness, make others happy, and you will be the happiest person.” By seeing others happy, you can’t be unhappy. But by making everybody unhappy, you can never be happy yourself. So, at least for your happiness, bring happiness to others.” – Sri Swami Satchidanada from The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
4) If you want to learn to surf you have to be able to let go of control, let go of your ego, be OK with failure, slow down, and be Present!
Ummm does that sound just a little bit familiar? Sounds like the teachings of yoga to me.
The surf instruction at Sansara is stellar! Each one of the instructors was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Stay tuned, I’m going to write a whole separate blog post about this experience!
5) Add more PLAY into your DAY!
One of the yogis on my retreat who took surf lessons every day told me this story about the best lesson she learned about surfing. One morning she was having trouble staying balanced after standing up on her board. Each of the instructors that day gave her a tip that helped her, but the one piece of advice that finally did the trick came from Kenny. His advice – make it fun, put more play into what you are doing! As soon as she did this she was riding the waves!
When is the last time you played? We are part of a stressed out, overworked society, so how could we possibly have a routine infused with fun? Do you feel there is simply no time for that? Change your story, let go of the struggle, and focus on making the task at hand more fun!
6) Corazón Grande (Big Heart)!
On one of the surfing trips, Kenny told one of the retreat yogis about his Father and went into detail about how he had a Corazón Grande, which translates to a big heart.
I hope that Kenny knows that his heart is just as grand.
Kenny was a great reminder that we should walk around in this word with a big heart, sharing kindness and compassion with all who we meet. That is what it means to live like a yogi – doing everything with your heart, from a place of love.
It was an epic week in Panama in so many ways – being in a remote part of the world enjoying the beauty of the jungle meeting the beach, the opportunity to set new intentions with the New Moon, experiencing the magical sights and sound of the ocean while practicing yoga, learning to surf, remembering how great it feels to disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature and myself, and the even sweeter connections made between all the yogis on the retreat, eating delicious, healthy food, offering sunrise salutations on the beach, getting yogis excited about chanting and meditating, seeing my very first sloth, and the team at Sansara who all have hearts just as big as Kenny’s. I could go on, but I’ll save that for another post. I want you to know that I left Panama with an expanded heart, ready to share my Corazone Grande with all beings.
I’m going back to Sansara next April 14-20, 2019. Click here for all the details for Paradise in Panama!
Dec 31, 2017 |
By Lisa Sands (woo hoo a guest post on the DDD)
I never thought I would be the “type of person” who would go on a yoga retreat. I thought that sort of thing was for people with way too much time on their hands, people with lots of money to spare, or lots of problems to run from.
But, there I was in the tropical heat of Bali with 20 other women, getting up at 6 a.m. for sunrise yoga, tapping into my goddess nature, wearing sarongs, going without makeup. Thinking. Not thinking. Praying. Listening. Questioning. Thanking. Hating myself. Loving myself. Loving myself some more like it was my job.
How I arrived at the decision to go is not nearly as interesting or important as the experience itself, or the way it changed me afterward. What I did not realize when I put down my deposit, almost a full year before, is how much I would need it when the time came, and how it would fill a void in my life I could not have predicted.
Twenty people, mostly strangers, meeting halfway around the world to practice yoga…is fantastic and special and, yeah, a little uncertain and uncomfortable. And you are the perfect person to go, just as you are, complete with your baggage, sadness, questions and fears.
Everyone is there for a different reason—most come for spiritual growth, reflection, or healing. Some come to deepen their physical practice. Me? I was there for the adventure—I craved a life shake up. I was feeling aimless and unsettled. I wanted to be somewhere that looked and felt so different than home. I wanted to see if I missed my life and the people I loved. I wanted to get to know me again. For reasons I can’t really explain, I sensed that I needed to be far away from the familiar so that I could stake a claim for my future self.
Don’t worry if people around you don’t understand. You can go if you are highly experienced or you haven’t advanced beyond beginner slow flow. You don’t have to be a mystical yogi and no, you don’t have to be a practicing Hindu or Buddhist. I don’t identify with those and I still found value in channeling my own understanding of the Divine through yoga and meditation. I think the key to those things is quiet and listening—something that is easier to accomplish far away from all the things I am called to do and be on a daily basis.
I saw the other side of the world—somewhere I’d never thought about— and met happy people living in simplicity and devotion untainted by our distinctly American ideas about abundance. I washed away my own discomfort and self-consciousness in a remote temple pool as part of a centuries-old purification ritual with hundreds of other religious pilgrims and seekers.
I stood at the base of the tallest waterfall I’d ever seen up close and soaked it all in, literally, letting my doubts and fears wash away down a mountain stream in a jungle.
As a steamy dawn prepared to arise from beyond the nearby rice paddies, I witnessed an annual religious procession of thousands of people dressed in white, chanting and playing music. I learned from our hosts at Floating Leaf this was a Melasti Pilgrimage and these “parades” precede Nyepi Day, a New Year celebration. It was breathtaking and I felt very small and insignificant and, at the same time, connected to something large and amazing.
I came back home with eyes wide open to the beauty of other another culture. I was more confident, at ease, and tolerant of myself and of others. I looked fear in the eye and left it in the dust. I bonded with other strong, capable women and learned that they, like me, had their own unique, painful, and beautiful journeys and things to confront and reconcile. I learned from them and they are part of me.
So if a little voice is whispering to you and you have an unexplained stirring for something you can’t name, you may be wondering what it is you really need. If you need to break free from expectations, to shout out and wildly proclaim your truth, or if you need to get really quiet and inside yourself, and let a big ugly cry happen, then yeah, a yoga retreat is for you.
Don’t wait. Do it. You’re worth it.
THANK YOU Lisa – I absolutely love this and you and all the Goddesses who journeyed to Bali with me in 2017!
If you are ready to say YES to a yoga retreat, please join me in 2018 as I head back to Floating Leaf Resort for another Shanti, Shanti, Bali Yoga Retreat from March 12 – 18, 2018. We’ll be there during Nyepi, the Balinese New Year festivities so it will be a magical time to be on the island. I’m offering a special NEW YEAR’S Offer on the Bali Yoga Retreat and bringing back the early bird retreat pricing through January 7, so click here for more details about the 2018 Shanti, Shanti, Bali Yoga Retreat.
Or click the image below for more details on upcoming Daily Downward Dog Yoga Retreats to Sedona and Panama in 2018.
Dec 8, 2017 |
I’m a big believer that we should share and give gifts every day! The gifts of our kindness, love, and compassion. These are the gifts that keep on giving and that need to be given to ourselves first and then to others. But just in case you are hankering to wrap up something to put under the tree for those extra special yogis in your life, I offer these awesOMe yoga gift suggestions.
Give the Gift of Healthy Hydration! Drink More Water and Drink it Safely with the LifeProof Glass Bottle from Anchor Hocking
Get rid of plastic bottles and start drinking your water without fear of harmful toxins or flavor distortion. This tempered glass bottle from Anchor Hocking is not only made in the USA – it is made in OHIO! Woot! It contains zero plastic components, the lid and mouthpiece are made of 304-grade stainless steel, and the outside wrap is BPA-silicone for additional cushion and protection from breakage. The glass bottle opening is wide enough to easily add ice cubes or fruit and is dishwasher safe. Pick one up for a gift or for you on Amazon or online.
The Perfect Yoga Gift For Kids! Play Yoga by Lorena Valentina Pajalunga with OMazing Illustrations by Anna Lang
My great nieces and nephews don’t know this yet, but they are all getting a copy of this gorgeous and FUN book for Christmas. Yoga is so good for kids, helps them stay healthy and calm, and the 20 yoga poses in this book inspired by the animal world, make the practice super fun, too! This book features super colorful illustrations of every pose that could be used as posters to decorate a child’s room. Even the youngest yogi can master the asanas, thanks to the charming explanations and step-by-step instructions. I love that each pose has an inspirational message tied to it, for example for fish pose it says, “From the fish, learn to go with the flow.”
I have to tell the back story of this book because it is pretty cool. Thirty years ago, Lorena V. Pajalunga (Swami Pragya Chaksu Saraswati) was entrusted by her master, Swami Satyanananda of Bihar School of Yoga of Munger in India, with the task of teaching yoga to children. She not only did that but also founded the Associazione Italiana di Yoga per Bambini (AIYB). She teaches yoga at the GiocaYoga laboratory in Milan and you can find her on Facebook.
You can order the book on Amazon and it is also available at retailers like Barnes & Noble.
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Onzie High Rise Super Fun Yoga Leggings!
I had a lot of fun this year in my Onzie High Rise leggings. They went with me to Bali, Italy, and the beaches of Lake Erie! A lot of yoga leggings claim to be high waisted, but Onzie is the only one I’ve found so far that stays in place above the waist. I can’t even tell you how happy it makes me when I’m practicing yoga to be at peace because I don’t feel like I constantly have to pull up my yoga pants. You can order the leggings direct from Onzie or purchase them on Amazon.
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Sri Ma: Chants of Divine Mother, Yoga Goddesses Lakshmi, Shri Durga, Kali Maa, Saraswati & Radha
My new favorite yoga music is this awesome digital-only collection of Goddess chants from White Swan Records. As our world gets more chaotic and attacks continue on our Mother Earth, I feel the need even more to invoke the Goddess presence for inner peace and harmony. This collection of 21 powerful mantras and chants to the Goddesses Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, Radha, and Saraswati will move you, comfort you, and boost your feminine superpowers. I’ve been listening to these chants as I meditate and will be including many of these cuts in my yoga class playlists.
White Swan Records has a huge collection of yoga musical artists and when I purchased this collection I downloaded it right to my phone through the Bandcamp app for instant unlimited streaming. Head on over to the White Swan Records website for details on how to digitally download and be sure to sign up for free music on their White Swan Wednesdays!
Give the Gift of a Daily Downward Dog Yoga Retreat!
Get all the details on these upcoming Daily Downward Dog yoga retreats to Sedona, Bali, or Panama on the Retreats Page.
I’ll be announcing more 2018 yoga retreats in the next few months and definitely plan to get back to Italy and Greece in the Fall, so sign up for my email newsletter so you get all the retreat announcements!
Give the gift of a Yoga Festival!
I’m super excited to announce that I’ll be presenting workshops at the 2018 Sedona Yoga Festival this coming February 8-11. This year’s festival will have over 200 intimate workshops and sessions being held around West Sedona and Uptown at Sedona’s Yoga studios and spiritual centers. I can’t wait to practice with some of my favorite teachers like Tao Porchon Lynch, Hemalayaa, Saul David Raye, Michael Cohen, and Silvia Mordini.
Consider heading to Sedona a few days early to attend the Women of Wisdom Sedona Red Rocks Vortex Retreat, and then stay for the Sedona Yoga Festival. If you are interested in attending please contact me for a special discount code for all access festival passes.
Gift Certificates
Not sure what to give? I can help put together a custom yoga gift for the aspiring yogi or experienced yogi on your list. How about a few private yoga sessions, a yoga-themed birthday or special celebration party, a yoga class-pass, yoga teacher training, or an amount to be applied to the purchase of a yoga retreat! You name it, I can put together a gift certificate to wrap up and put under the tree. Contact me for more information.
Wishing you and those you love a very BLESSED Holiday Season! I am thankful for your continued support and presence in my life and sending you a big virtual HUG!
Aug 11, 2017 |
I’m a fan of Oracle card decks that are used to provide guidance and inspiration. I have quite a few of these decks with words of wisdom from nature, Goddesses, Angels, and even my own personal Soul Coach. These decks sit on a shelf in my office and occasionally I’m drawn to one of them, and I pick a card to give me guidance for the day.
Sometimes I laugh when I pick a card because it reminds me of getting a fortune in a cookie. I may not always like my fortune or understand it, but sometimes I pick one and it is spot on and I’m sure that has happened to you.
My latest card was like hitting the Oracle jackpot because I picked the word FAITH.
The card had a picture of a trapeze artist flying through the air, arms outstretched to catch the swinging bar. There was a lot of space in between his hands and the bar, and I must tell you that is exactly how I feel right now. I’m taking a lot of leaps of faith with the international yoga retreats I’m planning, kicking off a new yoga teacher training program in Columbus, and the development of a big project on my vision board this year, all of which can be a bit daunting and scary at times. I want the progress on all these projects to move faster, to not be afraid to put myself out there, to have more time to work on them, to stop doubting myself, and to believe I’m heading in the right direction.
The mantra tied to this card is, “My life is divinely guided.”
The deeper meaning of the card that really resonated with me is this, “Faith is the foundation of the ability to manifest.” So, if I don’t have faith in what I’m doing, I’m never going to manifest these dreams. I need to have faith and trust.
The card also gave me the affirmation to be patient, that nothing great happens overnight. I am planting seeds that will manifest in the future, so I shouldn’t expect them to flower right after they go into the soil. Patience, faith, and trust.
I wanted to share my card with you because I think the practice of FAITH when struggling with a difficult or big task is one we can all relate to. We need to trust that we are exactly where we need to be both on and off our yoga mats. The practice of yoga includes the practice of Faith, Patience, and Trust.
About a week after I pulled the Faith card, I pulled another card and its message was ACTION. The primary message on this card, “The time is now! Don’t hesitate–take action! Face your fear and do it anyway.”
OK, Universe I hear you loud and clear. I have FAITH, I’m kicking fear to the curb and manifesting my dreams. Are you ready to join me?
If you have been thinking about becoming a Yoga Teacher, now is the time to take ACTION, my Healthy, Mind, Body, Soul Yoga Teacher Training program begins again at Sequoia Wellness in Rootstown, Ohio this October 6. If fear or doubt is holding you back, let it go, have Faith that the universe has called you, yes you, to start planting the seeds to manifest your dreams of sharing and serving others through the practice of yoga. If you want to read about my journey to becoming a yoga teacher (I had a lot of doubts and fears too) check out my blog post: When the Student is Ready, the Teacher Will Appear.
I’m super excited to announce that I’ll also be co-teaching a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program with Mary Pat Murphy at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Health and Fitness Center that begins November 10, 2017, in New Albany, Ohio. Mary Pat and I will be in New Albany on Tuesday, August 22, to teach a 7:00 PM yoga class and answer questions about the YTT program.
Want to take action on your wanderlust? The Shanti, Shanti, Bali Yoga Retreat next March is filling up, so if you are interested in getting immersed in your yoga practice and Balinese culture along with experiencing the spectacle or their New Year’s celebrations, please read more about this retreat.
Purification Ritual during the Shanti, Shanti, Bali Yoga Retreat
And, over the next few weeks I’m getting ready to announce another international yoga retreat and a new program that will make my yoga classes much more accessible, so stay tuned!!
This morning my good friend David Aurilio’s Facebook post appeared in my feed, and this is what it said:
A question from your friend The Universe:
Just how much time do you spend thinking big? I mean really, really BIG?
Good, very good! Because that’s exactly how much of “it” you’re going to get!
Are you thinking BIG today yogis? Do you have FAITH? Let’s take a deep breath together, exhale and let go of fear or whatever it is that is holding you back. Showing up in a small way is no longer an option – take ACTION!
Thank you, Denise Linn for the beautiful inspiration and messages from your Soul Coaching Oracle Cards!
Jun 14, 2017 |
Are you as excited as I am that summer is here? This new season should bring pleasurable thoughts about spending more time outside, lazy summer days at the beach, enjoying fresh food from the garden, and relaxing with friends. But last week instead of being full of joy, the thought of summer did nothing but stress me out. I kicked off my summer beach yoga classes which meant a complete change in schedule, concerns about the weather, and a lot of worry and distractions that kept me from being fully present.
Does this happen to you? If so, I have a quick and easy pranayama breathing routine to help you slow down, get grounded, let go of stress, and find the joy of being in the present moment. Want to try it? Follow these steps:
- Stand up tall in Tadasana (mountain) pose
- Place both hands at the center of the abdomen (approximately one inch above the belly button). Press the middle finger firmly into the abdomen as the other fingers gently rest there.
- Close the eyes.
- Take three slow, deep breaths, focusing on inhaling and exhaling completely.
After just three breaths a sense of calm and presence should prevail.
Don’t believe me, stand up, and give it a go! I shared this practice with my yoga classes last week and I saw a lot of blissed out, smiling faces after just three breaths. If you feel like you need more than three, take as many as you need.
When placing the fingertips on the area above the abdomen it connects us to the Manipura chakra, also called the solar plexus. This is your personal power center and where food, thoughts, and energy are digested and distributed throughout the body. Your ego and self-esteem reside here, so this is an excellent place to bring your hands to get connected back to the body and bring balance to this chakra.
So why does this work so quickly and effectively? The simple act of focusing on your breath will get you out of your mind and into your body and is calming to the central nervous system.
The funny thing about stress and worry is that most of it comes from things that we have no control over. I can’t control the weather or how the beach is going to be, so the simple act of stopping to breathe and connect with my core reminds me to let go of the struggle and be at peace. I did this a lot last week!
The beach looked great and people showed up for the first beach yoga class! Woo Hoo!
This exercise takes less than a minute, can be down anywhere, and is so powerful. Next time you are feeling stressed out, stop, pause, and breathe!
Sometimes all you need is three breaths.
My favorite part of beach yoga is connecting with friends each summer.
I’m sending hugs out to everyone who showed up for Beach Yoga and making it such an awesOMe first week. If you want to get outside this summer and feel the sun on your face and hear the sound of the waves as your practice, please check out the 2017 Summer Beach Yoga schedule and join me for a class.
Join Maria for a week of spiritual healing, adventure and BLISS in Bali next March!
The 2017-18 Yoga Teacher Training Program begins October 6.
Applications now being accepted.
