Namaste Series: flowing over the ocean

My next yoga practice I'd like to include in the namaste series also took place in Belize, but this time over the ocean at a spectacular property, Ak'Bol Yoga Retreat and Eco Resort about a mile north of our hotel on Ambergris Caye near the town of San Pedro. I definitely recommend checking out their website for information on upcoming retreats. My sister and I had seen this beautiful property while taking a water taxi into town and inquired right away about community classes. Luckily for us, they offered a morning class every weekday at 9am so we set out on our last full day in Belize to experience it for ourselves. Although I personally enjoy a little humidity and heat while practicing yoga, I have to admit it was quite breathtaking to practice while listening to the waves softly hit the shore and the breeze blow calmly across the palapa. The picture-perfect weather, combined with an energetic community of yogis and a well-traveled instructor proved to be one of my favorite experiences on this vacation and one of my favorite yoga classes I've ever participated in. Namaste.
Note: the image above is taken from the Ak'Bol website, as we didn't have our camera with us that morning.

Fear…and overcoming it

For those of you that know my mother, you might know she is apt to experiencing what many of us would refer to as your typical set of fears and/or neuroses including, but not limited to heights, claustrophobia, large bodies of water….you get the point. I was thinking a lot about this after getting back from our recent trip to Belize because I realized the power fear can have over us and how powerful it is when we overcome it.  During this trip, we, and I mean all of us, flew in puddle jumper planes, climbed rocks through dark enclosed caves, tubed down strong currents and swam among sharks in the middle of the ocean.  The fact that my mom participated, and even enjoyed, almost all of the adventures proved how strong we can be if we don't let fears inhibit our mind and bodies. Sure, it's not always easy, but it can open you up to so many new experiences and discoveries about yourself. Proud of you mom!

Namaste Series: zen in the jungle

Since deepening my yoga experience is one thing I would like to accomplish through this journey, I wanted to create a series of posts discussing my various yoga practices around the world. The first experience of the namaste series took place on the palapa at Black Rodge Lodge in the Belize jungle. Although the practice was self-led, involving the basic sun salutations and warrior poses to the tunes of MC Yogi, nothing beats looking out into the vast jungle while the body easily flows in the temperate, humid air.   I look forward to continued shavasanas around the world and sharing these experiences. Namaste.

Welcome to the Jungle…and the Beach

Ok, so technically, my own adventure has yet to begin, but since I was fortunate enough to join my mom and sister on an extraordinary vacation over the holidays, I thought I would include some of the highlights  and thoughts of Belize. This small Central American country of about 300,000 is bursting with ecological wonders and extremely kind people. We started our trip in the jungle area near San Ignacio, at a spectacular hotel, Black Rock Lodge. I absolutely loved it here, so peaceful and serene. I don't think I have ever slept better than listening to a jungle rainstorm through our open air cabin, waking up to the sunrise. Leisurely days at Black Rock can be spent enjoying a fresh juice overlooking the river, reading a book in a hammock or scoping out Toucans and other birds in the nearby trees. Although we we did enjoy a bit of this relaxing, laid back vibe, we opted to partake in some more adventurous excursions during our time on this side of the country. The ATM  (which stands for Actun Tunichil Muknal) was by far the most interesting outdoor tour I have ever experienced which included hiking through the jungle, wading through rivers and culminated in an extensive climb and swim through ancient Mayan caves while inspecting ritual artifacts including a full human skeleton! Not only did we absorb such rich history and cultural lessons, but to experience such a stark contrast in nature between the humid, lush jungle to the cool, dark cave was an exhilarating experience all in its own. The rest of our time in the jungle was spent meeting new friends during communal dinners at Black Rock, horseback riding, cave tubing down the river and simply relaxing. From San Ignacio we departed to the beach, on the Southern area of San Pedro. I found it pretty remarkable that there could be such a diverse landscape of beach and jungle in one small country, it felt like a whole other world from where we had just come. This part of the trip was much more sun-focused including enjoying some time by the pool, walking along the beach and in the shops in town, taking a water taxi to neighboring islands and  experiencing the best snorkeling I have ever had the opportunity to enjoy. We actually swam among sharks and stingrays.. check out my sister's facebook page for images. After four fabulous meals of grilled lobster and red wine, we ended the fabulous vacation on the highest note. I would 100% venture back to Belize, and since Mom seems to be interested in pursuing the real estate market there, hopefully it won't be too long until I do!