Outdoor Excursions

We are fast approaching our annual Men's Week Yoga Retreat at Blue Osa in Costa Rica. The intention of our week together will be to focus on the connection with ourselves, with each other, and with all things. The yoga practices will focus on this theme, but the intention of the yoga retreat will shine through many parts of our experience at Blue Osa.

One way we will connect to all things is through our connection with nature. The Blue Osa Resort sits right on the beach. We will be surrounded by beautiful trees, hills, animals, flowers, fruit, and of course, the ocean.

Another way we will connect with nature is through some of the various excursions that are offered through Blue Osa. Yoga attendees will have the option to take a kayak trip, hike through the jungle, go on a chocolate tour, and my two personal favorites, waterfall repelling, and the jungle zip line adventure!

These last two excursions are wonderful ways to see the natural surroundings and be a part of it. For the Waterfall Repel Excursion, it begins with a horseback ride up a mountain. You will have your own horse with which you'll form a personal bound. (You'll find that the horses all have their unique "personalities.") It's amazing, too, how well they know their surroundings. The mountain trail is steep, yet these horses are sure-footed and will assure that you will make it safely to your mountain-peak destination. The next part of the journey is by foot. You will hike a ways into the high mountain jungle to reach the waterfalls. You'll be surrounded by the lush jungle foliage and the wet ground. You'll encounter tropical flowers, birds, bugs, trees, and perhaps even a water snake!

When you reach the waterfall, you'll be astounded. It may seem intimidating at first, but here is an opportunity to face your fears, try something adventurous, and find a deeper connection not only to your surroundings, but also with yourself. First, know that you will be safe. The guides are wonderful and are pros. You'll also be among friends who will encourage you along the way. Once you step out onto the those rocks, rope in hand, water rushing at your feet, you can't help but just stop....take a breath...and take it ALL in. It's remarkable! The view is breath-taking! Then thejourney begins down the cliff. The water rushing down around you as you guide your way down the rock. It's an invigorating feeling. You'll experience the freshness of nature and YOU are a part of that natural setting.

Once you set foot in the pool below, the unbelieveable sense of accomplishment is amazing! You'll be so proud of yourself! It's a time to celebrate!

The whole retreat is a time to celebrate. You'll honor and celebrate yourself and all things around you. A yoga retreat is a the perfect opportunity to stop and appreciate all that you have and all that you are.

Consider joining us in Costa Rica or find a yoga retreat closer to you. You can even create an adventure at home. Go for a bike ride. Go swimming. Try snowboarding for the first time. Take a nature hike. The list is endless on how you can connect to nature and ultimately, with yourself.

Visit www.MensYogaRetreat.com for more information about the upcoming retreat in Costa Rica From May 23rd through May 29th.

www.BlueOsa.com

Celebrate Your Victories

In my yoga classes this week, I have been teaching a pose that I've been calling "Victorious Warrior." It's not a real yoga pose, but it's a posture that helps generate strength and stability in your core. I combined the posture with the concept of Ujjayi Breathing. Ujjayi means "victorious" in Sanskrit. The idea of the yoga sessions was to find and experience the victories in your life.

That can be the intention for your home yoga practice this week: to take a moment and call to mind your personal successes and victories that you've experienced this week. Be proud of the moments when you made great achievements. Give yourself a pat on the back for accomplishing something you've been working on. Celebrate!

Ujjayi Breathing
Start in Mountain Pose. Be sure your feet are firmly planted on the floor with your toes pointing directly forward with your feet about hip-distant apart. This will establish a strong foundation. Stand tall with strong legs and extended spine. Feel the energy rising up through your body through the crown of your head. Just standing here can give you a sense of feeling victorious. Mountain Pose can help you feel majestic, proud, and confident.

Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Breathe slowly and deeply. Use the muscles of the throat to engage the Ujjayi Breath. With each inhale, experience how the breath rises high into the chest, expanding the lungs, chest, and opening the heart. Maintain this vibrant, intentional breath by engaging the abdominal lock (i.e. draw the belly button in toward your spine.) This will allow the breath to remain high in the chest space rather than "falling down" into the belly. This way of breathing creates that uplifting, victorious sensation in your body. Take 10-15 breaths here. Celebrate the stillness, celebrate your victories, celebrate the moment.

Victorious Warrior
As mentioned, their really is no such thing as Victorious Warrior, but a variation of Warrior II and Side Angle Pose combined that generates strength and stability in the core body.

Come to Warrior II. Start with you right foot forward. Bend that leg so it is just about 90 degrees. The back leg is straight with the foot firmly connected to the mat. Be sure your right knee is stacked directly over (or slightly behind) the right ankle. The arms are extended out to the side (with hands reaching toward the front and back of the room.) Engage your core by scooping the pelvis under so that your tailbone is pointing toward the floor. By tilting the pelvis in this manner, you create more opening and alignment in the hips, a release in the low back, and an engaged low abdominal region. Hold this posture for a few breaths with some emphasis on the exhale so you are able to hold the posture. Experience the energy and strength generated in this pose so far.

Now, keep your right hand right where it is while reaching the left hand up over your head. The upper body will shift a bit toward the front knee creating a 45 degree angle with the floor. Be careful NOT to shift the lower body too much. It's just an upper body movement. If you shift too much energy into the front knee, you might experience a release of the core engagement. For this particular pose, you want to remain strong and connected to the core system. Keep the arms extended and even form a "V-shape" with the arms (turn your hands so your palms are facing each other.) This is what I call Victorious Warrior. The longer you hold this position, the more intense it may feel. Here, be reminded of your inner strength that it took to meet your goals, to be successful, to be victorious. If you can, hold for 5-10 breaths. Return to Warrior II, then do the other side.

By practicing these two yoga poses, we can be reminded that it can take great effort to achieve our goals. And once the goals have been met, you have every reason to celebrate.

Namaste