When you do a frequency sweep from low to high vibrations on a drop of water, the most beautiful depiction of the vibrational planetary shift Earth is going through on a microcosm. …
Manifest Your Next Yoga Holiday
Yoga retreats are a beautiful launch pad for incredibly deep and long lasting change. They create a container that is unlike any other and if done in a tranquil, remote setting one can experience true liberation from old, life suppressing habits. They can completely reset your immune system, flushing out toxins with daily yoga, rest, nourishing food, and laughter. They can allow us to cry like no one is watching in a safe place where no one is judging. They excite the soul is ways that is beyond measure because you are simply tapping into the overflowing well stream of who you really are when you follow your dreams.
“Respond to every call
that excites your spirit.”
Rumi, The Essential Rumi
So all if this sounds great, but you are wondering how you are going to get there. That is a beautiful place to be. Let’s start the process of manifesting what you truly desire with 3 simply steps.
The new year is upon us. Astrologically it is a time of creating the change you wish to see in your life. What is your passion? How can you bring that passion into fruition? 3 simple steps have led me to lead a life of passionate purpose. These 3 steps are simple but not always easy. They take a lot of inner courage, faith, and allowance. Simply put, these steps are.
1.Ask. Asking for what you truly desire in life is the first time. Write it down. Really go into your heart space and design the life you crave as if no one would get hurt by your decisions. Breathe into the moment when you look at these beautiful creations that you have laid out at the feet of the Universe. Close your eyes and visualize what these things would look, feel, taste, smell, and simply be like.
2.Believe. Know that the life you most desire, desires you just the same. That’s right. The Universe works in this way. If you believe that when you put out trust, love, and faith into every request, you will be on your way to receiving the same in multitudes. Stay open minded. Sometimes these great boons will come in many fashions.
3.Recieve. It takes a little bit of training to allow yourself to stay in the highest vibration. I am not saying to through your feelings out of the door. Not at all. Just remember to honor what feelings and emotions come up and then bring it back to what is good in your life right now. Believing that all is how it should be in this moment and KNOWING that all is coming. Know that you are worth it. Yes, YOU! You, divine, you. You are worthy of these blessings. When doubt creeps in, shift your mind back to the affirmation, “I am worthy.” You will be amazed at how the Universe supports you in your beautiful endeavors!
Manifest a yoga retreat with me in any of these Divine locations.
I’ll see you on your mat, living the dream.
Details on eosretreats.com
Sincerely,
Alana V. Roach
E-RYT, Reiki, Intuitive Healer & Medium, Wellness Retreat Leader
eosretreats.com
alanaroachyoga.com
explorationsofself@gmail.com
Explorations of Self: A Costa Rica Yoga Experience 2015: Memoirs of Retreat Leader, Alana Roach
https://www.facebook.com/lynne.roy.9
The sun is rising through open shaded windows and as I peer out onto the horizon I see beautiful lush green palm trees swaying in the calm whispering breeze. Beyond that is the sparkling swells of the deep blue sea. Infinitely undulating it’s majestic tides onto the pebbles below. I have arrived to a luscious dwelling of sacred secrets and lucrative blessings from the nurturing Mother Earth, from Gaia. I have arrived in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica on the Nicoya Peninsula to lead Explorations of Self: A Costa Rica Yoga Experience with True Nature Education and Tropico Latino.
We are groggy from the previous days travel but there is a synergistic energy that is pulsating through each and every one of us on this morning. Yoga is at 7am and as I put the water onto boil for herbal tea I am filled with a sense of overwhelming joy and sense of, “New beginnings.” This retreats hold a special energy in this new year. This week holds the first New Moon of the 2015 and what a New Moon it will be. This year is one of owning our truth, our power, and letting go of the old. What a great platform this space is for this phoenix of transformation.
What a great group this is. There are 10 of us total. Auspiciously, in numerology, “The number 10/1 brings all sorts of new changes into your life, and there seems to be an element of luck within those energies. Through this vibration you have the insight to recognize and understand the needs of humanity, and the ability to bring peace and harmony to all. Number 10 resonates with the vibrations and energies of leadership, optimism, confidence, independence, creative powers, success, energy, originality, adaptability, determination and individuality.”
As we all sit this morning and close our eyes I start to sense each of our energies mixing and melting into One. I feel the anticipating, the nervousness, the excitement, the beauty, the love, start to collide with nature’s womb of creation. As we begin to flow and breathe together, I feel the energies become focused, harnessing a careful Qi that is telling of the powerful week to come. As we Aum out, I now know that everything I have done in this previous year was to prepare for this. This is a coming out and into our life’s Purpose. This is the beginning of the beginning. This is the exploration and owning of our Higher Self and Soul Purpose. The Higher Self that is connecting to everything and everyone. This retreat is about delving into our heart’s deepest yearning and living from that place of JOY.
Aside from the esoteric beauty of our tropical oasis and spiritual sangha, we are nurtured by the pampering atmosphere and staff of Tropico Latino as well as the extraordinary guides of True Nature Education. We are greeted every day with warm smiles from Tropico Latino’s Shamballa restaurant staff as we sit down to eat our delicious meals. The food is local, fresh, and mouth watering to the taste, smell, and sight. I am in heaven on earth. To go from such a nurturing, communal meal time, to the picturesque beach just steps away every day makes me remember what life is all about. Real life. Not the life that we leave behind when we come here, but the life that we ARE inside and in all moments whether we are here or not. The sky turns violet and a cool blue, and as the sun goes down it shoots a bright pink portal that beams it’s fluorescent rays behind a flock of pelicans skimming the ocean’s swells for sustenance. A gathering of beautiful people come to watch the ritualistic sunset over the Pacific. I lived here, in Santa Teresa, for 6 months before leading this retreat. I can tell you that the incredible community of the Nicoya Peninsula are people of the sun. We fill up on it’s light and honor it’s beatific majesty. Worshipping the sun isn’t even something one has to consciously remember to do because the luminous spirit of Helios ( Greek for sun, meaning Most High ) beckons to us every evening around 5:30pm. There are people who feed on the sun’s light and after experiencing it’s power for myself, I am starting to understand how that is possible. Being here reminds me that anything and everything is possible.
There is so much to participate in. While some are deciding to fill their days with Tortuga boat tours & snorkeling, horseback riding, hiking, spa massages, facials, wraps, and zip lining; others are finding that their journey on this trip is to go within and find stillness on the beach. I honor every one’s individual path and trust that they are guided in every moment of everyday by their inner wisdom. Every morning and early evening we join together honor our inner journey on the mat. Every class is guided by the co-creation and intermingling of our collaborative energies. Morning vinyasa’s focus on different aspects of our chakras and emotional + physical balance in the organs as well as detoxifying the system. The evening classes are hypnotic, restorative yoga nidras sometimes beginning with gentle movement and deep, chanting, integrative breathing to allow the body and mind to receive a fully relaxed state. After each class I see a wave of calm brush over everyone’s being and I can feel our connections deepen as our heart’s soften. Yoga means to unite, to yolk. It brings us together by aligning the body, mind, spirit and then that space within connects to the same alignment within you. This brings us to a space where we realize there is no other. There is only One. One breath, one pulse, one spirit, one Universe. We are one in Costa Rica and always in life.
There is a surprise for the group on the 5th day of retreat. I have arranged to hold a sweat lodge (Or Temazcal in Spanish) with a beautiful man and local shaman, Oso. His name means, “Bear,” and his energy holds true to his name as he is strong and majestic. He joins us for dinner the night before the lodge with our divine goddess and guide from Tropico Latino, Maria. She serves as the interpreter for Oso so that he can answer any and all questions. 5 out of the 9 on retreat decide to partake in the Temazcal, yet all of us as a whole create group and personal intentions to transform in the lodge. We hold class the evening before we head to the top of a mountain to hold our sunset ritual. Each of us envision our worries going into the fire and our dreams being born into reality. Each on of us holds space for the group to create new possibilities and lasting change. Temazcal’s are rebirthings. It creates space for us to spring forth out of the ashes and step into our power. As the 5 of us head to the top of the windy dirt road in the back of a truck with 30 other particpants from different yoga retreats, we know we will never be the same. The sweat lodge is set in the center of a loop that is carefully laid out to create an infinity symbol. On the other side of the lodge there is the communal fire where the coals are getting their heat. It takes all day to prepare Temazcal and I am so honored by Oso, Maria, and the fire keeper because their care for our transformation is so prefusely apparent. They are taking care of us as if we are family. I am brought back to the, “One-ness.” Yes, these beautiful souls ARE our family. It is a choice. A choice to take care of one another and lift each other up! We sing beautiful mantras with Oso’s lovely wife as their children dance around the fire. When it is time for us to enter the lodge, we split up into male and female sides. Women enter first and we create two rows on the left as the men enter next to create two rows on the right. There will be four rounds of sweat. Representing the four directions NSEW and the four elements. We will sing 4 songs from the Lakota tradition in each round and then open the doors in the front and the back. We hold each other as we begin to sweat and the hot coals, one by one, are brought in. As we receive the 8th coal, Oso shuts the flaps and we begin to sing. “Sit up tall to align the chakras with Mother Earth and the Universe,” He says. I do. I sit tall and I sing loudly. I envision my chakras pouring open and all negative energies dissolving and being transmuted into the fire. Every one is more and more intense. We continue to support each other by breathing deeply, connecting with one another, sending reiki, singing mantra, sending love, and speaking out loud our prayers for hope, healing, and positive change. At the end of our last round we slowly exit the lodge and take showers. We are fed fruit and given water. We gaze into each other’s eyes knowing we are forever changed. I have dropped fully into my divine purpose. We all have. This is the beginning of the rest of our lives. What an incredible way to round out this incredible exploration of Self in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica.
Whatever happens from here on out can only grow from healthy soil. We are blossoms amongst a field of blossoms. As they say in the Lakota tradition. Ahau Mitakuye Oyasin (All my relations/we are all related) and Namaste. I look forward to continuing the tradition of growth through explorations of self abroad in Costa Rica 2016. Join me Jan 16-23 with co-facilitator Lindsay Worek for, “I Am You and You Are Me: A Costa Rica Yoga Retreat!” Contact True Nature Education to REGISTER NOW!
Testimonials from the heart from Explorations of Self: A Costa Rica Yoga Experience, 2015
“ Just returned from a Yoga retreat at the Tropico Latino, in Santa Teresa. The staff, my ocean view bungalow,the pool,food and setting were top notch. Alana is the true Goddess.She is knowledgeable,thoughtful,beautiful and passionate about her teachings and practice. Spa treatments by Maria really helped with some pain I was going thru. This was a great place for Yoga lovers,its magical. for surfers its a dream come true. Josie went beyond and above , and was always there making sure we were taken care of. What a wonderful experience, my first time in Costa Rica, thank you “
Lynne Roye
“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” ~ Joseph Campbell
“Explorations of self 2015 with Alana Roach completely changed my life. I had never traveled internationally before and there was so much fear surrounding going on this trip. With some loving compassion kindness and grace Alana helped me to make the choice to take the trip that would forever change my life. As soon as I signed up for the trip things started to shift for me and the universe completely supported what I was supposed to do. It was an amazing process to watch unfold and then to actually be there was mind blowing. While I was on this trip my higher self completely expanded and I stepped into the person that I am meant to be. I met some beautiful people form amazing connections and will forever be grateful for this experience. Thank you so much to Alana Roach and True Nature Education. My hope for all is that everybody gets to take a trip like this that will enable them to go within themselves that will transform and change them for the better. Namaste.”
Lindsay Worek
” The Explorations of Self, A Costa Rica Yoga Experience with Alana Roach for me was truly a life changing event. This being my first yoga retreat, I didn’t know what to expect. I quickly realized the love and energy that surrounded everyone present and Alana re-kindled this energy everyday with her guided meditations along with the yoga sessions. Alana’s love and compassion inspired me to challenge myself in all aspects of my life. I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to attend this event. I am eagerly awaiting my next opportunity to attend another event with Alana.”
Scott Beacom
“The Explorations of Self Yoga Retreat led by Alana was one of the best experiences of my life. I can truly say for me, it was life changing. Her guidance and teaching helped me to really let go and be in the present like never before. She took the time to connect with each one of her students on a personnel level with patience, compassion, and love. She has a real gift for feeling the energy of the class and tailoring the physical practice and meditation to fit the moment. Alana has this light about her that shines very brightly, you can’t help but feel a sense of ease and comfort.”
Fred Dolbow
5 Ways To Approach Yoga From Addiction
Addiction once took everything I had. The insidious disease of addiction was the king of my court. Sometimes I wondered if I could have avoided the pain of it all if I would have been introduced to something that would have helped my mind and body be more balanced in a healthy, natural way. I came to realize that everything happened exactly the way it needed to so that I could get to where I am today. If I could take back the pain and suffering that my substance abuse caused, I absolutely would. No one wants to be that person, but I have learned that all of the pain from my past can be used to help others. I can let people know there is hope, and there is a lot of hope, of getting sober and leading happy fulfilling lives. I can tell you that from experience. This is just one way that it was done.
While using I was avoiding my emotions by distracting myself with outside things. I thought that if I could fill the unhappiness or uneasiness with something that would take me out of myself, everything would be OK. It worked at first. Or so I thought. Instead of acknowledging my emotions, I was shoving them down. Deep down. I felt like I had a solution but I could no longer stand being sober. Any amount of pain or unpleasantness while I was sober (Which wasn’t often) would set off a thousand switches in my body, triggering all of the other emotions I had been ignoring. That is no way to live! The problem that occurs when we avoid pain is that we miss opportunities to learn and grow from it. Pain is there for a reason, it wants to be heard, and it will get louder and louder until we listen. Often times emotional pain will show up in the body and get trapped until we find ways to acknowledge and release them. Yoga was the first way I experienced doing this in a slow and gentle way.
Growth is so exciting. Now that I am sober, I can look back every 6 months along my journey and see so much positive change within myself. When I was using I felt like time sort of stood still. It was the same thing, day after day. Surviving addiction was a miracle. I should have died numerous times. Being on the other side alive and sober I knew I had to make some major changes in my daily routine. I started to thread in exercise, yoga, nutrition, and other holistic modalities to replace bad habits. Doing these things on a regular basis allowed me to express the Alana that I had been stuffing down for years. I was free. Meditation and yoga helped my mind be still enough to not identify with my thoughts. The same mind that used to go a mile a minute was now finding calmer seas. Yoga and Meditation have been a huge part of my long-term sobriety. However, I believe this is applicable to anyone who wants to begin a yoga practice. We all have difficulties in life. The practice of mindfulness is beneficial to everybody.
It can be done in so many different ways, and the journey is as individual to a person as a snowflake. The best thing we can do is just start. My intention for you is that you feel unconditionally loved on your path, now and always.
Explore and Bloom!
- Say Yes. With yoga (And really anything!) the hardest part is beginning. At some point, I just said, “Yes.” I said yes to attending a class with a friend one day and then I said yes again a couple days later. Pretty soon I was going on my own. The teachers suggested starting with 3 days of group practice a week, so I said, “Yes.” No longer than a week later I was feeling cool, calm, and collected while trying on some strength in warrior. It didn’t matter if I fumbled through sequences because I learned how to accept each piece of my path while practicing on the mat, for being exactly the way it was meant to be.
- Water The Seed. Once you make your first few yoga classes, you will most likely feel markedly different. I like to describe what yoga did to my mind as what a hot iron would do to wrinkled sheets. What was once anxiety seemed to magically transform in to a cool and encumbered sense of well-being. I was breathing a little more fully. My body felt less rigid and more open. Like all relationships, the relationship to self must be nurtured so that it can continue to grow. To water the seed of this new way of being, I was told to be kind to myself, to drop judgement, to be present, and to treat others with love and compassion.
- Bloom. Allow yourself to bloom. You deserve it. Let all of the sorrows, fears, regrets, and fabled thoughts GO. Let them go. You are meant for greatness. Yoga and meditations bring awareness and an ability to accept with loving kindness. You will learn how to de-weed your mental garden. Some weeds will come out easy, some many be a little stubborn, but no matter what, they will come to the surface and you have the choice to honor them and allow them to go.
- Sunshine or Rain. We can practice anywhere. We can learn that everything is exactly how it is meant to be. It is all a part of the crazy beautiful canvas called life. When we embrace everything this way, we can find our center in the middle of chaos. Just like the still and majestic mountain peaks who endure all of the earth’s wild changes, we embrace this moment knowing that we are unshakeable.
- Radiate Love. Yoga takes on a very special meaning for us who pursue it. It becomes a way of life because it’s so ecumenical. During practice the mat takes on the role of our mirror. We surrender to the incredible light that shines through each and every one of our sweaty, messy, glistening, radiant self because that is our Divine right! So we take what we learned on our mat and walk through our day with our heads held high. We do this together, knowing that if one of us stumbles, another one of us will be there to catch you with a smile. Let yourself be known in your yoga and wellness communities and get to know it. Smile at a stranger. Give thanks for your blessings. Try to help out without being discovered. Radiate love!
Alana Roach
ERYT, Reiki, Intuitive Healing, Retreat Leader
AlanaRoachYoga.com
More links on yoga for recovery
http://alcoholrehab.com/addiction-recovery/yoga-in-recovery/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/yoga-for-addiction/
https://bradfordhealth.com/benefits-of-yoga/
5 Rituals I Use To Transform Holiday Anxiety Into Holiday Empowerment
The holidays are among us again and while I am in the tropics during Thanksgiving this year, it doesn’t take away from the fact that I still feel responsibilities to family and friends drawing near. I even had a dream last night that I was desperately trying to find the time and the money to get back to Maryland and give all of my loved ones gifts of their liking. The pressures of the holidays can leave us feeling exhausted, guilty, resentful, and the like. The old tapes of, “I don’t have enough,” and, “I don’t measure up,” start re-playing in our heads. When that happens I come back to a check list that I have compiled over the years that I have used to walk through these holiday seasons with love in my heart. I am inspired to pass on some rituals I use to transform holiday anxiety into holiday empowerment. Feel free to add some more in the comments below. Happy Holidays 🙂 In lieu of the Holiday Spirit I have included some of my personal special holiday moments from last year.
- Transforming Food Habits: Ok, ok, I know that the holidays are a good excuse to throw the diet out of the window for a couple of days and have all of the holiday pie with excess whipped cream and piles of gravy on your turkey. That is fine, BUT I realized that when I paid attention to what I ate at family gatherings, and altered it even just a little bit, I felt so much more capable of social interaction AND my body + mind felt more stable = less stress. Over the years I have started having even more fun with this concept. I have probed the internet and recipes books for Healthy Holiday Recipes. You can follow my Pinterest Board to see some of my favorites. Your friends and family will thank you for bringing that delicious Gluten Free Double Chocolate Zucchini Brownie dish (You don’t have to tell them it’s healthy, it can be our little secret!).
Sometimes me think, ‘What is friend?’
And then me say…
‘Friend is someone to share the last cookie with.’ Cookie-Monster - Transforming Money Relationships: A lot of us have pretty tragic relationships with money. It’s that 5 letter word that can bring someone to the most extreme of emotions in less that a second. Why do we let money rule our emotions like this? I believe it has been passed down through generations. It is ancestral baggage that you, yes YOU, can be rid of. I once had someone describe money as energy. That clicked with me. They went on to describe how there was infinite energy in the Universe, and all we need do is call it to us. I said, “Tell me more…,” and they responded with, “Find gratitude for what you have.” My mind was blown. If you can align your vibrations with gratitude for what you have, you can start to break the old chords of negative money karma beginning today. A lot of what is holding us back from receiving abundance is our feelings of LACK. The vibration of lack or not having enough sends out the message to give us back just that. If we can start becoming aware of the things that WE DO HAVE in our life and feel genuine appreciation for them then we start the flow of, “Manifesting abundance.” Try it now by making a list of some things you are grateful for in your life today and WHY you are grateful for them. Pause after each one and feel genuine gratitude and happiness in your heart. Take a few deep breaths in that gratitude and then move on to the next. I practice that simple exercise daily and I have experienced freedom from the worn out negative attitudes surrounding money. Remember, “Like attracts like.”
Peace begins with a smile.
~ Mother Theresa - Transforming Negative Self-Talk Patterns: I have also found that the way our thoughts rule our mind can have a profound effect on our vibrational pull. If we are constantly saying to self, “I don’t have enough,” “I am not worthy,” “Look at what they have, that is not fair,” “I WANT ____”(and you get my drift?) then we will call that same vibration to us. Saying, “I WANT,” keeps you in a state of wanting. Saying to yourself, “I AM _____,” puts you in a state of just that. Some key Affirmations that I have used to break negative thought/vibrational patterns are
~I AM ABUNDANCE~
~I AM WORTHY~
~I AM ENOUGH~
Try using these daily when you have a few minutes, I suggest doing it in the beginning of your day but anytime will work. To get started find a comfortable seat and close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and visualize white light energy drawing out through your heart center. Feel your whole body smile and roll your eyes up to point between the eye brows with your eye lids gently closed. Slowly begin to speak the affirmation of choice either out loud or silent while continue to cultivate positive energy through out. Repeat each affirmation 20 times or more. When you are done, try thanking your body, mind, and spirit for allowing you this precious time to nourish and sustain your oh so very important Self Care.
— Mary Anne Radmacher
4. Transforming Body Habits: This hearkens back to the #1 as they have a lot of interplay. Be sure to drink enough water to help your body recover from all of the holiday fun whether you are drinking holiday mixers or not. Staying hydrated will help your immune system, digestion, and mind stay strong throughout the season! It is good to drink hot water with lemon or lime in the mornings and at night to help digest food (An Ayurvedic Remedy! You can even put a tablespoon of raw honey in for a treat). Get some exercise. I tend to like to hit the gym or a yoga class the day before as it helps with my mood and aids me in making the healthiest choices for me. Exercise raises serotonin levels and if you are an emotional eater this helps immensely!
— Mary Anne Radmacher
5. Transforming Guilt: YOU ARE PERFECT JUST THE WAY YOU ARE! This is the most important transformational holiday technique of them all. FORGIVENESS AND COMPASSION! Ok, so you had every intention of doing techniques 1-4 and when the time came you fell flat on your face. It’s OK! When we practice consistent self forgiveness and self compassion we will always find our way. Feel empowered by your so called mistakes, achievements, and the like, for they are all a part of what brought you to this moment. Be grateful that you are who you are for there will never be another quite like you. You are especially important and an ultimate expression of LOVE. And remember, you can chose, in this moment to embrace everything and everyone in your life (Including yourself) for being exactly the way they are meant to be in this moment! Enjoy yourself, enjoy each other, and have a very Happy Holiday!
Alana Victoria Roach
E-RYT, Reiki, Retreat Leader & Wellness Support
10 Reasons to Visit Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
All photography is done by Lance Laurence photography: lancelaurence.com / Facebook.com/lancelaurencephoto /instagram.com/lancelaurencephoto
I discovered the beach of Santa Teresa, CR through word of mouth while on vacation in March from a backpacker in Monte Zuma. If we never had run into this person we would have been headed in another direction on our adventures and I am so glad that we ended up here instead. Little did I know, many others have discovered Santa Teresa and it has even been featured as a top 10 destination by Trip Advisor within the past 5 years. It is known to have attracted home owners like Mel Gibson and Gisele Bundchen. I decided to do my first Costa Rica retreat here in January. We actually MOVED HERE four months ago. I hope you get the chance to visit this sacred space. So whether you are trying to decide on where to fly to next, planning a trip, backpacking through, need some down time, desire healing, or are simply Costa Rica curious, here are the…
Top 10 Reasons to Visit Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
- Beautiful Beach : Located on the Nicoya Peninsula, set on the Pacific coastline, the beautiful beach of Playa Santa Teresa is ranked one of the best in the world.
- Surf: Santa Teresa has consistent beach breaks all year for all levels of surfers from sunrise to sunset. Trip Advisor has named Santa T one of the top surf spots in the world.
Photo Credit: Lance Laurence / lancelaurencephoto.com
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica - Healing Vortex: What used to be a sleepy beach town that didn’t have any electricity or running water until the 90’s, is now what is trending for tourist from all parts of the globe. Most people came here to surf 10 years ago and then fell head over heels for Santa T, making it a wonderful mix of all cultures. People are drawn here for the beauty and the good vibes that the land and sea has to offer. I am one of many who have come to this sacred space with skin conditions, digestive issues, fertility issues… only to have them clear up within days sometimes. I have read that many years ago, the native Indian’s did sacred rituals on these lands and they are protected, offering a great deal of healing energy. The people that live here keep this land charged by living in such a way that is harmonious with nature.
- Yoga and Wellness: From Pranamar to Hotel Tropico Latino to Casa Zen, there are yoga studios and retreats centers all along the strip making Santa Teresa a yoga haven for all styles of yogi. Not only that, but there are a plethora of centers for acupuncture, massage, martial arts, surf lessons, meditation, nutritional guidance, and everything in between.
- Healthy Eats: Most of the fruits and vegetables supplied at the markets are locally grown, making Santa Teresa’s produce rich with flavor and nutrients. When I moved here a few months ago my digestion rapidly improved and a skin condition I had went away (You can read 5 Ways Moving to Costa Rica Improved my Health).
- Simplicity: Since Santa Teresa didn’t really get, “Discovered,” until the 90’s (Seriously picture no refrigerators, lamps, cars, phones, etc) there are still remnants of it’s beautiful simplicity. There are still dirt roads here and no high rise buildings, making the coastline picture perfect, and very tranquil.
- Honey Moon and Destination Weddings. Santa Teresa is sought after by couples these days as it has the feel of a distant island and amazing accommodations spanning the whole area for all budgets. Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen chose to spend their very special honey moon here just a few years ago at the Florblanca Luxury Resort.
- Animal paradise. Since Santa Teresa is nestled into the rainforest, it is home to many beautiful creatures. Expect to see howler monkeys, parrots, happy beach dogs, wild horses, and much, much more.
Alana Roach experiencing FREEDOM! Wild Horses on in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica with lancelaurence.com - Great spot for kids. Thriving with new families, Santa Teresa has such a great community for the little ones. If you are trying to get pregnant, come pay this beach a visit, something is in the air.
- Pura Vida. Pura vida is a local saying that means, “Pure life.” Pura vida is freedom and getting in touch with the essence of who we really are. Join me in paradise this January for I Am You and You Are Me: A Costa Rica Yoga Experience. Click here to find out details.
Lynne Roye Photography
https://www.facebook.com/lynne.roy.9
5 Ways To Feel Into What Works For Health
I was recently approached by someone who was curious about the way our mind and body connect in relation to the food they give it. They, like me, had more than one expectation when, “Going mind/body green.” Expectations can lead to confusion, and I have explored my own questions with vigor and dedication for the past 6 years. Yoga has opened me up to a mind/body/Spirit connection that I had never dreamed possible. Shortly after my first yoga class I stopped eating chicken and beef… why? I simply lost the taste and it felt right. I have been FEELING into what is right ever since and benefiting leaps and bounds. A lot of it, for me, is trial and error. I want to share some of these trials with you. Please know that I am not a doctor, please seek a health professional before trying any of this on your own.
Please remember that these are merely examples of my own experience and I truly believe that everyone is a bit different. I am an advocate of learning how to LISTEN to your body with and open heart and attuning that heart so you can more easily access Self-Love & Acceptance.
5 Ways To Feel Into What Works For Health
1. Trying new things. I had to say it, but if I don’t try it, how do I know if it feels right or not. That could mean that yoga class or 5k marathon you have been putting on the back burner. Typically when I try something knew I reflect for a bit afterwards. I close my eyes and take about 5 or so long inhales and exhales, being mindful of my breath. After I empty my mind, I notice how I feel in that moment. If I feel even a little better than I did when I walked in, I mark it off in the, “Do it again category.”
2. Eating slowly and deliberately. I try to only eat when I am hungry and when I eat slowly I am able to savor the flavor of the food I am eating. I can feel the textures, taste the juices, and I give my body time to fill up! It takes about 20 minutes for our belly to chat with our brain and let it know that it’s full. I eat extra slow these days (Or maybe it feels that way because I am usually the last one to finish).
3. Journaling how you feel after you eat. This can be fun and also a little disheartening. When I started to recognize the patterns in how I felt after I ate certain foods, I realized I had to make major changes in my diet. This also means to recognize how you feel in the morning after you eat that late meal. Timing food can be a big factor in feeling your best. So once again, eat your meal or drink your juice and close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and say to yourself, “How do I feel in this moment.” With love and kindness, answer HONESTLY (Honesty is the only way this works)… If you feel tired, groggy, grumpy, foggy, upset stomache, bloated, and the like… you may have to reconsider what you are putting in your body.
4. Eating the Ahimsa Way. Ahimsa is a yogic term which means non-violence. This could mean non-violence for you but also non-violence for whatever it is you are consuming. I am not saying to go vegan because again, no two bodies are the same… but I am saying to notice where your energy level is after you eat that farm raised egg, chicken wing, etc. Do you all of a sudden feel angry, sad, etc? The cleaner I started eating, the more sensitive to this I became. Opting for organic whole foods is always a safe bet, but no two people are the same in what they need, breathe/pause, feel into what’s right.
5. Environment. Surrounding myself with positive, uplifting people and seeking out healthy environments (Excluding bars, etc.) helps me stay on track. This becomes easier the healthier one gets. I believe we are all mirrors for one another, and like attracts like. Water will seek water at the same level, so the healthier and whole you get, the more of the same will come to you. So work on yourself, practicing self-compassion, unrelenting forgiveness the whole way. Just be mindful of what or who you put your energy towards or into. Breathe/Pause/Ask!
With much love, light, and honor for your Inner Journey,
Alana Roach
CYT, E-RYT, Wellness Motivator, Travel Blogger/Writer/Artist
alanaroachyoga.com
Wildlife Refuge in San Jose, CR
As we walked through this breathtaking sanctuary we were guided by a lovely and knowledgable lady who proceeded to tell us some devastating stories about these beautiful conciousnesses. A lot of them were bought through illegal animal trafficking and when the Refuge took them in they were in really bad shape. A monkey who was kept in a small cage for year by a drug trafficer now has nervous ticks and though they are working with him to reduce his stress on a daily basis, he swings wildly with ptsd. A turtle who was poisoned by someone coating their shell with toxic red paint because they got bored of the natural markings it came with and another who got run over by a car and was left to die. A crocidile who was tied up by a group of people with the intention of killing it and left it there so long it lost both of it’s front arms and dislocated it’s jaws. While I am forever grateful that Refugees exist, it is extremely disheartening to know that all of the abuse cases I saw were because of humans. It reminds me to be mindful of ALL living creatures, and how even a small action good or bad can have a mass chain reaction that can effect the world. This was just a microcosm of what is going on, on a much bigger scale. We are in trouble and desperately need to work in harmony to save all species in this world. Concious co-living is the answer to this.
Let’s work together to save this planet and all beings that reside on it!
With much love and light,
Alana
CYT, E-RYT, Reiki, Wellness, Travel Blogger
www.alanaroachyoga.com
5 Ways Moving to Costa Rica Improved My Health
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 Haven. 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. 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.
![Fresh and local fruit and vegetables! I am in heaven![costaricantimes.com]](https://explorationsofself.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/image3.jpg)
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
5 Ways To Beat Negative Self Talk
“Remember sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.” Dalai Lama
Today I look to the true beauty with-in and surrounding me and I am in awe because if it weren’t for all of the relationships, jobs, & material items that did not work out the way I had hoped, I wouldn’t be where I am. Yet, in those moments, where it’s not going according to “plan,” I sometimes feel utterly lost, angry, confused, and alone. I think all things negative before all things positive. I stop trusting in Spirit and I want to give up, but it is in those moments I grow the most. How boring this life would be if it all went according to, “Plan.” It is certainly navigatable by positive thinking and intention, but there are always bends and twists that I never see coming. I think that is so cool in retrospect, because it always works out for the best. Why is that? Some would say there is a Divine plan. I certainly think believe there is.
So when my mind starts beating me up in times of uncertainty and doubt I try to remember these 5 things.
1. I am not my thoughts. Thoughts come and go, I have a choice whether or not to latch onto one of those suckers and let it take me on a wild ride.
2. I am fully alive. Being alive is being present to all things, not just the, “Good,” ones.
3. There is a reason for EVERYTHING. The mantra, “I am exactly where I am meant to be in this moment and I have great purpose,” keeps it real for me.
4. Get present, get grateful. GRATITUDE, I can’t say it enough. If I am grateful in this moment, fear can not exist.
5. Is it true? Is it really true? How do I know that it’s true? (The work) My mind will turn on me in a second, and when it does, these questions bring me back to the now, and in this moment, I am always taken care of.
Namaste and pura vida 😉
Alana Roach
CYT, E-RYT, Reiki, Travel & Wellness Writer, Life Lover
www.alanaroachyoga.com
Alana’s love for yoga came from firsthand experience with just how powerful the practice is. “In 2009, Yoga found me. Inside the studio, she experienced a deep sense of belonging, but the most profound part was what happened after. “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.” 