Yoga & Chakra Visualization Practice for the Full Moon & Spring Equinox

March 9, 2017 // by Admin// Leave a Comment

This week’s pose is, “Cobbler’s Pose,” aka “Baddha Konasana,” (In Sanskrit, India’s sacred language of yoga) accompanied with the second of the 7 main energy centers in our body called the, “Sacral Chakra,” or ,”Swadhistana,”in Sanskrit which translates to, “Your own place.”

The orange, six petaled lotus sacral chakra is located 3 inches below your navel at the lowest portion of the lumbar spine. It bares a crescent moon symbol in the center, representing the moon phases and the connection to the element of water which calls us to be fluid in thought and action during the lunar phases, because we all made up of about 50-65% water.

This energy center governs our sense of sensuality and creativity. When we desire to manifest something new in our life, it is important to harness the power of our sacral chakra. When this center is out of balance, one can become addicted to that which can not provide true fulfillment (Think substances, food, gambling, or sex.) On the other end of the spectrum, it is common to feel depressed, or a lack luster in their life whether it relates to relationships to self or other. Maintaining a regular sacral chakra balancing practice is necessary to feel grounded through life’s ups and downs while staying in touch with the way we choose to relate to the world and those in it.

As we enter the Pisces/Virgo full moon on March 12th, we prepare to let go of that which no longer serves us, in order to planet new seeds for the Spring Equinox on March 20th.

So, in order to get clear on what we WANT, and also to become ready to let go of what we do not, it is essential that we take the time to become centered through yoga and mindfulness practices

∞

Cobbler’s pose allows us to get in touch with pelvis while gently opening the hips, activating this energy center.

Cindy embodying her inner goddess in Playa Nosara

If you would like a more restorative variation of this pose, grab a couple of pillows and a folded blanket, and let’s begin.

1. Fold the blanket in half or thirds so that you have a half a foot length to sit on. If you have 2 pillows, place one on either side of you in arms reach. Come to sit on the edge of your blanket to gently raise the hips if your groin and/or hips are tight. Remember, the blanket is optional. First extend your legs out in front of you while breathing slowly in a soothing rhythm. Draw your awareness within your body and notice what your body feels like without judging the sensations.

2. On an inhale, bend your knees toward your chest, keeping your feet on the ground and drawing your heels as close to your sits bones as possible, and slowly let your knees drop out to the sides. The soles of your feet will be touching. (If your hips/groin are tight, your heels will be further away from you, creating more of a diamond shape with your legs. Place one pillow under each knee for support)

3. Allow your pelvis to stay neutral. Guiding the bottom tip of your tailbone towards the earth, while lengthening the crown of your head towards the sky.

4. Rest your hands gentle on your feet, massaging your feet with your thumbs for a few rounds of breath. Close your eyes, and start to center your mind by focusing on your breath. You can stay here, or if you would like to go further, draw your chin to your chest and allow your shoulders, neck, and head to be heavy as you round your cervical spine to forward fold. Only go as far as the body allows. Some may be able to draw the crown of their head to their feet, while others will feel great at a higher level.

5. Visualize your sacral chakra as a swirling 6 petaled orange lotus flower with a silver crescent moon in the center of it, 3 inches below your naval. Every breath in you see your flower grow brighter and brighter, and with every exhale you see it spin faster and faster. As it spins, you may notice old energy leaving this energy center as dark and oily drainage. This is completely natural and to be expected during this meditation. Breathe slowly and rhythmically. Inhale through the nose slowly, and exhaling through the mouth while creating an, “O,” shape with the mouth as you exhale slowly. Syncing your breath with your visualization will enhance this sadhana or spiritual practice.

6. Stay with the visualization for about 10-20 breaths.

7. Feeling grateful for this time that you have taken to connect with yourself, smile softly, and blink your eyes, slowly coming back into the room to continue on with your day, a little more centered, calm, and happy.

Stay tuned to our blog to journey through yoga asana and the remaining 5 chakras!

So much love,

Alana

Alana Roach, founder of Explorations of Self, “A Mindful Travel Community.”

Yoga, Integrative Nutrition, Reiki, Tantra, Shamanista, Travel Enthusiast.

Contact me: info@explorationsofself.com

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIN.

A Rooted Practice for Mahashivarati

February 25, 2017 // by Alana Roach// Leave a Comment

Hello Explorations of Self Community!

This week’s pose is, “Easy Pose,” aka “Sukhasana,” (In Sanskrit, India’s sacred language of yoga) accompanied with the first of the 7 main energy centers in our body called the, “Root Chakra,” or Muladhara.

The root chakra is at the base of our spine, and it is said to connect us to the earth. It governs our sense of security and practicality. When this center is out of balance, one can feel spacey, fearful, and insecure. A regular root chakra balancing practice is necessary to feel more in control of your mind and body.

As we enter the new moon and solar eclipse of February, we may feel a little un-grounded. These new energies can stir up old energies that are no longer serving us, and while they come up and out to leave, it is most necessary to find stillness through this mindful practice.

I love guiding my clients through gentle breathing and visualization exercises while in this pose. If you would like to try this at home, find a blanket, pillow, or yoga prop to sit on, and let’s get started.

1. Fold the blanket in half or thirds so that you have a half a foot length to sit on. If you have a pillow, make sure it is also about this height. Come to sit on the edge of your prop. First extending your legs out, and then gentle bending your knees to find a comfortable position with your shins crossed, guiding each foot behind opposite knee.

2. Gaze down to make sure that to make sure that your feet are relaxed and that there is a bit of a space between your pelvis and feet.

3. Allow your pelvis to stay neutral. Guiding the bottom tip of your tailbone towards the earth, while lengthening the crown of your head towards the sky.

4. Rest your hands gentle on your stomach. Close your eyes, and start to center your mind by focusing on your breath, , feeling your abdomen rise and fall.

5. Visualize your root chakra as a swirling 4 petaled lotus flower at the base of your spine. Every breath in you see your flower grow brighter and brighter, and with every exhale you see it spin faster and faster. As it spins, you may notice old energy leaving this energy center as dark and oily drainage. This is completely natural and to be expected during this meditation. Breathe slowly and rhythmically. Inhale through the nose slowly, and exhaling through the mouth while creating an, “O,” shape with the mouth as you exhale slowly. Syncing your breath with your visualization will enhance this sadhana or spiritual practice.

6. Stay with the visualization for about 10-20 breaths.

So much love,

Alana

Alana Roach, founder of Explorations of Self, “A Mindful Travel Community.”

Yoga, Integrative Nutrition, Reiki, Tantra, Shamanista, Travel Enthusiast.

Contact me: info@explorationsofself.com

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIN.

A Shameless Retreat

January 9, 2017 // by Admin// Leave a Comment

Retreat! Surrender! Give-in! Fall back!

We live in a culture where retreat means defeat. In the West, life is viewed as a competition and we are programmed to believe that if you are not winning you’re losing. We’ve heard it so many times: winning is not everything; it’s the only thing. So can we end up stressed out and spend our time living on a mental and emotional battlefield instead of authentically exploring our self. The masculine bravado and militaristic vibe of our culture has seeped into these words. It’s not by accident. There is a war that is being waged on going inside ourselves. The consumer culture can’t take that because if we all looked within we would learn that happiness is inside of us and we really wouldn’t be compelled to fill the void with useless products.

So, in this exploration of self, we are not called to force our way in. We are called to retake. Sure, we have re-take what ‘surrender’ and ‘retreat’ can mean, but we can do so peacefully. We have to fall back. When we fall back, we are vulnerable. This is the last thing the culture teaches and tells us that vulnerability leaves us open to attack. But vulnerability is going inside and taking an honest look about who we are and what we feel. And in that nakedness, we discover that we reject the struggle and the dog-eat-dog world and resent having to cling to it out of the necessity that our survival is at stake.

On retreat, we learn that we don’t have to cling to it! Meditation, yoga and sound healing create the space to silence the clamor of our minds and align us with our true nature. But we have to surrender to get there! What we are surrendering from is the way we think we ought to be and what we should do. In the clarity and understanding of our true nature, we naturally flow. We don’t have to think. There is just a knowing. That’s the beauty of it!

To retreat;

it is a quiet and relaxing space where we can feel the truth and beauty of our being. It’s in retreat that we lose the false ego that makes us fight outwardly to avoid the unrest we feel inwardly. By flowing with rest, we see that it was the unrest that made us fight and force in our lives in the first place! Enjoying our journey requires surrendering our false ego –that aspect of our being that runs programs contrary to our highest and best self. And when we do that, we reveal our true nature that is already there because we feel it from that quiet place of clarity and understanding. Surrender is tough for the false part of ourselves because it does not want to let go of the stories that keep fueling the patterns that don’t serve us. The catch is that the false ego has to turn itself in – or should I say inward – and see how it is sabotaging our greatest good by causing suffering based on craving, delusions and many other mental and emotional patterns.

The solution is simple. No matter what comes up, surrender. Your false ego can lay so many traps for your mind because it knows you so well. So let yourself be caught. Sit there. Don’t avoid it. Let the feelings come up to be known and cleared. Stop running from it. Once your thought or emotion has nothing to take from you, it has no power over you. It has no fuel to sustain itself. By virtue of your soul sovereignty, your essence cannot be taken away. You are eternal conscious light and love. So the only thing that you can surrender is what does not serve you –and then you are left with what you have always been – light and love. Surrender removes everything that obscures our light. In offering up our obstacles to the flames, we are transformed.

May you hear the call to retreat, so that your life may answer with all the joy, beauty and creativity you have to shine!

About the author: Brian is a teacher and healer. He brings the mind, body, heart and soul back into balance through overtone chanting, crystal and tibetan singing bowls and tuning forks.

He has the unique ability to hear oto-acoustic emissions, the natural
frequencies emitted by the body.

His spiritual name “Anahata Nada” means “unstruck sound” and echoes his ability to hear the sounds of the cosmos. Anahata also means heart and speaks to Brian’s passion to help others hear the sound of their heart to guide them on their journey. Follow on instagram @anahatanada333 www.besoundnow.com Contact: bjrusso333@gmail.com

A New Year to LIVE

December 31, 2016 // by Admin// Leave a Comment

I remember the first time I saw the picture that changed everything for me. It was of a man, somewhere on a seemingly deserted, white sandy beach, doing a one armed cart wheel. His legs were dancing in the brightly painted turquoise sky, and I knew in that moment that there was much, much more to life. There was more to life than the daily grind, and the striving for… what, exactly?

The Spiritual Path is like this. We get these glimpses into the very center of our SOUL and in an instant, we are changed forever. But we are not REALLY changed, we are just coming Home to, the inevitable and unshakeable Truth of our Existence, and who we REALLY ARE; who we were always meant to BE.

So how do we get so lost?

We wake up, brush our teeth, drink a cup or 2 of coffee, eat breakfast (If we are lucky) go to work or school or both, watch TV, distract, distract, more distraction. We spend money, consume, go into debt to make more money, and spend more money to get out of debt as debt consumes our lives. We end up angry, resentful, gaunt, and ultimately the lack of motivation to do anything is gone, and yet we keep going. We keep going as if we were somehow animated through wire and chord. We become caged in our thoughts, animated by our emotions, reactive, depressed, and spun out. We begin to think that THIS is the norm.

I remember the first time I saw the picture that changed everything for me, because it TOUCHED my Soul. Somewhere deep down in the core of my being, I felt like a tapestry that was just coming to life and woven by the Divine. Unlike the feeling of chord and plug, I felt powered by something far GREATER, far Superior to woman/man made (Though woman and man has made some really incredible things.) I can hardly describe it, as Spirit goes, It is ineffable. I do know that I couldn’t turn away or go back to sleep.

“The breezes at dawn have secrets to tell you

Don’t go back to sleep!

You must ask for what you really want.

Don’t go back to sleep!

People are going back and forth

across the doorsill where the two worlds touch,

The door is round and open

Don’t go back to sleep!”

― Jalaluddin Rumi

By the New Year of 2012 I had broken a lease, went on a leave of absence at work, finished a semester in college with notice that I would be taking at least one if not two semesters off. By February of 2012, I was living and back packing through my sacred heart’s home. India. Though my flesh isn’t from this INCREDIBLE land, my soul most definitely is.

By New Year’s of 2013 I became a full time yoga teacher & I started to fully allow my rainbow colored tapestry to become a muse and channel for other hearts’ songs. I woke up every morning asking how I could serve the Divine Energy that changed everything for me, that BREATHED Life back into me (As if it were lost somehow, lol.) Animated by this Divine Spirit, I came to step into my PURPOSE on this Earth. I was GUIDED to combine what inspired me and made me HAPPY in order to take it to the masses so that THEY could be HAPPY; while continuing DEEP inner work to shed the guiles of the ego so that I could be a CLEAR and unencumbered channel for God.

By New Year’s of 2014 I was looking at leading my 3rd yoga retreat in Costa Rica after living on the Nicoya Peninsula of that land for 6 months. I was leaving the man I thought I would spend the rest of my life with in order to marry the MAN/WOMAN that has never and will never leave my side. God/Goddess. In 2014 I began my courtship with Divine. Truly. Though I strayed (Or thought I strayed) from the ULTIMATE Truth of who and what I was, Divine always persisted that I was GREAT. Thank you, Divine, for always BELIEVING in ME! 😉

By New Year’s of 2015 I was incorporated as a full fledged wellness and yoga retreat business, and embarked on the most important business of all, motherhood. This was the year of fine tuning my skills. I registered for an Integrative Nutrition school that I had been wanting to go to for many years, but was too afraid to believe in myself enough to do it. This was the year of staying in touch with my dreams, whilst recognizing what didn’t serve me (Attachment to anything that was material and changeable.) It was surrendering selfishness in order to be able to serve my daughter and my Dharma.

By New Year’s of 2016 I was sitting alone in a hotel suite. I was taking time for myself, ringing in not only the New Year, but my 30th birthday, 7 months pregnant with my daughter, and fully open to learning more from Divine. “However can I serve YOU and this Planet,” was my daily morning prayer and invocation. I spent time mapping out my life on a Vision Board and hours meditating on what I was grateful for (Everything) and what I desired to CO-CREATE with the Universe and my daughter. This is a great practice for anyone on a New Year’s Day. I suggest you try it if you haven’t a ritual planned already!

The New Year of 2017 is upon us, with the Solar New Year already among us (Winter Solstice.) My beautiful, nearly 8 month old daughter is sitting in my lap as I finish writing this. I am now fully realizing my dreams, traveling the world and teaching what I believe will help AWAKEN individuals to their HIGHEST Potentials in this incarnation. I am so, SO grateful for what is to come, because in my experience, what the Universe DELIVERS is far Superior to what I can even imagine in my BIGGEST DREAMS!

What LIT you up and INSPIRED you in 2016? What were your happiest moments, and what challenges did you over come? What do you want to DREAM into being in the New Year of 2017? How can I help in praying for you to fulfill this? How can I help guide and support you? Leave comments below…

A New Year’s 30 Day Warrior Woman Course to LIVING YOUR DREAMS starts soon. Stay tuned to the, “Self Heal with Alana,” Facebook page or email SelfHealwithAlana@gmail.com for information. Come away with the Explorations of Self Tribe and me to fully be present with yourself and to unwind from the daily grind on one or more of these incredible Wellness Retreats, information at www.explorationsofself.com or email explorationsofself@gmail.com

In deep DEVOTION and AWE of this WILDLY ABUNDANT UNIVERSE,

I go in PEACE & JOY,

Alana

Namaste, soul family

BIO : Alana Roach is a International Yogi currently based out of Annapolis, MD. Formerly adorned by the city lights and the busy streets of America, she was then whisked away by the illustrious path of yoga and took to traveling the world to share it with others. A few years back she started to write about the transformation she undertook by practicing conscious meditation. Her passions became her career and she now holds RYS Teacher Trainings & International Retreats, Health Coaches, and writes every opportunity she gets. In her spare time she loves cuddling with her daughter, surfing, being in nature, and living amongst her ever growing and global loving and conscious community. She is on Facebook , Instagram, Twitter, and can be reached by email explorationsofself@gmail.com & for health coaching at SelfHealwithAlana@gmail.com

A Place to Plant in Your Heart

November 30, 2016 // by Admin// Leave a Comment

With our Costa Rica retreat just two months away, we want to share with you why Nosara, Costa Rica is one of the most vibrant, healthy and beautiful places on Earth!

Our retreat takes place at the Bodhi Tree Resort in Nosara on the Nicoya Peninsula. The entire region is a protected wildlife area and remains one of the most pristine places on the planet!

Nosara has one of the greatest numbers of centenarians in the world based on it population. It is one of best of “blue zones” on the planet where people live the longest. My first thought was “What are they doing and how can I do it? The answer came in the form of food, fun, movement and nature!

The food in Nosara is not only fueling but the most delicious you’ll ever try! The fruits and veggies are healthy and huge! In the USA, we only see such big produce when it’s genetically engineered. In Nosara, the fruits and veggies are not only 100% organic but they are also the freshest. In U.S. supermarkets, they are shipped frozen or chocked full of preservatives. So, it’s really refreshing to bite into a juicy mango that’s been plucked off the tree in Nosara!

While we walked through, my talented and handsome companion took these beautiful pictures www.lancelaurence.com

Good food is a huge part of the equation but it is the spirit of the people that will make you fall in love with this corner of the world! The people are warm-hearted and happy to lend a hand or point out directions. The people work hard but know how to have fun too. Whether its traditional festivals or just sitting around playing cards and laughing, there’s a lot of joy here! The people of Nosara are hardworkers but work is far more pleasant in paradise. No need to stop working at 65 like in the States. You’ll find the centenarians here are still out in the fields doing manual labor! But they don’t bemoan still working because they have the vitality to do it! After all, it’s the movement of their daily activities that give them such a long lifespan! The centenarians say that having a “plan de vida,” or reason to live makes them feel needed and gives them a sense of purpose that often centers on their family.

Fresh and local fruit and vegetables! I am in heaven![costaricantimes.com]

The health and wellness puzzle of Nosara would not be complete without the piece of nature. It’s not just humans that call Nosara and the Nicoya Peninsula home, over 100 tropical species from parrots and monkeys to anteaters and iguanas roam freely in this land. The locals share the land and it’s their love for the land that is the biggest secret to their longevity. Mutual support sustains the people, plants and animals in a well-balanced harmony. The land provides so much and teaches us to align with our spiritual self. We feel so connected to that deeper part of ourselves here just by breathing in the air and feeling the sun’s rays.

The energy of Nosara is palpable. You can feel it just by walking through the rainforest canopy or lying on a white sand beach. Many visitors say they do not need to sleep or eat nearly as much in Nosara as the energy of the place sustains them. This magical aspect of the land makes it a perfect place to practice yoga, self-reflect or sing and dance with community!

The more we experience Nosara, the more we find to love! Scuba-diving, surfing, waterfall hikes, awesome people and nearly year-round sunny days truly makes this paradise shine!

But to really explore the Nicoya peninsula, you have to experience it firsthand! Just a few spots left for our retreat of a lifetime this January at the Bodhi Tree Resort. Come join us for world-class yoga, sound healing, food and adventure at the most beautiful resort in the most beautiful place in the world. See you soon!

About the author: Brian is a teacher and healer. He brings the mind, body, heart and soul back into balance through overtone chanting, crystal and tibetan singing bowls and tuning forks.

He has the unique ability to hear oto-acoustic emissions, the natural
frequencies emitted by the body.

0 Steps to Soul Growth

November 11, 2016 // by Admin// Leave a Comment

Find yourself right here in this moment.

What thought did you have right before you began reading this? What were you feeling? Why did you click on this blog to read it? Now have you actually asked yourself these questions or are you still reading. Ha. That’s what I thought. Because I would have done the same thing. I didn’t do that to be cute or clever. I did it to point out that our minds are always moving so fast that we lose all direction of where we are going. It’s like the man who is driving a car and finds himself far away from his destination because he got sidetracked by a thought.
So, before we move on, I’ll ask again. How are you right now? Are you present? Are you ready for what you are about to read? I hope you are because I am going to address your soul.

Arto Marttinen Jokkmokk, Sweden — Arto Marttinen
Jokkmokk, Sweden

Dear Soul, I’m grateful and joyful to be in your presence! I’ll be honest. I feel like the person reading this is bound to pay more attention knowing that I am addressing the deepest aspect of their being. Now that I have the reader’s attention, I will go back to where we started: Being present. We are so quick to move on to the meal of the next moment that we have not digested the one we were eating! So let us slow down into the stillness, the fertile soil where the soul growth happens.

Good. Now we are ready to dive deep! So, why did I call this piece “0 Steps to soul growth”? It’s simple. Because whatever answer we seek comes to us when we listen to the stillness. We don’t need to take any steps! We just need to go inward and let the stillness moves us. We feel into the moment without thought and suddenly we find ourselves

averie woodard Denton, United States — averie woodard
Denton, United States

thinking the thought or feeling the feeling that grows our soul! So many “5 steps to this” or “10 ways to that” articles just lead us into more doing when what we really need to do is more being.

Take me for example. I am just sitting here letting the words flow. I do not need to think about what I am writing. I am simply playing my instrument and allowing the sounds that want to play to flow forth. This flow is the heart of soul growth! I can elaborate on it all I want, but there is no clearer understanding of soul growth then what is happening in my writing right now. It’s pure en-write-enment! I am connecting with the Source in a beautiful effortless way to embody what I am and what I love.

The foundation that guides me is understanding my soul connection to the Source. So what is the Source and how do we connect with it? The Source is Spirit. The Source is the Absolute. The Source is God. It’s the great universal force of energy that goes beyond all words and concepts.

To bring some clarity to the Source and are relation to it, we can distinguish a difference between Spirit and Soul.

Spirit is the part of you that is undifferentiated and totally one with the Source.

Soul is a differentiated part of Spirit that experiences through your physical body.

We are both Spirit and Soul simultaneously. In this great interconnection, we find that our souls are constantly playing and creating from the infinite diversity that springs forth from the oneness of Spirit. It’s the oneness of Spirit that we all share that allows our souls to create from the one space of infinite potential.

We may think we are limited in our physical bodies but the Truth is that we are endowed with the unlimited potential of Spirit. We are enabled by creator to create! One purpose of this grand process is that Spirit learns and evolves through experiencing itself as us. Not only is Spirit aware of itself as us but it is also the environment in which our story plays out. Talk about a multi-dimensional experience! From our perspective, our souls journey

on the path of expansion; connection, purpose and expression into the vast possibility of being that we can explore. Our souls may wear the clothes of density or shed them for the nakedness of light. Whatever we decide, it is the exploration of self!

Every moment, the quality of our being is determining the path of our soul through Spirit. Most of us have reincarnated many times and we are here on this planet for many reasons. The growth that we desire in our heart of hearts happens when we simply be here now! Soul growth is spontaneous when we do what we love. We find ourselves surrounded by the people and places that nourish us our path! Just as our bodies grow when we provide them with fruits and greens, our souls flourish when we receive and radiate love and light! Circling back to the beginning, we remember that growth happens from within us.

Jeremy Bishop Haleiwa, United States — Jeremy Bishop
Haleiwa, United States

When we tune into the stillness, we are guided in the direction of our destiny. This is the destination of this piece of writing. You are already are where you are going; you just have to stop and ask for directions!

About the author: Brian is a teacher and healer. He brings the mind, body, heart and soul back into balance through overtone chanting, crystal and tibetan singing bowls and tuning forks.

He has the unique ability to hear oto-acoustic emissions, the natural
frequencies emitted by the body.

The Stories That Lead Us From Presence

May 23, 2016 // by Alana Roach// Leave a Comment

We were walking together down the white sandy beach of Costa Rica in the late morning of November. Each of us silent, tired from the sun and the ocean waves, trying to keep pace with one another but exhaustion kept us staggered. There were three of us and as we walked two of us would veer toward one another and the third would be walking as the outlier. I observed as it seemed some sort of energy drew us together and then apart again, but the unified intention of getting to our destination kept us going in the same direction. …

Explorations of Self: A Costa Rica Yoga Experience 2015: Memoirs of Retreat Leader, Alana Roach

January 30, 2015 // by Alana Roach// Leave a Comment

Lynne Roye Photography https://www.facebook.com/lynne.roy.9 — Lynne Roye Photography
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 Beat Negative Self Talk

September 22, 2014 // by Alana Roach// Leave a Comment

“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

Why Meditate? My Experience With Meditation and How You Can Begin.

January 1, 2014 // by Alana Roach// 2 Comments

I love you. That is the one expression that sums it all up for me. I love you. I feel it every time I read an inspirational quote or look at the sunlight creeping through the blinds or hear a distant breath in a yoga class…hahhhhh I love you

It is what unites us and what we have in common. The spark of love in each and every one of us is the same spark that lights up the lovers eyes, the babies first smile, the sun and the moon. I feel this every time I meditate. Yes, meditate. You have heard it a time or two in yoga class or in your local news paper. Meditation is as old as the ages and yet it is something that we as a society are just starting to embark on at a massive level. Meditation groups are popping up all over the world to create World Peace and a Higher Level of Conciousness that vibrates on… you guessed it, Love. The love frequency is one that is radiant and all plentiful. It is what keeps us striving for that next thing. That thing we can’t even quite put our finger on. Often times that thing becomes masked with accomplishment, addiction, and fear. What are we chasing really? Have you ever thought that the thing you were chasing would make you feel inextricably whole or complete only to find that once you accomplished it you felt ok but it wasn’t enough, sometimes it made you feel even worse. Why is that? How is that possible? But is so, so you move on to the next thing. Or perhaps you failed to accomplish that which you desired the most? You felt defeated, lesser than, unmotivated to move through it, and so you reached for something that made sense in that moment, a snack, the bar, a companion, only to feel guilty about it after.

That unrelenting reaching for has driven me to a point of questioning. What is the point, I would say? What is the point the this life thing? I had used up my addiction and failed to love another human being properly in my teens and early twenties, and then in my mid twenties I was addicted to accomplishment. I thought if I were perfect then I would happy. I spent the first half of my life in a place of self-abuse and ultimately feeling defeated, to spend the later years trying to make up for lost time to also feel some what defeated.

That is when I found meditation. It started as a suggestion from a group of friends in 2008. Meditation and prayer are the answer to your problems. Well, I had been praying my whole life to some far off God that supposedly judged everything I ever did. I prayed for mercy on my soul and I prayed in times of need. I rarely ever prayed to be open to learning about why we are here, or for someone else, or to listen for loving guidance. I definitely never did a prayer of gratitude for that which I had in my life at that moment, which is always bountiful. But like I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I felt defeated. I was willing to listen to suggestions if it meant peace of mind and serenity. I learned how to pray differently. I started to pray for others, make gratitude lists, and pray for something bigger than me to guide me. I view the Universe as being bigger than me (Pretty easy, right) and I feel that it is a magical Co-Creator of incredibly possibility. The God I once had started to evolve into something greater. It started to be everything. It was me, it was you, it was the sun, moon, sky, mountains, good, and the bad. It is that for me today. I was told that praying is only part of the equation. Praying is to speak to God, but to meditate is to listen. Listening was not one of my strong suits. I spent a lot of time in self pity, of busy-ness, of distraction, but not in listening. But, again, I felt defeated, so I was willing to give it shot. It started with a few minutes a day. I would go on youtube and find a beginners guided meditation video, plug in my head phones, sit still, close my eyes, and listen. I felt different immediately. Truly, I did. A seed of serenity started to become nourished by this speaking to and listening exchange. I was having a conversation of the mind, body, and Spirit. It was a revelation. It took discipline. There were days I did not feel like meditating. Prayer was easy to rush through on those days, but meditating meant I had to sit still. I did it though, even if it was for only a minute, because I thirsted for that serenity. I needed it like one needs water in a desert. Something bigger than me beckoned.

It has been over 4 years now, and I still have this Mind, Body, Spirit conversation. I pray and I meditate on a daily basis. It has developed, it has changed, it has GROWN significantly over the years and my God is always revealing more to me all of the time. Just when I feel like I have learned the current lesson (I feel as though we are always in a state of learning here) I am shown that I know nothing because my God has gotten even bigger. That lesson that I thought I learned has an underlying current of truth that I just started to tap, so I must go deeper. Over the years, I have discovered that beyond the seated mediation, there are many ways to meditate. Yoga for instance, is a moving or still meditation. We are uniting or yolking the mind, body, and Spirit with the attention the breath and body. We leave the studio or place of practice feeling as though something has shifted within us, because we have created time for it to shift. That is what meditation is for me, it creating time by giving time to still the mind. There are walking meditations in Buddhism where you walk very slowly, perhaps in a grassy field, and pay attention to every shift the foot and earth make together, in unison. The awareness goes from sensation to sensations very slowly as though it were the only thing that were in existence. You leave walking meditation feeling a sense of peace because again, the mind, the body, the Spirit have been united through this attention to the presence. One of my favorite spots to meditate is in a warm salt bath with lavender. I listen to a chakra tuning meditation while rested in the warm water, close my eyes, and use my Ujjayi breath for about 15 minutes. Every morning before I step out of bed, I create space of about 30 minutes before I need to get ready for my first class or event of the day if I have any so that I can plug in Theta binural beats (Theta waves are the brain waves Tibetan Monks go into in deep meditation) and do a laying down mediation. No matter what, I create the space. I believe that the attention to the space is what matters. The Universe notices when you’ve practiced, no matter how long the practice is. It is just the fact that we are taking the time to listen to that calm, gentle Guidance.

Create space in your life to Listen for You. When you take care of you, you take care of the World. Just sit back, relax, and watch where your journey with meditation guides You.

What are some of your favorite ways you like to meditate? If you would like a guided meditation with Alana Roach Yoga, please email me at AlanaRoachYoga@Gmail.com.

Love always,

Alana Roach

E-RYT, LD, Reiki, Wellness Coach and Writer

www.facebook.com/AlanaRoachYoga

AlanaRoachYoga@Gmail.com

Yoga & Chakra Visualization Practice for the Full Moon & Spring Equinox

As we enter the Pisces/Virgo full moon on March 12th, we prepare to let go of that which no longer serves us, in order to planet new seeds for the Spring Equinox on March 20th.

∞

Cobbler’s pose allows us to get in touch with pelvis while gently opening the hips, activating this energy center.

A Rooted Practice for Mahashivarati

A Shameless Retreat

A New Year to LIVE

A Place to Plant in Your Heart

0 Steps to Soul Growth

The Stories That Lead Us From Presence

Explorations of Self: A Costa Rica Yoga Experience 2015: Memoirs of Retreat Leader, Alana Roach

5 Ways To Beat Negative Self Talk

Why Meditate? My Experience With Meditation and How You Can Begin.

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Meet Alana

Meditation

As we enter the Pisces/Virgo full moon on March 12th, we prepare to let go of that which no longer serves us, in order to planet new seeds for the Spring Equinox on March 20th.

∞

Cobbler’s pose allows us to get in touch with pelvis while gently opening the hips, activating this energy center.

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Meet Alana