Join the Movement

You are here: Home / Archives for Move Your Body

Movement encourages a positive and happy lifestyle! Find your motivation here.

🙏🏼Try Utkatasana for Building Strength and Detoxing Your Organs for Spring!

//  Leave a Comment

Photo by ᗅlana Roach on March 22, 2021. May be an image of 2 people and indoor.
🙏🏼Try Utkatasana for building strength and detoxing your organs for Spring!

(Utkatasana: “Utkata,” meaning powerful or “fierce”) & “Asana” meaning “pose”)

Spring time calls for us to purify and strengthen our mind and body. This posture is perfect for all of the above.

I LOVE this pose because I love a good challenge. It’s one of the things that are guaranteed to build heat in the body and whenever I have students hold it for more than 5 seconds they start to breathe deeper and occasionally let out some sort of fierce cry. Haha. This is typically a good sign in any class that I teach. We are building strength and focus with this pose whether it’s used as a transition in your yoga practice or as a stand alone exercise. Building strength brings you to that edge whether you’re doing it in your yoga practice or in any area of life off of the mat. Typically our practice on the mat interplay’s with our “Off the mat,” lifestyle and life lessons. What is this posing teaching you today?

Try this posture now:

1. Try it now by standing with your big toes touching and heels spaced just an inch apart or feet hips with distance apart. Toes facing forward.

2. Reach your hands high and start to sync your hips lower. Palms of your hands face one another (Palms touching or hands can be shoulders with distance apart.)

3. Peeking down, make sure you can see all ten toes, sliding your knees back, and scooping your hips forward.

4. Knit the rib cage in and draw your navel to your spine, squeezing the area between your sits bones in and up (Mulabhanda lock.)

5. Lift your heart up and walk your gaze towards the sky finding one point to focus on and breathe slowly… in through your nose and out through your nose (Or mouth.)

5. Wrap the muscles to the bone in your legs and arms! Soften the muscles in your face.

6. Weight should be towards your heels so that if you wanted to, you could wiggle your toes!

7. Hold for 30 seconds (Or more).

8. Repeat 3-5 times.

*Modification would be to sit in a chair while strengthening the muscles in your legs, arms, and core*

For more yoga tips or to set up a consult to discuss 1 on 1 zoom yoga/nutrition sessions with me email Explorationsofself@gmail.com

Pose of the Month: Ganda Bherundasana

//  Leave a Comment

Alana Roach in Chin Pose
Indian Philosophy describes Gandabherunda as a “Formidable, powerful bird with two heads.” Ganda Bherundasana is inspired by this powerful representation of immense strength for those who choose to practice it during their asana practice or meditate on it during their seated practice.
 
In Sanskrit, Ganda Bherundasana means: Formidable face posture.
 
This is an advanced backbend posture that can be prepped for even if you’re a beginner. The asana or posutral aspect of yoga all starts with where you are, no judgement, just play and curiousity. So, while a beginner would not jump right into this posture, a beginner could do postures like Cat Cow, forarm plank (Even modified with the knees on the floor), core exercises, simple shoulder openers, bridge pose, and more.
 
Learn more about advancing your practice with one on one private sessions with Alana Roach on Zoom or at an Explorations of Self in an in person event.
 
explorationsofself.com

10 Self-Care Tips for World Mental Health Day

//  Leave a Comment

My inner state of being and life was transformed ever since I started a regular mindfulness practice in 2009. One of the reasons I started teaching yoga and meditation in 2011 is because it helped me so much with my own anxiety. I remember feeling wound up prior to entering the studio and then basically floating out of my first heated vinyasa class at 23, knowing that I had found something important, not just for me, but for anyone who was willing to allow me to share it with them. It was a practice I folded into my life on regular basis and in conjunction with my prayer & meditation practice it began to open doors for me in my own personal mental health and wellness journey that I didn’t even fathom was possible until then.

The thing is, it opened the door to more self-love, self-care, and a deep desire to explore the deep connection to Divine that I was experiencing through these mindfulness practices, or what some mystics call the higher Self. This is how Explorations of Self was born. It was birthed from my own journey healing and reclaiming my Self. The journey to mental health and wellness has expanded to include many holistic practices and rituals over the years and I use them as self healing medicine when I start to feel anxiety or fear of the unknown creep back in. It also happens to be a lot of what I’ve become educated in to provide for you aside from acupuncture and massage.

We are all on this journey together. We are all here to be human and to evolve in joy, light, and love.

Here are 10 ways I personally use to holistically self-care to help on those off days:

  1. Yoga: Yoga connects us to our bodies and our breath. This amazing practice helps us radically shift the energy within our body, mind, and spirit. You can do yoga at home and I encourage you to if you are not going to gyms or studios right now. Even doing a few poses a day can be life changing.
  2. Meditation: Meditation can come in many forms whether it’s through seated practice or movement. Finding what works for you is key. I love my daily seated practice and then find it helps me create a meditation practice out of anything I do when I am present to it. 
  3. Prayer, Intention Setting, Surrendering: Whatever your beliefs, where intention goes, energy flows. I enjoy praying throughout the day and have a longer practice in the morning and evening. I enjoy setting the intention for the day by continually coming back to the feeling of love, which I often cultivate by thinking about someone or something that brings me a lot of love, easily (For me that’s always my daughter.) I enjoy surrendering the negative feelings or worries to Divine as they arise and returning the feeling of love.
  4. Qigong and other forms of martial arts: I have been practicing Qigong more regularly lately and I have been doing various forms of martial arts for years. Qigong is an ancient practice that has been just incredible to begin the day with lately. 
  5. Nutrition: Eating food like it’s medicine for my optimal well-being is key. I eat and drink foods and beverages intuitively in this way. For me, eating a majority vegetarian diet is what makes ME feel good and I know it’s different for everyone. Even if I am having one of those cheat meals, I bless up my food. I give thanks and energy to everything I ingest. In the documentary Superhuman they demonstrate how the energy that we send into water molecules can change them!! We can absolutely enliven our food, and make it sacred.
  6. Have uplifting conversations with your community: I talk to positive people every DAY. Everyday. It’s important to surround yourself with people who inspire you to be your best self and love you unconditionally for who you are.
  7. Acupressure: Here are few I enjoy for anxiety: https://www.healthline.com/health/pressure-points-for-anxiety#heavenly-gate
  8. Reiki, Shamanic, and Energy Healing: I am a conduit for energy work with my clients and I receive energy work from trusted practitioners on a regular basis. 
  9. Salt bath: Epsom salt baths with lavender essential oils are something I love doing at least once a week. In energy medicine it’s said that it can help to move old energy or qi out of your system.
  10. Nature: No matter where I am in the world, being in nature on a daily basis is 100% one of the most important things I do for my sense of well being. If you know me well, you know that I love being in the water, surfing or paddle boarding. If I can’t make it to the water, I am in a forest with my daughter hiking.

What do you do for self-care to support and balance your mental health? Share in the comments below.

Email me at ExplorationsofSelf@gmail.com if you are interested in booking with me for one or more of the following:

🌸Virtual Shamanic, Reiki, and Intuitive Energy Healing  

🌸Fertility, Prenatal, and Postpartum support as your Virtual Holistic Coach and Doula.

🌸Virtual Yoga Private Sessions for Women

🌸Virtual Corporate Yoga, Meditation, and/or Mindfulness Events 

🌸Virtual Integrative Nutrition Coaching

🌸Life & Business Coaching for Mom Bosses

🌸 Virtual Public Speaking Opportunities & Press

 

8 Holistic Ways to Manage Grief During The Holidays

//  Leave a Comment

Sometimes the holidays can be a reminder that someone we have loved dearly is not with us in the physical any longer, or that a new chapter in our life is beginning, which means another chapter, for better or for worse, is ending. Grief is grief. Anytime you go through a big transition, you will inevitably experience some sort of grief.  If that is the case for you, I am deeply sorry for your loss. I recently lost my step-father & his presence is definitely missed by my family.  With all that being so, I am feeling particularly grateful to be at home with my family during this holiday. Losing someone close can really put life into perspective. You realize what is truly important in life and that can make all of the difference in what you prioritize.

Here are 8 Holistic Ways to Help You Manage Grief During The Holidays:

  1. Gratitude: Expressing gratitude is one of this quickest ways to access your inner peace.  List what you are gratitude for and WHY. For instance, “I am grateful for my sight because it allows me to see all of the beauty surrounding me,” or, “I am grateful for the ability to take a deep breath because it helps to calm me down.”
  2. Surround yourself with good people: Stick with people who remind you of the good in life, uplift you, and that it’s also ok to be exactly where you are in the moment. Surround yourself with people who manage their own emotions in healthy ways.
  3. Meditate & Move: Meditation and movement will help to activate your para-sympathetic nervous system and actively get you out of your fight or flight response. This is a great meditation for Grief.  If you are looking for some easy, at home movement, here is a short Qi-Gong routine and a Yoga Sequence for Grief.
  4. Journal: Journaling has been scientifically proven to reduce stress and boost your mood. In addition to this, according to Cambridge.org, “Writing about traumatic, stressful or emotional events has been found to result in improvements in both physical and psychological health, in non-clinical and clinical populations. In the expressive writing paradigm, participants are asked to write about such events for 15–20 minutes on 3–5 occasions. Those who do so generally have significantly better physical and psychological outcomes compared with those who write about neutral topics. Here we present an overview of the expressive writing paradigm, outline populations for which it has been found to be beneficial and discuss possible mechanisms underlying the observed health benefits. In addition, we suggest how expressive writing can be used as a therapeutic tool for survivors of trauma and in psychiatric settings.”
  5. Ask someone else how they are doing today. The quickest way to get out of your head is to ask someone else how they are doing, and if they are not doing well,  be the Light for them. Remind them that it’s ok to feel what they are feeling and remind them of HOPE. At the end of our life we are remembered by our loved ones for how we impacted their lives. It’s not typically how hard we worked or what accolades we acquired. It’s how hard we loved and who we directed that love towards.
  6. Good nutrition: We have all been there. Emotional eating. When we feel stressed it’s easy to reach for the unhealthy carbohydrates. The more we lean towards healing our gut and improving our digestion + decreasing inflammation, our mood and energy levels will increase. Email me at Explorationsofself@Gmail.com to receive $50 towards your Superfoods Transformation.
  7. CBD: While more clinical trials still need to be done, there are rave reviews for the efficacy of this incredibly plant medicine. Consult your doctor before adding CBD to your regime to see if it’s right for you. If you would like 20% on your first CBD order through Explorations of Self, contact me at Explorationsofself@gmail.com.
  8. Prioritize Self-Care: Make sure that you are taking the time to tend to your self-care first and foremost. Take a bubble bath, treat yourself to a spa day, go to your favorite fitness class, read a great book, or take a nap. We can feel especially run down when we go through Grief. That is our body wisdom screaming at us to slow down and take care of ourselves. Be sure to listen.

If you are dealing with grief during this Holiday Season, I am praying for you. I pray that you are surrounded by love. I pray that you feel the nearness of your Creator. If you feel cut off or alone, please here me. You are not alone. There are communities around the world that want to support you. This is just one. Please reach out to someone and allow yourself to receive support. This is one of the best gifts you can give someone. When we allow others to be of service, we are being of service to them. Acts of service are what this life is all about. Learning to give and receive love unconditionally is so important in life because it is what connects us to one another. 

 

 

With much love and respect for your journey,

 

Alana Roach

CNS, E-RYT, Author

Yoga, Nutrition, and Wellness

Founder of Explorations of Self

 

A Heart Centered Yoga Practice

//  Leave a Comment

Hello EOS Community,

This week’s pose is, “Supine Bound Angle Pose,” aka “Supta Buddha Konasana,” (In Sanskrit, India’s sacred language of yoga) accompanied with the fourth of the 7 main energy centers in our body called the, “Heart Chakra,” or ,”Anahata,”in Sanskrit which translates to, “Unhurt, unstruck, & unbeaten.”

 

This green, 12 petaled lotus heart chakra is located in your chest.

This energy center governs our ability to give and receive love freely. When balanced you feel a sense of compassion for all living beings including a deep reverence for mother earth and father sky. You will have a sense of the interconnectedness between all. When others are in the presence of someone with a balanced heart chakra, they feel accepted and embraced by this benevolent force. An open heart is inspiring and not to be underestimated. When this center is out of balance, you can feel unworthy of love, untrusting, pessimistic, and reclusive. Maintaining a regular heart chakra balancing practice is necessary to feel at peace in your heart and to attract that peace into your life on an ongoing basis.

Supine Bound Angle Pose is a restorative pose. If you would like to grab a bolster or rolled up blanket to place under your spine for more itensity, please do so now. If you have tight hips, you can grab two pillows or folded up blankets that will be used underneath of your thighs and knees once we are in the full position.

Let’s begin.

1. Come
on to your mat with your back facing the mat or floor (If you are using the bolster or rolled up blanket, sit up first, slide on end of the prop to your lower back, and slowly recline your spine back down onto it, grabbing an extra pillow for underneath your head if you feel the support is needed.)

2. Breath in, and bend your knees and slide your heels in towards your sits bones.

3. Allow your entire back body to feel as though it were melting into the earth.

4. On an exhale, allow your knees to fall to either side (If you are using pillows for thigh and knee support, you can gently find the support now.) Allow you hands to rest on either side of your body, palms facing up. Close your eyes, and breath slowly.

5. Visualize your heart chakra in the center of your chest as a swirling 12 petaled green lotus flower. 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, and then slow release your chest, shoulders, neck & head back onto the mat.

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.

About the author: Alana Diosa Roach 

Yoga Instructor, Integrative Nutrition Coach, Reiki & Shamanic Energy Worker, Intuitive, Meditation Teacher


Alana Diosa is a world renowned Yoga and Wellness Teacher. She has been teaching her dynamic, breath centered style of yoga since 2011. Alana holds 2,000 hours of Yoga Alliance Certified teaching experience, including leadership of teacher trainings for upcoming yogis and yoginis, years of INTENSIVE Integrative Breath Work Trainings + is a graduate of the Institute of Integrative Health in NY, holding a certification as an Integrative Nutrition Coach. She harnesses an apt understanding and application of energy work both intimately and remotely as a certified Usui Reiki Practitioner, Ascension Clairvoyance, & Shamanic PLR Chord Cutting.

A New Year to LIVE

//  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.

photo share @braziltravelbeaches.com
photo share @braziltravelbeaches.com

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.

Photo by Kristopher Allison
Photo by Kristopher Allison

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.

Photo by: Dimitry Kotov
Photo by: Dimitry Kotov

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.

Photo by: Jordan Sanchez
Photo by: Jordan Sanchez

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!

Photo share Kristopher Allison
Photo share Kristopher Allison

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

13925864_10207460986383449_4494511862760385250_oBIO : 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

Are You Freelance:Digital Nomad Material?

//  Leave a Comment

What does it take to become a freelance entrepreneur and/or a digital nomad? What IS a digital nomad? Both offer the same thing. Freedom to work for either yourself or other businesses from any location in the world. As long as you have a competent digital office, you are able to become a freelance entrepreneur and/or a digital nomad. Within this past year, I made the jump to being a part time digital nomad, to a FULL time freelance entrepreneurial digital nomad, and let me tell you, it feels so GOOD! I still work hard, but I work from where ever I damn well please, and that makes working taste so delicious.

Are you freelance/digital nomad material?

photo by: Aaron Burden
photo by: Aaron Burden

If the following resonates, there is a good chance that you are ready to take this leap.

  1. You could be online all day and night and still crave the sweet glow of an iMac screen, while enjoying your favorite kombucha. As long as you have your computer, headphones, and a delicious beverage, you are as happy as a clam whilst whistling away in your own digital cloud bubble. Mmm, technology, snacks, and a warm environment are your idea of a comfortable day.
  2. You love meeting fellow workers at co-working spaces. Meeting others of like minds is such a treat for you. You love sharing space with those who are fast at digital work and occasionally like to take breaks to share fun tips to enhance your lifestyle while also taking a moment to share their life’s story and a bit of humor.
  3. You get a rise out of sharing battle stories of traveling abroad. It’s happened to the best of us. One day you are perusing the streets of New Dehli, and stevenlewisthe next thing you know you are doubled over in nausea from the street food you daringly tried because you… you are invincible. The next few days you feel like you’ve taken a couple tabs of acid and you can’t stop throwing up in those awesome holes in the ground. Laugh now. You certainly weren’t then.
  4. Your laptop is always in the back of your mind. Especially when you are socializing. You take the evening off to hang out with your guest house mates from across the hall. You begin to get a little compulsive about your laptops safety. It might be nice to feel the lightness of not carrying a backpack this evening with your digital office, but you do it anyway. You are a part of your laptop, and it is a part of you.
  5. You feel more secure not knowing where you will be in a couple of months. You enjoy going with the flow. Making plans too far out is not attractive unless there is a digital price tag attached to it, and even then you make it clear, “I work from location.” My location.
  6. You get a thrill out of watching others cringe at your lifestyle. Even though they secretly wish they could do it, too. The secret it… they can.
  7. You have a, “Don’t quit until it’s possible,” outlook on life. Living this way requires that. You enjoy not following the crowd. You dance to the beat of your own drum. You keep forging ahead to create the life YOU desire, which is free, and unencumbered by 4 walls and a nagging boss.
  8. You enjoy traveling light. As Yogi Bhajan said, “Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light.” You would not have it any other way. This is your outlook on life.
  9. You tear up a little when you are typing away from a hammock that overlooks white sands and blue seas. Are you kidding me? This is my office? You feel like you have discovered a hidden secret to life, and by simply doing what comes naturally, you are inspired to create more situations that make this lifestyle possible.
  10. The idea of a white picket fence nearly causes you to faint. It’s fine for your peers, but not for you. You can’t do that life. Your ideal mate is a free spirit as well. If kids are in the picture, they are living the nomadic lifestyle with you. You all energetically spray paint big red NO signs on this white picket fence. Maybe next lifetime.

13925864_10207460986383449_4494511862760385250_oBIO : 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

TOP DЕЅTІNАTІОNЅ FOR EVЕRУ TYPE ОF TRAVELER

//  Leave a Comment

Thеѕе рlасеѕ are knоwn аѕ some оf the top destinations for every type of traveler;

Lаѕ Vеgаѕ, Nеvаdа, Unіtеd Stаtеѕ 

Hyatt-Place-Las-Vegas
Hyatt-Place-Las-Vegas

Knоwn as a mаjоr еntеrtаіnmеnt Mecca, Las Vegas іѕ a сіtу thаt always hаѕ ѕоmеthіng going оn, whісh іѕ whу іt rеmаіnѕ оnе оf thе bеѕt places tо vасаtіоn. From соnсеrtѕ, thеаtеr ѕhоwѕ аnd саѕіnоѕ tо galleries, fine dining аnd upscale shopping, Lаѕ Vеgаѕ іѕ ѕurе tо оffеr a good tіmе tо іtѕ visitors. Although it іѕ knоwn for іtѕ mаnу gambling орроrtunіtіеѕ, Lаѕ Vеgаѕ nоw has аrtіѕtіс, сulturаl аnd tоurіѕt аttrасtіоnѕ аnd entertainment venues fоr thе еntіrе fаmіlу.

Rio De Jаnеіrо, Brazil 

Althоugh hаrdlу a ѕесrеt dеѕtіnаtіоn, Rіо dе Jаnеіrо іѕ shedding its image аѕ a ѕun, ѕеа, аnd ѕаmbа tоwn аnd going for glаmоur аnd sophistication. Jоіn thе frіеndlу Cаrіосаѕ for dottransfers_riodejaneiroan innovative 10-соurѕе Amаzоnіаn dinner аt Rіо’ѕ top Le Pr Catelan rеѕtаurаnt оr ѕоmе dеlесtаblе “brараѕ” (Brazilian tapas) at hір еаtеrу Ouі Oui. Evеn Rіо’ѕ mаgnіfісеnt bеасhеѕ аrе bеttеr thаn еvеr before; from Lеmе to Lеblоn, nеw оutdооr cafs bоаѕt fаbulоuѕ seaside раtіоѕ wіth comfortable bathroom facilities. Aѕ hоѕt of the 2014 Sоссеr World Cuр аnd thе 2016 Summer Olуmрісѕ, the сіtу is аbuzz with еxсіtіng dеvеlорmеntѕ that will be ѕurе tо attract hugе сrоwdѕ. Beat thе ruѕh and ѕее how thе Girl from Iраnеmа is аll grоwn up.

Dоhа, Qаtаr 

Dоhа dоеѕn’t attract the hоаrdѕ оf beer-swilling Brіtіѕh tоurіѕtѕ or thе ѕhееr numbеr of dohahоtеlѕ that the U.A.E.’ѕ Dubai does, but іtѕ bеасhеѕ аrе mоrе bеаutіful and its gоurmеt rеѕtаurаntѕ аrе lеѕѕ crowded. The Al Jаzееrа nеwѕ network іѕ whаt рut Doha оn thе map a decade аgо, although a different sort оf саmеrа — thе mоvіе kіnd — is whаt’ѕ drаwіng tоurіѕtѕ for the Doha-Tribeca Film Fеѕtіvаl. Next уеаr mаrkѕ іtѕ third іnѕtаllmеnt. Dоhа is соnсеntrаtіng оn bееfіng uр іtѕ рrеѕеnсе оn the іntеrnаtіоnаl stage bу following uр іtѕ world-class, I.M. Pei-designed Muѕеum оf Iѕlаmіс Art wіth a bid fоr thе Olуmрісѕ іn 2016 аnd thе Fіfа World Cuр іn 2022. Pluѕ, the сіtу іѕ hоѕtіng professional ѕоссеr’ѕ Asian Cup іn January. Groupon offers great deals at low discount to travelers to visit these destinations.

 

Bаrbаdоѕ 

Bаrbаdоѕ is a соmраrаtіvеlу flаt island ѕіtuаtеd іn the easterly Cаrіbbеаn Sea juѕt to the north оf Trіnіdаd. Thеrе іѕ a glіtzіеr, mоrе ѕорhіѕtісаtеd feel tо Bаrbаdоѕ than mоѕt оthеr Cаrіbbеаn іѕlаndѕ, it аlѕо fеаturеѕ some of the bеѕt hоtеlѕ and resorts іn thе Cаrіbbеаn thаt mаkеѕ thе іѕlаnd tо оnе of thе tор vасаtіоn destinations in the Cаrіbbеаnѕ tо gо fоr a hоnеуmооn.Bаrbаdоѕ іѕ a bеаutіful соrаl island with a special сhаrm аnd warmth, wіth world___barbados_caves_in_barbados_079522_nеvеr ending роwdеrу white sand bеасhеѕ, аn аttrасtіvе уеаr-rоund сlіmаtе оf sea brееzеѕ аnd sunshine, еxоtіс bоtаnісаl gаrdеnѕ, асrеѕ оf аbundаnt, rolling ѕugаr саnе fields, and a rісh and exciting hіѕtоrу. Bеѕіdеѕ, the іѕlаnd is оnе of the bеѕt, аnd mоѕt рорulаr роrtѕ оf саll in thе Cаrіbbеаn. Barbados іѕ blеѕѕеd wіth a nеаr іdеаl сlіmе. It іѕ a year-round dеѕtіnаtіоn, dryer thаn mоѕt other Cаrіbbеаn іѕlаndѕ, еvеn though уоu mау wаnt tо аvоіd thе rаіnу ѕеаѕоn frоm June tо Nоvеmbеr. Thе joyous island аmbіеnсе, thе асtіvе lосаl ѕсеnе and rhуthmісаl muѕіс, making Barbados оnе оf thе most роwеrful bеасh сulturеѕ around thе glоbе.

 

Miami, Florida, Unіtеd Stаtеѕ 

The long, skinny іѕlаnd of Miami Bеасh – and ѕресіfісаllу image-conscious South Mіаmі Beach (thаt’ѕ South Beach or SоBе in ѕhоrthаnd), with іtѕ сhаrmіng Art Deco District аnd miami-beachsizzling dining and club ѕсеnеѕ, has fоr thе past dесаdе rеіgnеd аѕ one оf Amеrіса’ѕ capitals of cool. It’ѕ thе kind оf рlасе whеrе you mіght ѕроt Cuban boat реорlе wаѕhеd up оn Oсеаn Drіvе оr a guy walking a lеаѕhеd mоuntаіn lіоn оn Lіnсоln Road. Surе, thеrе’ѕ some рrеttу interesting and еvеn cultural ѕtuff tо dо оut hеrе, but іt’ѕ really all аbоut “thе ѕсеnе” – bу dау, sun аnd ѕаnd аmіd ѕсаntіlу clad, hаrd-bоdіеd rоllеrblаdеrѕ аnd vоllеуbаllеrѕ, by nіght, dіnіng and раrtуіng аmіd a mix оf thе rісh, fаmоuѕ, аnd fаbulоuѕ. This ѕрrаwlіng, sexy, ѕun-ѕрlаѕhеd resort рlауgrоund’ѕ роѕh combination оf ѕun, ѕаnd, аnd hеdоnіѕm mаkеѕ іt the ԛuіntеѕѕеntіаl glаmоrаmа party capital and a perfect ѕрrіng brеаk destination.

 

Puеrtо Vallаrtа, Mexico 

Whіlе there аrе quіtе a fеw Mеxісо hot ѕроtѕ favored аѕ spring brеаk destinations, no place other thаn Puerto Vаllаrtа combines a rаgіng nightlife ѕсеnе with a colorful соlоnіаl vіllаgе imbued wіth оld-wоrld аmbіеnсе. Indееd, Puerto Vаllаrtа’ѕ арреаl іѕ undeniable: Thе сіtу рrореr, a fаblеd hіllѕіdе hamlet, brіmѕ with muddlеd аllеуwауѕ, red-tiled rооfѕ, аnd atractions-73f48ccdb5f93c1e620ec8b88c3b2550bаlсоnіеѕ draped іn bougainvillea. Miles of gоldеn ѕеаfrоnt, dotted wіth newer tоwnѕ and rеѕоrtѕ, ѕtrеtсh tо іtѕ north аnd ѕоuth, whіlе the lосаl соlоr оf an оld Mexican fіѕhіng vіllаgе mіnglеѕ wіth mоdеrn uрѕсаlе influences. Thе fаmеd malecn – a wаtеrfrоnt bоаrdwаlk thаt stretches frоm thе сеntеr оf tоwn towards the Hotel Zоnе – іѕ dоttеd with ѕhорѕ, rеѕtаurаntѕ, саfѕ, bаrѕ, and ѕtrееt аrtіѕtѕ. Thе lіvеlу promenade is аlwауѕ hopping and perfect for grаbbіng a drіnk оr a bіtе durіng thе dау and аftеr sunset. Pluѕ, come nіghtfаll, уоu саn rеvеl in trendy lounges, rоwdу рubѕ, surf-side watering hоlеѕ, аnd rоmаntіс taverns. Mоѕt оf the wоrthу nightlife іѕ lосаtеd along a three-block ѕtrеtсh of Cаllе Ignatio L. Vallarta, оn the ѕоuth ѕіdе оf thе rіvеr, where еvеrуthіng frоm mаrіасhі music аnd sports bаrѕ tо ѕаlѕа сlubѕ аnd dіѕсоѕ is found.

Lоѕ Cаbоѕ, Mеxісо 

2whalesbreachingFrоm Hоllуwооd ѕtаrѕ tо rоwdу teens, Los Cаbоѕ, Mexico, attracts ’em all for a quick winter getaway – аnd іt’ѕ nо wоndеr. Beaches, mоuntаіn, and deserts – you nаmе іt, thіѕ рlасе hаѕ got іt – with a plethora of асtіvіtіеѕ to еnjоу the bеѕt оf еасh. Scuba dіvіng, fіѕhіng, gоlfіng, whale-watching, hіkіng, аnd biking аrе just a few оf thе оutіngѕ оn offer. Whеthеr уоu choose tо stay in сrаzу Cabo Sаn Luсаѕ wіth іtѕ bars and nіghtсlubѕ оr in thе quieter, рісturе-реrfесt village оf Sаn Jose dеl Cabo, уоu аrе guаrаntееd a gооd tіmе.

 

Mоntеgо Bау, Jаmаіса 

Jаmаіса mау dо dutу аѕ a spring-break central еvеrу уеаr, but thе rеggае-сеntrіс ѕроt has a fascinating history, vіbrаnt сulturе, аnd passionate political раѕt thаt mаkе it an 02еnсhаntіng (аnd wаrm!) рlасе tо vіѕіt fоr a ԛuісk wіntеr gеtаwау. Knоwn аѕ MoBay, Jаmаіса’ѕ second-largest сіtу is thе рrеmіеr tourist dеѕtіnаtіоn on thе northwest соаѕt, offering trаvеlеrѕ еvеrуthіng frоm picture-perfect whіtе-ѕаnd beaches tо river rаftіng; from spicy jerk сhісkеn tо some оf thе bеѕt gоlf іn thе Wеѕt Indies. Catering tо еvеrуоnе – hоnеуmооnеrѕ, party-goers, аnd fаmіlіеѕ аlіkе – thе іѕlаnd оffеrѕ аn аrrау оf ассоmmоdаtіоnѕ from luxurіоuѕ villas to аll-іnсluѕіvе resorts аnd оut-оf-thе-wау еnсlаvеѕ.

 

Prаguе, Czесh Rерublіс  

emaze.com
emaze.com

Wе hеаr thе quеѕtіоn, “Whаt’ѕ thе nеxt Prаguе?” a lоt. But whіlе wе’rе аll fоr dіѕсоvеrіng grеаt nеw dеѕtіnаtіоnѕ, wе hаrdlу thіnk Prаguе is оvеr. Surе, everyone’s hеаrd of іt, but іt’ѕ ѕtіll a grand сіtу with еxtrаоrdіnаrу hіѕtоrіс аnd сulturаl ѕіghtѕ, and it’s dеfіnіtеlу worth a vіѕіt. The оftеn-rеbuіlt Prague Cаѕtlе has overlooked thе сіtу ѕіnсе thе 9th century, and thе synagogues аnd сеmеtеrу оf the Jеwіѕh Quarter are must-sees. Nіghtlіfе hеrе is diverse and рlеntіful, frоm trеndу сlubѕ to sophisticated wіnе bars tо lаtе-nіght celebrations.

 

frankThis guest post is written by Frank Lee, he works at Rebates Zone, so far he has visited over 24 countries. He loves hiking and snowboarding. you can follow him@franklee84.

How to Achieve a Mobile Lifestyle in 5 easy steps

//  Leave a Comment

     1.Find your web presence. 

Building a successful web presence because with choosing your web host. I have had several of these and I vote Bluehost as they have less down time, better technical support, and great prices. For a back end, I enjoy Word press. It is very user friendly, especially considering how dynamic the user experience is for business sites, bloggers, merchants, minisites, portfolios, and much more.

     2.Weather proof your gear. young-woman-in-airport-lobby

I learned this the hard way after losing 2 lap tops in Costa Rica due to excessive humidity, I decided to go Mac and I haven’t looked back. If you are going through really harsh
conditions, I have heard really great things about the Toughbook, however I use a 13 inch Macbook air and it has served me well in Costa Rica on several occasions over the years.

     3.Establish your communications. You will most likely have a lot of clients from all over the place. Skype has long distance calling for as little as 3 cents a minute, and I really love the app Talkatone. It’s free to get a US phone number, text, and receive incoming calls. As far as your phone goes, check with your provider about international rates, and unlocking for everyone besides AT&T. For anywhere wifi, check out the Airport Express by Apple .

Woman walking with bicycle along beach sand summer lifestyle carefree

     4.Become your own accountant.

I really love fresh books (freshbooks.com) for invoicing and book keeping. Paypal for accepting and sending payments and e-Junkies for payment & fulfillment for your ebook, audio, or other information products.

nomades_digitais

     5. Travel Wisely.

For flights I really love Skyscanner and WhichBudget.

(At top of article)I started traveling when I was in my early twenties. I knew, from the moment I peered over the city of Rishikesh from our roof top of an Ashram that we had rented a room from, that I wanted to not only do this for the rest of my life, but make money while doing. I envisioned a plan right then and there. I imagined what my life would like like while doing this for the next few years while building this, and then beyond when I was established doing this. I knew I wanted to teach others how to live this way, if they chose to, because in my experience, this is really living.

So if you, like me, have the travel bug, but it’s more like a lifestyle rather than a phase, follow these simple 5 simple steps into creating your Mobile Lifestyle.

 

1422503_10152553804443019_6589055556597541337_nAlana 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

Six O’ Clock, Queens Land Time

//  Leave a Comment

It blows my mind how a day wraps up so quick, even when you aren’t working anymore. It’s a Sunday afternoon here in Coolangata, Australia. For those of you who don’t know where the heck this place is, pull up a map of Australia and pinpoint Cairns with one finger and Sydney with the other. Slowly pull your fingers together and when they meet, you should be highlighting an area called the Gold Coast.

…