inspiring words by yoga student Megan Roy

 

I am a Yogi

I have never been addicted to exercise. I have never liked exercise. I have to force myself to exercise. If you see me running I suggest you run to because I am either running from something scary or running towards something amazing. I had never experienced the bliss and endorphin release from exercise until one hot steamy day in August.

The month is August the time of day is dusk and in the city of Montrose it is a balmy 90 degrees. My inner voice says Megan you need some exercise. My other inner voice says no you do not need exercise you need ice cream. I am tempted to listen to the second of the two voices because it just seems more fun to sit on the couch and eat ice cream. Then in a flash I have a brilliant idea. I will go to yoga. I will breathe and lay on a mat for an hour call it exercise and go for ice cream. Brilliant idea!

I walk into a local studio and I am greeted by a friendly face. I fill out all the proper paper work, no I won’t sue if you hurt me beyond repair the normal items before you exercise. I am thinking how can she hurt me she is little and its yoga. All we are going to do is breathe.

I take a seat on my borrowed purple mat. The studio feels nice compared to outside. Slowly people start to trickle in and everyone seems so happy to be there. I am thinking yes other people who are eager to lie on their mat and call it exercise; this is going to be fun.

The friendly lady named Rose comes to the front of the class. She sits she smiles she asks how is everyone tonight. She asks any requests? I am thinking yes chocolate chip ice cream for all my hard work hahaha. Someone says yes I would like to work my abs tonight. My ears perk up, someone else says yes I would like to work on my inner thigh strength my eyes get a little bigger, someone else says yes I would like work on my headstand. MY EYES ARE HUGE now. I am thinking hold on just a minute I thought yoga was breathing and relaxing nobody said anything about my abs or thighs or head stands are these people crazy.

Well that night I found out some things I never knew. Yoga is hard! Yoga is intense! Yoga is painful! Yoga is fantastic! I have never felt so many different emotions in the time span of an hour and 15 minutes. I am not someone who naturally can do the splits or even touch my toes. Rose would suggest various poses and I say suggest because if that pose is currently unavailable she gave us options, options while working out what the heck is going on in here. You mean if I cannot do everything that is ok and I am not a failure or band from your studio. I like this place it feels safe.

I did everything that I could that night. I tried all the poses and some were really painful. I was having my own private earthquakes as my whole body was shaking in the various poses. I could feel the stress of my day melting away. I could feel muscles engaging that had not been engaged in a long time. I watched in wonderment at others who looked so beautiful and graceful. I felt like a gazelle but looked like a lost monkey trying to figure out what the heck the other tribe members were doing. I could not believe how this once cool studio felt like a 100 degrees and sweet Rose turned into someone asking me to contort my body in the craziest positions. I must admit she always asked with a smile on her face. How did I get so sweaty I barely moved? The class ended with savasana which is corpse pose. You lie your sweaty self-down on your mat. You close your eyes and breathe finally the relaxed breathing that I was so desperately looking forward to and thought that was what yoga was all about. We laid there for 5 minutes in a total state of relaxation that was the best five minutes ever!

That August night I had never sweat so much and only moved my feet a total of 12 inches. How is it possible to be so sweaty, tired and shaky and only to have moved a foot or so? I may only have moved my physical being a foot or so but my whole mental outlook and attitude shifted 180 degrees from when I walked in that door.

After class Rose said so how was it. I thought hmm how do I describe this life altering experience that just happened to me? It was great, did not seem to fit what I had just experienced. I said I think I have been waiting my whole life for this studio and this class. She smiled. I said I had no idea how hard yoga is and yet how satisfying it is too. I felt a physical change but also and emotional change. I had never done something where I could feel myself change from the inside out before. She said yes she gets that a lot. I took home the class schedule and starting planning my entire life around my yoga classes. You think I am kidding but I am not. I became addicted to it. I do not want to go to dinner with friends if that means missing yoga. When I have a day off from work and I take two yoga classes. I do not want anything to interfere with my experience on the mat. Just at the time when I discovered the most amazing thing ever yoga, I enrolled in an accelerated degree program. When I enrolled the counselor informed me that it would require 20 hours a week of studying. Pre- yoga no problem I can do that post yoga I knew I could not give up my yoga. I did not give it up and in fact I go 6 times a week. When I miss a class I miss it to my core. When I can’t sleep at night I picture myself doing these crazy hard poses. One night at 3:30 am I thought sure I can do that arm balance. In my head I looked fantastic. I prepped myself I bent down I placed my knees on my triceps and before I knew it I placed my face on the floor. You think I would have realized that pose is currently unavailable to me but no I tried it again. Knees on triceps face on ground bruise on chin. Ok I figured it out time. However I am pleased to say that the pose is now currently available to me.

Why do I love yoga so much? It is a non-competitive exercise that feels good emotionally and physically. It has given me confidence to try new things and see what happens. I am surrounded by people who have positive energy and are not worried about what anyone else can do on the mat, only what they can do. I can bring my daughter and watch her stretch and grow. I can touch my toes now and I am working on the splits, which I never thought I would say. Yoga has brought a balance to my life and I see the importance of taking time for me. My yoga practice is all about me. What I can do on the mat, how my body feels doing different poses and how far I want to push myself. Or as Rose would say what new edges do I want to explore tonight and would I like to feel more. What is my yoga intention for the day and how I can shine my light on others? My yoga practice has nothing to do with the person next to me who may or may not be more flexible than me. I am not trying to be better than anyone only better myself. There are few things that I had ever experienced that really are only about helping me with zero competition. Some might say I am being selfish that I go so often and that maybe true but what a great thing to be selfish about. I am being selfish in my wellbeing and in this day of going going going I am taking the needed time for me to rejuvenate my body and soul.

I am a yogi and please if you can repeat after me: Peace in my heart, peace in my mind, peace always surrounding me.

PURA VIDA FINALE

cabinas
snack time
cocina
great view from the pool
gato!
itchy gato
my favorite cookies that i will miss
headin out
ah!
not gonna swim there
charlie the croc showing us his dental work
funky sleeping position with his arm pinned back

 

 

 

 

daily insight:

"and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make" i'll be taking lots of love and beautiful memories of the pura vida life in costa rica this month of june. thank you to everyone that supported me in making this trip happen. i plan to give back all the love i took from this place and the beautiful people we encountered.

the play by play:

day 32

one last day of surf. surf at the point of pavones is small today so we hit up a point south of us called punto banco. punto banco is known to be a bit bigger than pavones because it is more exposed. so when you don't have surf at pavones a little secret is to head south about 10 minutes and you may have yourself some swell. we had a blast. there were amazing conditions in the late morning and we had ourselves a great last day in the water. wind came up around noon so we headed back fully satisfied with our surf session.  it was time now to pack up and ship out. after getting things in order tellef and i headed down to the beach to take some yoga shots. i couldn't resist the amazing rocks and climbed up with the crabs and critters to take some poses. i could barely do an arm balance, the rocks were so jagged it was super challenging to get my hands rooted and lift off. but we had fun and some great shots were made.

 

day 33

early rise to get the car packed and ready to drive a long way up the coast. we planned to do a little over half of our driving to san jose today and then stay the night somewhere. steady and smooth ride with great weather. we stumbled upon a part of the coast that bob had been to when he was last in costa rica called playa esterillos este. we found some cabinas and tellef and i went in to check availability and pricing. tellef asked me to go get his dad so he could see what was available and we left the car unattended for about 2 minutes. but a lot can be done in that time. sadly some theif drove by the car and grabbed bob's suitcase out of the back seat. it was the one most readily available and unfortunately we never did catch who it was. someone did witness it and took down the license plate number. we contacted the man watching the bleu azul cabinas and he got the policia on the job. slim chances they find the person who did it. but if they do they said they would ship it back to bob's house for him. put a slight damper on the last day but we still enjoyed the beach and the lovely pool at this cabinas. really was a beautiful spot we hit and wished we could have stayed longer. there were four brother and sister cats that roamed the cabinas and we had fun interacting with them. that night we had one of the best dinners i have eaten since i've been here at the pelican restaurante, just a walk down from our cabinas. we filled ourselves up until we could barely move. i'd say everything was great about that spot except for the fact that i got eaten alive by misquitos. i'll be coming home with 15 new bites ;) they always get me! that night i didn't sleep as well as i would have liked between the itchiness of the bites and the insane thunder and lightning storm right outside our window. was bolted awake at least twice by the pop of thunder.

 

day 34

a nice and clear morning after the night's storm. i took advantage of the little time left we had with the costa rica coastline to do a mini yoga practice in the sand and say goodbye the yoga way. then one last dip in the beautiful pool and it was time to pack the car and move on. we made a desayuno (breakfast) stop in playa hermosa which is a well know surf spot. we found a great place that made smoothies and delicious breakfast. with tummies filled we were ready to finish our road trip to san jose and drop off the rental car. we even got a chance to stop by the crocodile bridge in a town called jaco. lots of crocs lazing away. everything ran nice and easy and we arrived super early to sit and relax in the airport. so here i am now sitting, relaxing, writing to you and saying goodbye for now. blogging on this trip has given me a new inspiration to write more often and share with those i love the experiences i have. so expect more entries in the future once i get transplanted back into life in los angeles. i look forward to sharing inspiring moments on the journey, travel and otherwise.

 

hasta luego

PURA VIDA!

DAYS 29-31 PURA VIDA

waxing up
tucker look alike
paddle out
aw man really? i got this one!
you have no idea do you?
we can share
double the fun
one love man
you're still on it?
now you see me ! HELLO!
and he's in!
nice one!!
smooth ride
get pitted!
on my way in, post surf
gonna dip in the tide pool
sail away
local fishermen
local tico rockin the wave
me watching him thinking "man you rock"
rio claro, this is the river mouth at the pointe that feeds into the ocean
wait for it
it's all happening
having an awesome time
still having an awesome time
weeeeeeeeeeee
bliss
i'm in and then i'm out
"i want to go hoooooome"
serene sunset surf session

 

 

 

 

 

daily insight:

it never pays to compare yourself to others. in any circumstance. sure you can look to others for inspiration. but when you compare you are not living your truth. you have no idea what someone else's journey looks like from minute to minute and day to day. their journey is unique and so is yours. let it be that way and live your truth, no one else's.

 

the play by play:

 

day 29

i still cannot believe we have been here 29 days. it has felt like a long time away and in some ways feels longer than a month trip. but as anything comes to an end, it is always hard to believe it is here. probably because there was so much anticipation and hype long before the trip began that you now begin to say goodbye to all of that. today was another day full of surf. swell is up today and tellef is super excited since good swell has been few and far between. i caught some great shots of him. i took a leap today and tried a shorter board out in the water. what a different world. was super challenged and realized i am not quite there yet. i am really enjoying catching waves on the larger board and when it's time i will switch it up but not just yet. needless to say that morning was a learning session not a super fun one and i wanted my surfing fun. so, that evening tellef took me out and he stayed on shore while i had a super fun sunset surf session. the pointe was alive with people onshore watching the surf, fisherman fishing, and a yaht dropping surfers off for surf. all amongst the most gorgeous sunset. i made a friend out in the water, a man from Columbia, he had a really friendly vibe and it is always nice to share the ocean with someone like that. tellef caught some really great footage, pics above and video here : denise hangs 10

 

tonight was definitely one of the top surf sessions of the trip.

 

day 30

it's yoga morning!!! i am definitely going to miss pavones yoga center. today is my last class there and with teacher chelsea very. she is amazing, her sequencing today was really fun and challenging. learned a pose i have never done before, love when that happens. i really enjoy the pace at which she moves the class and how she can guide you into a deep state of concentration and relaxation. feeling great on my walk back down through town and to the pointe. i watched tellef catch some large waves and then suited up myself for some surfing. i walked down to the cove where the waves aren't so large. didn't time it so well when i paddled out and got caught in a set having to bail my board a couple times. once i was out i was content to sit and wait and wait i did. lots of peeps in the water and hard to get a wave. they were coming in slow today but as soon as the crowd thinned out i caught some really fun little rides and thoroughly enjoyed myself. that afternoon we went for a walk and the rain started coming down hard. tellef and i got spooked when lightning struck pretty close to us so we started running home through the puddles in our slippery sandals. if you can imagine it was probably a hilarious sight to see. after being drenched and pretty tired after an active day and no nap, bedtime came at an all time early – 7:45pm. pretty sure the last time i went to bed at that hour I was 5 years old. Hahaha

 

day 31

not much adventure today. lots of veggin' out and resting. the big outing was going to the market for our last bit of groceries before we leave pavones early sunday morning. i realized that i have not driven a vehicle in the last 31 days! that is some kind of record. definitely had my driving detox and will be ready to hit the highways of LA with a refreshed mind and body. tomorrow is our last full day and we intend on filling it up with lots of time in the water riding the waves. not sure where our last stop will be on our way back to san jose. pretty sure it will be a last minute landing spot since the last two days of the journey will be filled with traveling back home. hope to have one more blog entry after this to top it all off.  until next time...

hasta luego

 

 

DAYS 26-28

mid day and so clear at the beach
journaling away
ahhhhh it is so nice
start of our hike and a piggy crossed the road
peter the pig
vista view
valley view
love this staircase, part of the Guayami reservation
we made it to Rio Claro
need a seat, that hike was harder than expected
and now a dip in the cool water
pura vida!
dare i cross it? indiana jones would...
crossing whilst feeling the sting of the fire ant bite on my ankle
where the wild things are
looking at where the wild things are
unicorn appears again, eating dinner this time
vamanos! trying to get home before dark!
beautiful sunset,didn't forget my camera this time
mmmmmmmmmmmmm
love the reflection
presenting, the day coming to a close
crazy edited photo of tellef at sunset
love my travel buddy

daily insight:

reflection seems like a luxury these days to most people. taking time out to reflect, get perspective, meditate on where you are in the moment is essential to balance. this is why vacation is so important, and travel too. to really get  away and give yourself the gift of a time-out. life is only going to move faster so we must make pockets in our days, weeks, years for slowing down and soaking up.as the days begin to slip away and we count down this last week here i savor the moments of reflection.


the play by play:

day 26

 

it's domingo (sunday) here in town and that always brings everyone out of the woodworks. it's a fun vibe around even though the water gets crazy crowded. got to the break super early and used bob's really nice camera to catch some shots of tellef in the water. i met a really nice kid from panama in the water today. he was just up for the weekend with his friend and nephew and i had a great time surfing the inside with them. they were learning too and it was cool to not be the least experience person in the water (which is almost always the case). on my walk back to the car tellef got some shots of my post surf. after a day of fun in the sun and meeting new friends it was back to the casa for r & r. earliest bedtime yet -8:30! we plan to hit the surf before the sun's up to try and beat the crowd.

 

day 27

woke up before sunrise -4:30am. yikes. but felt rested and ready to rock. we got there and the conditions were not great so we decided to head back to the house and wait until the tide changed and perhaps swell comes up. it was so early i decided this would be a great time for some meditation and asana practice. later that afternoon tellef decided he needed to rest his back from surfing so i went swimming and journaling on the beach. i just can't resist spending as much time outside as possible, it's just so beautiful here. when i got back from my mini adventure tellef and i decided a bigger adventure was called for. walking always helps his sore back and i love a hike whenever i can get one, so hiking we went! the trail we took was the one we would have taken with intertubes and float down but the river wasn't quite high enough. so we just did the trail to the river and back. such an awe inspiring hike, we went up and down and up and down through the hills for 3 hours. the weather was on our side, there was a nice breeze blowing and a bit of cloud cover so we didn't melt away. in the mountains behind pavones an ancient tribe called the guayami reside and we got a look at their reservation as our trail meandered through it. once we made it to the river we crossed over a questionable bridge. we wanted to go further because we heard there was a waterfall not too much further. however, two things stopped us. one, there wasn't much daylight left and two, FIRE ANTS!!! they got me, tellef was wearing socks so he caught them in time before they chewed up his ankles. oh man those are nasty little suckers. i quickly crossed the bridge back over. on our way back we saw two toucans! but still only sounds of monkeys and not a sloth in sight. we made it home before dark and before a major storm rolled in! sleeping to the sound of pouring rain and thunder tonight.

 

day 28

another dawn patrol morning, i could get use to this. this morning i just watched tellef and a few other early risers in the water and then headed up the hill to yoga at pavones yoga center and had my last class of the trip with indira the owner. i will miss her amazing assists. totally inspires me to give more loving assits in every class. feeling revived and so at ease all at once (oh the power of yoga) i headed down to meet up with tellef in the water. he had already been surfing since 5:45am and i thought for sure either his back or his hunger would bring him in soon but i could tell he still had quite a bit more in him so i paddled out to join in the fun. the waves were moving fast today which makes it a challenge to catch. but catch i did and i felt proud of myself today. i had a moment of reflection on how i was surfing at the start of this trip and how i am surfing now. a moment of perspective on how far i have come even when the fear was rising or the embarassment trying to push me out. it's nice to have a moment of clarity to truly appreciate the now. i surfed for 3 hours and tellef totaled 6 hours in the water. that guy is gonna need a back massage later and i know i am the one who will be doing it. he is only slightly crippled after a mid-day nap and enough in him to go for a sunset walk on the beach. tonight was especially brilliant. so much light bouncing off the beautiful ocean and shore and nature put on its show as it does so well here. one week from now we'll be in the air and on our way home!

 

hasta luego

DAYS 23-25 PURA VIDA

waterfall in our yard created by the storm
wash it away
in the search for waves saw this leafless tree (a rarity here)that made for a lovely photo
sunset beauty part 1
part II
part III
unicorn returns!

 

 

 

 

daily insight:

when something happens that is embarassing, hurtful or painful. don't let it stick with you too long. take the learnings in whatever form they come and then move forward. this is how we get stuck in the past and don't live for the present. the rain may come down hard and make you forget that the sun is shining behind it. let the sun shine in. detach from the history and live your present.

the play by play:

 

day 23

today was by far the most active day i have had thus far. woke up for some 7am practice at pavones yoga center with chelsea very. She was a fantastic teacher. i really enjoyed the way she sequenced poses and her voice was super soothing. felt good to practice again today because my body was a bit sore from yesterday's session. after yoga i walked down the hill, er....mountain to meet up with tellef for some surf. the conditions were great, sunny skies but smooth seas without the wind. swell wasn't up too big today and it is looking like it won't get very big for the rest of our trip. sad news for more experienced surfers (tellef) but pretty fun for me to experience surfing the point here in pavones and not feel out of my league. today was just one of those days that i was surfing well and in the zone. i definitely appreciate days like these. we came crawling in 4 hours later. we both got crazy sun on our skin and some pretty funky tan lines. About an hour after we got home we got the most amazing rainstorm with no shortage of thunder and lightning. i got a little video coverage here: storm watch 2012   toad in the storm . i think the earth was a bit pent up after all of those sunny days in a row and was saving all its rain for today. after all that exercise and excessive sun i am sure to rest deeply tonight. some days you just gotta get physical.

 

day 24

so today a sleeping in was called for. wasn't as sore as i thought i would be from the day before but definitely taking it easy today. tried for most of the day not to be ruled by the clock. being on vacation is a great time to try it. day to day working life not so much. i made it until about 1:10pm when i accidentally glanced at tellef's computer when i sat next to him and noticed the time. DOH! well, maybe tomorrow i can go the whole day without looking at the time. although it was by accident, i not only saw the time once, but twice. the second time in the car on our way to check the waves and go for a market run. time is hard to escape but I did set the intention not to be ruled by it, which i most definitely was not today. also, a crazy rainstorm hit mid day again and I decided to venture out and get drenched. it was so amazing to just wander onto the shore in the middle of a storm and watch the sky pour down with not a soul out within sight. i came back looking like a drowned rat but it didn't matter, i had the time of my life.

 

day 25

first thing in the morning tellef and i head out for surf. today i am not feeling as on my game as i was the other day but try to push through and make the most of the gorgeous ocean before me and not get too caught up in my head. the energy in the water gets a bit heightened as the line-up of people begins to increase around me. at this point i usually get out of the main mix of people and surf the inside but before i did i got a major learning lesson delt my way. just as a girl was riding a wave i tried to paddle through but was in a bad position and got taken by the wave and my board slipped out from under me. thinking i had cleared the girl and not realizing she was so close i didn't think my board would have hit her. but it did. she wasn't hurt bad just bumped in a sensitive place by her ribs. i apologized profusely and she was understanding about it but definitely a little peeved and i don't blame her. i felt terrible and it definitely made my head hang for quite some time. learning ain't easy but it is all a part of the process. next time i get into a situation like thati know better how to handle it. after our surf we headed to a spot to inquire about river floating here in town down the rio claro that runs right through the middle of pavones. since we got lots of rain the last few days the height of the river should be good for floating, hope to make that happen either tomorrow or the next day. finished off the day with a sunset swim and some yoga in my room. ready to see what this last week of the trip brings our way...

hasta luego

DAYS 20-22 PURA VIDA

red ginger flower
we happy
pink ginger flower, less common than red
my goal shirt i wrote in 2008, and here i am celebrating
poop head ( a card game jasmine taught us)  still going strong
morning glory
invites me to breathe deeply
sun peeking in
caught him just as it was closing out
that a way
shooting stars' archway
parrot friend!
love buddha
heliconia
collections at the studio
through those trees is the sparkling ocean
froggie friend
pete the parrot returns!
still there at the end of class -fred the froggie is content in his spot
love the trees that grow together and become one!
tree of life
eye see you!
henry the hawk friend!
storm is a comin'
chillin
i love these, looks like splatter paint!
bird watch 2012

 

 

 

daily Insight:

celebrate. celebrate each breath, each new beginning, each ending. just don't forget to celebrate. remember your intention and celebrate it every chance you get. i was reminded of my intention today, to celebrate a goal realized by coming to costa rica and surfing its ocean. shift your gaze when it starts going down the rabbit hole of self-pity, anxiety, dis-trust, bitterness and look for your celebration.

 

the play by play:


day 20

days are really starting to blend together here now that we have reached the middle of our trip. it's crazy to think i've had the gift of 20 days already in Costa Rica and still have 12 more to go. today was a day for walking, swimming and doing some reading around the house- not so much surfing. the wind has really been kicking up but with that we had some very sunny and dry days. all this sun has given me a lot of amazing light to play with while taking shots of all the picturesque moments throughout each day. it's also giving me a crazy dark tan, gotta watch out i don't overdo it on the UV rays.  hopefully tomorrow brings some better conditions for surf!

 

day 21

wanted to wake up for yoga class this morning but just felt so tired in body and mind and decided a bit more rest would be the best way to listen to my body's needs. later that morning the wind wasn't up so we headed out to the water. conditions were perfect, swell was up. a bit more up for what i can hadle so I headed the the cove where no one was surfing and caught some really nice “my size” waves and had them all to myself. it felt good to be in a swell that was just at my comfort level so that I could challenge myself in new ways – like trying a full cutback on a wave. i like to compare this scenario to going to a basics level yoga class. the poses aren't super tricky and don't get your heart pumping and your body wrung out like a power class, but you can tune into the simplicity and see a bit deeper into your habits or experience as you move with breath. these waves were my basics class. also being out there alone made me really aware of my timing and trust my judgment of the waves. sometimes i gain a lot of insight from others in the lineup or tellef coaches me with great help as to where to be, and when to catch. but it was all up to me in this session. About an hour later the wind came up and didn't let up the rest of the day. no second session today. So I did a bit of stretching on my own which led to some interpretive dancing about the room -i REALLY miss dance class. ;) that evening before sunset tellef and i walked down to the huts at the beach near us and had a beer as the sun set behind the clouds and the peninsula. i have some photographs in my mind of the beauty but forgot my camera to share with you. tellef and I plan to dawn patrol (hitting the surf at dawn) the next morning. once 9pm hit it was time for Zs.

 

day 22

this morning we thought we were ahead of game, up at 5am and out the door before 6pm to arrive to a bit of wind and already 10 people in the water. tellef went in and i waited back awhile to take some photos of the gorgeous scene on the beach at the top of the morning and also wanted to see if conditions would improve. but the wind had no mercy. not long after tellef went in was he back out, it just wasn't worth it. i think that is the great thing about staying somewhere for a good long time. you aren't so aggressive and anxious about making stuf happen, you know there is another day with surf on the way. i was happy to save some energy because i planned to try out a new yoga studio today. not new in town, but new to me. the studio is called shooting star and it is located closer to where we are staying so i took a nice mid-day walk to it. as i approached the gate i took a few shots of the beautiful grounds and as i walked up the pathway to the studio this beautiful green parrot flew right in front of me and into the tree next to me. like no other bird i've seen yet. i was so delighted by its visit. it stayed perched long enough for me to snatch a photo and on i went to the studio already feeling blessed by the present moment. i went a little camera crazy because i was just in awe of yet another lovely yoga studio here in pavones. it was truly inspiring. i was the first one there, i walked in and met the instructor i was so excited to practice with her, she had a cool, calm and super friendly vibe. we chatted a bit and when she went to turn on the music there was a friend sitting there to greet us. an amazing white frog! i have never seen anything like it! and she was just as intrigued by this frog friend as i was. a really nice group of people came out for class and it was so nice practicing as a collective again. i have been enjoying my own practice but always love sharing the journey with others. not far long into our practive the green parrot returns! and he lands right on the beam above me! there is something so magical about getting a visit from wildlife. they are so free yet not afraid here. come savasana i went somewhere else altogether, can't tell you where but i came back feeling SO blissed and shining bright. open to the celebration of the day. that afternoon a storm made it's way in and i went down to the beach and on my way got a great shot of what i think is a local hawk. it was a day of bird sighting. once at the beach i scribbled away at my journal watching the weather take a dramatic shift and listening to the sound of thunder. feeling connected.

 

hasta luego

DAYS 17-19 PURA VIDA

at home yoga view
OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
practice practice practice
this bat loves hanging out, he was right above me while i was doing yoga
if you have knots in places your hands can't reach, i highly recommend some if these! they saved my left hip this morning
beach clean-up with some  really sweet kids
waiting for tellef while he scores just "one more wave"
just paddled in, no more waiting for me
i don't know, he looks like he wants to go back out
leavin' the line-up
all done
fridge poster
on our way
perfect little waves
i want to leap through it!
GREEN!!!!
indian jones!
made it through that one
view from my car window whilst crossing
don't stop !
dad and son
picnic spot
some cool birds we saw on our drive, nor sure what they are!
shell collection

 

daily insight:

feeling a deep sense of love for all those who have paved the path before me. as i was meditating the other day i had a wave of gratitude wash over me for all those that have taught me all the tools i have today. for all teachers, friends, family, and students that gently push me to find new perspective and open up to the mystery. today i am especially grateful for my father, for the endless ways he supports who i am and the dreams i hold.

 

the play by play:


day 17

started the day off right with yoga practice in my porch/bedroom. it's a great place to practice because it feels indoor/outdoor and you get all the sounds and a nice little breeze but don't get scorched by the sun and overwhelmed with heat. today has been a bit more windy of the days we've been here which leaves the ocean a bit choppy. we waited until the afternoon to see if the winds would calm down and provide better surf conditions. in the meantime tellef, bob and i walked down to our “local” beach by the house to test the waters for some body surfing. it was high tide and the ocean was a little more ferocious than normal so we had to be extra careful to keep our distance of the jagged rocks. it was good fun! brought back memories of being a kid and learning to body surf with my dad. some of my favorite memories are of when he taught me how to find confidence and joy in the ocean. later that day the winds didn't let up too much but i didn't care, i wanted to be in the water and surf! what a fun afternoon it was. the waves weren't too big, just right for my 8'3” board and tellef and I took turns using my board. the waves were just right size and so fun on my long board. later that night all three of us set up a poker match using colones, rocks and backgammon pieces as our “chips”. we get creative when it comes to games out here ;)

 

day 18

another morning of yoga but this time it was a hike up the hill to pavones yoga center and class with a new teacher that i haven't taken before. This class was taught by a man named alu, he had a totally different teaching style than i have ever experienced before. very meditative. after class the yoga studio organized a beach cleanup which i was more than happy to participate in. i was quite surprised by the amount of plastic bottles, sandals and other garbage that has collected on the shore here. it felt good to contribute to the health and beauty of the shoreline here. the rest of the day was spent quite lazily at the house and a nice walk on the beach at dusk. feels good to take it slow and absorb the day as it comes with no agenda or obligation. soaking up the freedom...

 

day 19

it's father's day today and i decided bob needed some recognition. he is such a wonderful dad and i love to watch the friendship him and tellef have. i made him a little poster for our fridge so he could get a shout out every time he was hungry or thirsty.  tellef and checked out the surf in the am but it was super crowded so we decided to press our luck and come back for a sunset surf and hopefully the crowd would thin out. when we got back i decided to have another yoga practice since i love my spot these days. tellef caught me mid practice...been working on my inversions these days. it has been really amazing to have this free time to focus on my practice. after that we headed on on a day trip to a town called playa zancudo. we were curious what the town was like and of course the beaches. it was neat to take an adventure, the road to zancudo had about 3 creek crossings, we made it through indiana jones style. we came upon a beach that had an amazing amount of shells that had washed ashore. i took a few to take back home and either give as gifts or make something decorative for my home.  we ate a picnic lunch and then headed back to pavones in time for our sunset surf which was super successful! only 6 other people out, tellef caught the longest ride of his life, and i got to surf the pointe with the "big kids" and do one thing a day that scares me. we came back in the dark, literally the cars coming through the roads had their lights on as i paddled back in and it definitely got my adrenaline pumping. have never been that far out in the ocean in the dark! but alas my eyes slowly adjusted and i made it in safe. came home to clear skies and a show of stars shining bright as i enjoyed my warm outdoor shower. feeling the pura vida deep in my veins.

 

hasta luego

DAYS 14-16 PURA VIDA

view on the way up the hill er... mountain
yoga doggie guardian
bliss face jazz
epic view to medidtate on
i love yoga
peace
young cows that caught our eyes
on our walk home
love these palms that look like a fan of peacock feathers
rock pile!
nature swing
t
beautiful dress and beautiful lady in it
cerveza face
let's go already
yeah, i surf
heading out to ride!
content after a swim
this shot was taken whilst driving, can you see the ocean?
drivin
jazz getting some memory shots of the golfito hospital
love the colors, warms my soul
crystal clear
harbor
banana bay
pina colada? yes i think so
banana bay bar looks out to the gulf
turtle !!!!!!!
oh his face was so cute
he was snacking on bananas
mmmm so lovely
pirate ship bar!
she's got the ocean in her eyes
adios!
bar la pista (aerpuerto bar)
this tree stands tall in the field

 

 

 

 

daily insight:

playing in the dance of shiva and shakti, push and pull, up and down, left to right, warm and cool, effort and surrender and finding the balance in the space between. i am most definitely learning more about myself and my practice each time i begin breathing on my mat or my board and connect to the infinite. taking one step at a time and watching how i can create a steady state of balance when things change and churn within and without.

the play by play:

day 14

this morning jasmine and i both rose a bit earlier than normal to make our way to yoga ! tellef drove us most of the way but the yoga studio sits on an nice BIG hill, er... mountain that needs 4-wheel drive for the car and 4-times the leg power if you are walking up it. so he dumped us off at the base of the hill, er...mountain and our legs lead the way. the view at the top and the incentive to go practice in that view is what charges me up that hill, er... mountain. we had another lovely class taught by the owner of the studio, Indira and went on a yoga journey with the bugs, breeze and vast ocean before our eyes. after that we took our time walking back and taking a pit stop at one of the cafes in town to have smoothies and fresh juice. later that afternoon we took another swim at our local beach by the house, just a 5 minute walk from our house and watched an awesome older lady have the time of her life boogie boarding some waves. that night we did another happy hour at la manta, it was movie night there so we snacked on some yummy treats and drinks and watched sherlock homes with the sound of the waves crashing behind us and mango (the really cute puppy) running about the room.  another solid day of pura vida.

day 15

this was jasmine's last full day in costa rica (or so we thought...i'll get to that later) so i wanted to do whatever her heart desired. she was happy to swim while tellef and i surfed that morning and met a friend out in the water, Restin (super nice dude from florida). the waves weren't huge that day so i went out and surfed some on the outside with the "big kids" and caught some great waves, but also got pummeled a little and my fin left and HUGE bruise on my arm. but no harm truly done. rode my last wave out to the end! love catching a long ride on that last one in. then i joined jasmine in the water for a swim and watched some local kids rip up the water. soon tellef came out of the water and his friend Rustin too. we all went back to the house super hungry and grubbed on some homemade mac and cheese. it was more than satisfying. jasmine's heart desired to see a monkey, as did mine. we have been hearing them constantly but we are a bit too coastal to be amongst them and spot them with our eyes. so we headed down towards punta banco where there is supposedly a lodge that does canopy tours. i had emailed them days ago to set one up but they never responded so i thought we would swing by and hopefully they could lead us straight to the monkey and sloths! alas, we were foiled, and they were closed for the "green season" which they call the rainy season here. back home we went, and for one last swim before a major storm came through. that night we vegged out to watch some arrested development and jasmine prepped for her flight out the next day. all good things come to an end....

 

day 16

so were ready to jet set out to golfito that morning. knowing there was a lot of sitting ahead i did a mini yoga session out on the lawn so my body would remain happy throughout the long day of driving. today was by far the most clear day we have seen yet the sun was out full force. we could see for miles and the peninsula across pavones had never looked quite that magnificent. the weather sure helped us enjoy the long bumpy drive and i got lots of pics of how beautiful the views were. once we arrived at golfito we found a lovely spot called banana bay to enjoy some lunch and a few drinks. it was right in the harbor and just what we needed. halfway through lunch the man managing the restaurant tells us that there is sea turtle swimming right near the pier just feet away from where we were sitting. it was amazing! i have only seen a sea turtle once before while snorkeling and this one was much bigger! not a monkey or sloth but just a special to get a visit from. with a couple errands to run and plenty of time to spare we finally made it to the aiport. we sat at the airport cafe/bar and enjoyed a cerveza before jasmine could check in and soon come to find that we are here on the wrong day! jasmine's flight isn't until tomorrow, and as startling as i am sure it was for her with all of the arranging she did to get here and get home safe, it was no problem to us. s***t happens when you travel and like i said earlier, how do you keep that balance and steady peace when unexpected stuff arises? it ain't easy and i can be easily frazzled with stuff like that. but you go through the emotions and then the motions to move forward and out of a place of why did this happen to me? to : let's make something good happen to me. once we got over the surprise we offered to go back to pavones and take her here again tomorrow, but that just seemed like such an excessive amount of driving i don't think anyone wanted to endure. so we found a sweet little hotel with a lovely view of the bay that she would stay the night in and we would head back that day. we took some time out to get her online and get sorted at her hotel bar that was shaped like a pirate ship and our last imperial cervezas together. we said our goodbyes and made it back to pavones just as the sun was setting. tellef and i ran down to the local beach to see the last bit of the sunset which was the most brilliant we'd seen yet because it was such a clear day. we are down to 3 again and i will miss having my buddy around, but so grateful for the time we spent together in costa rica. have a safe flight home jazzie, we love you!!!!

hasta luego