True Nature Travels Blog

10 proven direct health benefits of meditation

10 proven direct health benefits of meditation

Meditation has been a saving grace for me. I am so happy to see that the health benefits of meditation are now being studied scientifically so that we have proof that it works for those who are skeptical. When I started meditating, it was out of sheer desperation to live and experience life differently. I had struggled with bouts of depression and anxiety all of my life and was told to give meditation a try. What began as a trial, quickly turned into a daily practice that revolutionized the way that I perceived everything. Meditation and mindfulness has taken me and continues to guide me on a path of self-discovery. It is the first thing I do when I wake up in the morning every day, as I know it plugs me into something that is far greater than my own finite conceptions of life.

I would like to draw you into this life enhancing practice.

Here are 10 proven direct health benefits of meditation.

1. Ability to focus is enhanced. “Researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara, found that college students who were trained in mindfulness performed better on the verbal reasoning section of the GRE, and also experienced improvements in their working memory.” This demonstrates the powerful influence that meditation has over cognitive functioning and follows suit with my own experience. I started meditation while I was in college and experienced drastic changes in my ability to focus in class and an improvement on test scores.

2. Music sounds better. In a study found in the journal, Psychology of Music, meditation improves our ability to really engage with the music we are listening to. I have found that I became so engaged with what I was listening to that the quality of music I listen to on a daily basis shifted dramatically. I started choosing music that made me feel good rather than music that darkened my mood or just played in the background as a distraction. “In research by Ferguson and Sheldon (2013), participants who listened to upbeat classical compositions by Aaron Copland, while actively trying to feel happier, felt their moods lift more than those who passively listened to the music. This suggests that engaging with music, rather than allowing it to wash over us, gives the experience extra emotional power.”

3. Boosts creativity. In a study done by Leiden University, Netherlands, it was found that meditation improves our ability to create. “Certain meditation techniques can promote creative thinking, even if you have never meditated before. The study is a clear indication that you don’t need to be an experienced meditator to profit more from meditation. The findings support the belief that meditation can have a long-lasting influence on human cognition, including how we conceive new ideas.” This isn’t surprising to me at all. Before I sit down to play music, sing, write, teach a class, or paint, I always at least close my eyes and take a few grounding breaths. If I want to really center in, I will take a longer amount of time to practice mindfulness pre-creation time. I find that when I do this, I become more calm, focuses, and ultimately a greater channel for the creative energy to flow through me.

4. Helps with weight loss. In a study done by the Department of Medicine at the University of CA in San Francisco, CA, it was found that mindfulness meditation helped participants with emotional eating and ultimately reduced cortisol and abdominal fat over time. “To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore effects of a novel mindful eating and stress reduction program on abdominal adiposity and fat distribution. The intervention was successful in increasing mindfulness and responsiveness to bodily sensations, reducing anxiety and eating in response to external food cues, and tended to reduce eating in response to emotions.” When I started meditating, I immediately became more relaxed and ultimately more mindful of what I was putting into my body on an emotional, physical, and spiritual level. I started to recognize how I would pick up a sugary food when I felt stressed and then began to choose better ways to cope with the stress. I noticed how different foods made me feel after eating them. I started to eat slower, without distractions (No TV for instance.) I started to lose weight that first month and I have had a beautiful, conscious relationship with my body ever since.

5. Improves your sex life. Findings by the EOC Institute demonstrate the many ways the meditation can improve your libido. “Did you know that meditation, with so many benefits, can also lead to feelings of sexual arousal? Among the many reasons are increased endorphins, more focus, better self image, more DHEA, and better blood flow.” I used to feel so shamed and afraid of my body and sexuality, but through mindfulness practices have fallen deeply in love with my body and the more I fall in love with my body the better choices I make for conscious sexuality.

6. Improves sleep. “Mindfulness meditation practices resulted in improved sleep quality for older adults with moderate sleep disturbance in a clinical trial comparing meditation to a more structured program focusing on changing poor sleep habits and establishing a bedtime routine, according to an article published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.” As a result of my daily meditation practice, I am a very sound sleeper. Even if I do wake up, I can more easily fall back into slumber where as I used to lay awake for hours at a time some evenings.

7. Enhances mood. “A review study last year at Johns Hopkins looked at the relationship between mindfulness meditation and its ability to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and pain. Researcher Madhav Goyal and his team found that the effect size of meditation was moderate, at 0.3. If this sounds low, keep in mind that the effect size for antidepressants is also 0.3, which makes the effect of meditation sound pretty good.” This was a key factor in me returning to my meditation practice every day. Beginning my day with mindfulness creates a positive foundation for the remainder of my day to be built upon.

8. Helps with addiction. For those of you who don’t know my story, I was an dual diagnosis addict, and through mindfulness meditation, I have been sober for nearly 7 years now. I can not express how grateful I am for this simple gift that we are given to be able to simply sit, be still, and breathe.. we do hardly anything at all and we are given the world in return. To demonstrate this, a Forbes article writes, “One study, for example, pitted mindfulness training against the American Lung Association’s freedom from smoking (FFS) program, and found that people who learned mindfulness were many times more likely to have quit smoking by the end of the training, and at 17 weeks follow-up, than those in the conventional treatment.”

9. Awakens compassion. In a society where violence in the media is common and most of this generation’s kids are sitting in front of video games that further cultivate desensitization towards violence, meditation comes in like a white knight. We must work at remaining open to standing in the face of suffering, with a compassionate heart. See here for a study that shows changes in neural responses to suffering.

10. Improves memory. When I first got sober, my memory was a disaster. After practicing mindfulness, my memory improved more and more as the years went by and now I feel very comfortable. See here for a study that shows astounding results on how meditation improves m
memory!

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. She practices
and teaches varied styles of yoga at Ruahstudio.com, leads international retreats with Truenatureyogawellness.com, loves surfing, being in nature, and enjoys a good belly laugh. She is on Facebook , Instagram, Twitter, and can be reached by email alanaroachyoga@gmail.com

Sources:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/08/mindfulness-meditation-benefits-health_n_3016045.html

http://www.spring.org.uk/2013/09/10-magical-effects-music-has-on-the-mind.php

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141028082355.html

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jobe/2011/651936/

http://eocinstitute.org/meditation/increase-your-libido-through-meditation_455/

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150216131115.htm

http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2015/02/09/7-ways-meditation-can-actually-change-the-brain/#782bfb3a7023

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053810010000681

True Nature Travels Blog

Why Meditation at Work Can Change Everything

When you hear the word meditation, what do you picture? If your answer is a monk in orange robes sitting in full lotus position somewhere in the mountains, we need to have a talk. Just because meditation has roots in many spiritual practices doesn’t mean it isn’t relevant today.

Meditation has seen a major rise in popularity over the past few years, and for good reason. The benefits of meditation are seemingly endless, and you don’t have to be a yogi to see that. In fact, just 20 minutes of meditation at work can make a huge difference in your life, no matter who you are. Here are just a few reasons why meditation at work could help you.

Meditation reduces stress

(Source: Flickr)

The office is a breeding ground for stress. Between the ever-growing to-do list, the impending deadlines, and the demands of your boss and coworkers, it would be a miracle if you never felt stressed at work. While a little bit of stress won’t kill you, reducing stress is extremely important for your health. Being overworked and overstressed has been linked to all sorts of health issues, including headaches, upset stomach, chest pain, insomnia, and more.

So we know stress is awful, but what do we do about it? Surprise, surprise; we meditate! Studies have shown that even a 20 minutes of meditation can drastically reduce stress and the negative physiological symptoms associated with it.

Give it a try; take 20 minutes out of your day to meditate and watch as the stress melts away.

Mediation helps you think more logically

(Source: Flickr)

A study at Yale University found that meditation causes a decrease of activity in the default mode network (DMN) of the brain. Also known as the ‘Me Center,’ the DMN is that part of the brain that makes everything about you.

What’s so great about decreasing activity in the Me Center? When the Me Center quiets down, you are less likely to take things that happens personally. From small injuries like paper cuts to massive problems at work, our Me Center likes to focus on these things, make them deeply personal, and blow them way out of proportion.

Meditation decreases this reaction. We become less likely to react with strong emotions to everything that happens. Instead, we are able to look at things logically and find the reasonable response to the issue; a valuable skill in the work place.

Meditation teaches you to concentrate

We all have those 15-page reports that are so boring they put us to sleep. We know we have to do them, but we just can’t focus. But what if we could? What if we mastered the art of concentration? Is that even possible?

It is! And once again, meditation helps.

One study found that just a few weeks of meditation dramatically altered student’s ability to focus during the GRE. Meditation trains our brain to concentrate and remain focused while also increasing our memory.

Imagine how quickly you could get through that report if you didn’t keep drifting off and thinking about what you are going to eat for dinner.

Daily practice is key

A little bit of meditation is great no matter what, but to get the above benefits (and so many more), it is important to stick to a daily practice. It is through daily meditation that we retrain our brain to be less stressed, less me-centered, and more focused.

For the next week or two, try practicing 20 minutes of meditation at work. By the end of the experiment you might be amazed by the results. We’d be willing to bet that once you try it, you decide to stick with it.

Has meditation at work helped you? Do you have any meditation at work tips we didn’t cover? Let us know in the comments below!

True Nature Travels Blog

How to Meditate…..3 types of guided meditation practices and which one is right for you

“Do you have patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving till the right action arises by itself?”
Lao Tzu

Meditation is for everyone, not just the one who desires a deep understanding of who and what they are. A desire to learn how to meditate can simply come from a desire to slow down or decompress. The paths to learning how to meditate can look very different. There are hundreds of ways to meditate. We cultivate our ability to meditate by dedicating an amount of time of practice to it. The benefits of meditation can be felt immediately but will continue to evolve, as you do, over time.

Learning how to meditate can be intimidating at first. There are a lot of preconceived notions out there on how one’s meditation should feel, look, and be. I have had clients come to me and say, “Oh, I have tried meditating, and I wasn’t any good at it.” When I ask them why, they respond, “Well, my mind wouldn’t stop.” Of course! The mind was made to think and process like a computer. However, we wouldn’t be subservient to a computer, would we? Well, unfortunately, there are a lot of people allowing their mind’s to control them. Life doesn’t have to be this way. We can cultivate our capacity to recognize that we are not really our thoughts or our physical persona. Learning how to meditate can slow us down enough to become mindful of our thoughts and actions in such a way that we become the witness. That way, we can fully embrace each moment with a clarity and presence that is healing, awakening, and real.

Anytime we set the intention to meditate, matched with the action of meditating, we are doing it. It is our capacity to hold space for whatever arises to be exactly what is needed to arise in that particular session.It is our allowing of our human condition to coexist with our spiritual nature as being exactly what it is meant to be in that moment.

Even though it can be fleeting, meditation’s mantra is, “Presence.” It’s a continued willingness to show up to practice and be, here, now. Sometimes, we need assistance to find presence. There are several ways to make meditation more accessible for beginners or even the regular practitioner who is having one of those days. So whether it’s a peaceful guided imagery, a tutorial on breathing techniques to stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system, or a full body scan, we will inevitably find a meditation that catches our attention to introspection.

Here are a few guided meditations to give you an idea of the variety of ways you can practice on a daily basis.

Guided Imagery Staycation: This is one way to rock a busy mind to presence in an instant. The guided imagery staycation features a calming voice that carries you away to someone far away and is a gentle way to show a beginner practitioner how to meditate. I have experienced great excursions to whi te capped mountains in the himalayas, sandy white beaches, lush forests withruby encrusted temples, star dusted galaxies, other
dimensions, past lives, and much more, right from the comfort of my own home or studio. I often feature guided imagery in my beginner meditation class, as it provides detailed cues for the busy mind to follow, thus creating a harness for the mind. Experience how to meditate with a guided nature walk right now.

2. Guided Breath Meditation: The breath is the first thing we consciously take when we come into this world and the last thing that is taken before we exit. It is something we do unconsciously every moment of every day and it is also something we can chose to do consciously in order to unite the mind, body, and spirit connection. I have been in a school for several years now that focuses solely on this concept. At the school, we get together, sometimes for 8-10 hours a day, and we breathe consciously. It is one of the quickest and most profound ways that I have personally found for presence-ing.
A beginner guided breath meditation might have you count the inhalations and the exhalations. It may have you hold the simple awareness that you are taking this breath in, and then taking this breath out. Another may have you focus on the breath creating a rising and a falling in the abdomen and the chest or awareness of the sensation of the breath as it comes in through each nostril and out through each nostril. A simple exercise one can practice when they notice themselves getting stressed out during the day, is to pause, and take a deep breath in, hold the breath for a few seconds, and then slowly release. Learn how to meditate with a guided breath meditation here.

3. Guided Body Scan: What better way to stop a running mind then to give it a body part to focus on. When was the last time you stopped to notice how the bottoms of your feet felt or better yet, the edge of your right ear? Take a moment to close your eyes and do that now having full awareness of these body parts. Continue to breathe while focusing on these body parts. Do this for a couple of minutes and then slowly open your eyes. Notice the difference in your mind and body from when you started just a couple of minutes ago. In a full body scan, you would be taken through every body part and possibly through different sensations in the body or energetic centers. A guided body scan has been used by many to reach a relaxed state from highly stressed situations. Here is a great guided body scan meditation by Jon Kabat-Zinn.

“Your own self-realization is the greatest service you can render the world.”

Ramana Maharshi

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. She practices and teaches varied styles of yoga at Ruahstudio.com, leads international retreats, loves surfing, being in nature, and enjoys a good belly laugh. She is on Facebook , Instagram, Twitter, and can be reached by email alanaroachyoga@gmail.co

True Nature Travels Blog

How to Meditate Every Day

If you are reading this article, you are probably at least vaguely aware of the benefits of meditation. Whether you are interested in using meditation to reduce stress, increase focus, or delve into spirituality, it is a worthy practice. According to Project Meditation, practicing meditation can help decrease heart rate, blood pressure, and anxiety. Meditation can also help improve sleep habits, self-confidence, and relaxation. It has even been proven to help regulate hormones. Basically, meditation rocks. So why don’t we all do it?

Well, mostly because it is hard. Sitting still with little to no stimuli is not something we are used to doing, so building a habit of meditation can be challenging. It can be… but it does not have to be. This article will help you learn how to meditate and teach you how to make meditation a part of your day-to-day life.

Get started first thing in the morning

(Source: Wikimedia)

It is easy to say we will meditate lunch or when we get home from work, but when those times come around it is just as easy to say we are too busy and do not have time. Early in the morning, before our day has begun, is the easiest time to introduce a new habit. If you set your alarm fifteen minutes earlier, there are no excuses. You would usually just be sleeping for fifteen more minutes, so you do not run the risk of having things you should or could do get in the way. Try waking up a few minutes earlier every day and setting that time aside to practice meditation.

Make it short, simple, and comfortable

(Source: Flickr)

The first time you sit down to meditate, try to throw out whatever preconceived notions you have of how to meditate. If you are convinced that meditation has to be a certain length or that you have to sit in a full lotus posture, think again. These conceptions are just another barrier between you and a regular meditation practice. Instead, start small. Even five minutes of meditation can make a huge difference. And find a comfortable position that you can stay in for that long. If that means sitting in a chair or lying down, so be it! It is better than not meditating at all. If you are uncomfortable or try to meditate for too long right away, you are just giving yourself more chances to get distracted and discouraged. Make practicing meditation as easy as possible.

Determine your motivation

(Source: Flickr)

Why do you want to start meditating? It may not seem like an important question, but when it comes to forming a habit, motivation is everything. If your only motivation for meditating is because you want to be the kind of person that meditates, you are likely going to have difficulties maintaining the habit. Instead, take some time to think about how meditation is going to impact your life and what your core motivation is. Remind yourself of this motivation every morning. It will make it easier to stick to a meditation practice if you have a clear outcome that is of some deeper significance motivating the habit.

Meditation comes in many styles

(Source: Flickr)

While a couple of minutes every morning is a simple and beautiful way to integrate meditation into your life, it is not by any means the only way. Our life is full of opportunities to meditate. When you are stuck in traffic or standing in line at the grocery store, take a few moments to focus on your breath. If work is stressful or someone says something that makes you angry, pause, breath, and allow yourself a mini meditation before moving on. It is these simple daily practices that will allow you to live a more stress-free life. Practicing every morning will teach you how to meditate, but it is in our day-to-day lives that meditation can help the most.

True Nature Travels Blog

Liberation of the Highest Self: A Costa Rica Yoga Retreat

A Costa Rica Yoga Retreat

A UNIQUE JOURNEY TO LIBERATION OF THE HIGHEST SELF

When I started to prepare to lead this upcoming Costa Rica yoga retreat in June, I tossed around a million ideas of what I thought would be cool to share with students for a week intensive study. For example, I thought about working towards attaining advanced asanas but I wanted something MORE. Even as a teacher, I want to come away from this retreat feeling fulfilled and recharged.

I met with a woman who is looking to get into yoga – she started out by telling me that she has had previous back surgeries and for many years has had chronic physical pain. When I asked her what she wanted to get out of our private yoga sessions, she mentioned to “stretch” and “not feel in pain every day”. The more we talked, our conversation got deeper. Because of the injury that led to the surgeries, she was laid off from her job, which then led to months of being contained to the home as she could not get around very well and obviously financial worries became an issue. You can imagine how this eventually led to a very dark place of depression and pain pill dependancy.

I honestly feel that the universe takes care of us and does not let us wallow around in the dark for too long, especially when we are ready and open to make a change. When we finally got to the bottom of things, I mentioned that the reason why I practice yoga personally is to have FREEDOM. Freedom from WHATEVER is keeping me from being happy. Being in chronic pain can feel like a prison, physically and mentally, so we look to open the areas of the body that have been injured and search for freedom from pain. Depression, anxiety and consistent sadness can also feel like shackles around your brain and then we physically manifest these emotions. Allowing yourself to LET GO and BE FREE from these issues is a lot of work but it IS possible to find that freedom.

Or maybe you don’t suffer from these particular matters but know that there is something bigger meant for you…you just haven’t figured it out…yet. I feel like FREEDOM AND LIBERATION is attainable for many different areas of our lives and the ULTIMATE GOAL OF THIS BEAUTIFUL FREEDOM AND LIBERATION IS…..HAPPINESS AND CONNECTION WITH OUR HIGHEST PURPOSE.

There is a reason why each of us are here on this beautiful Earth! I want the students who experience this week with me on a Costa Rica yoga retreat to come away feeling like they have a closer knowledge and are at peace with who they are, why they are here and what they will do once they get home to keep living with this flame lit inside. All I ask is that you show up with an open mind, a ready heart and are willing to experience the unknown. This will be an exhilarating time of physical movement paired with breath, unlocking the barriers to allow the life force within to flow. There will be opportunities to have meditation, reflection, and internal study as well as group support. We will do something that serves our community spirit by a local service project. Plenty of time will be open for you to schedule adventures such as zip lining, lounging by the pool, spa treatments, hiking and so much more! Costa Rica is the perfect backdrop for this rejuvenating retreat aligned with the healing energy of nature. I could not be more honored to share this week with all who attend.

Each person is on their own unique journey and by attending this retreat, I hope to guide you to a place where you understand and connect with your highest Self. You deserve it!!!

Namaste, Kim

True Nature Travels Blog

Best Yoga Retreats in Costa Rica for 2016

My first dance with Costa Rica travel was when I was 28. It had been a dream of mine since I was a little girl. So, when I finally stepped off of the plane into unknown territory, I knew I had found my calling. Now traveling is a part of what I do for a living. Beyond that, it is a part of my path as a yogini. I have never traveled long distances without yoga. It has been the crux of my international experience from the very beginning. I have done yoga in the Himalayas and at the ocean levels near the equator. Yoga has imbibed me with the sacred energy that each place holds. I become a part of the culture and lands, and they become a part of me. Yoga is a unifying practice, and what better way to unite with a new place than to hit the mat.

Costa Rica is one of those places that enchants you. So enchanting in fact that my partner and I decided to move there after our very first visit. We made our way to the coast line and called it our home for over 6 months. Since moving back to the States this past March, I travel back to Costa frequently to teach, travel, play, learn and restore. The air is fresh, unscathed by mass pollution, the food is ALIVE, not touched by chemicals or altered in any unnatural way, and the people are incredible. They care about their land and make a point to keep it safe, maintained and sustainable. I have never seen a symbiosis between people, animals, and the earth the way I have witnessed it in Costa Rica. I hope that if you have been there, you continue to go, to grow, to learn, to laugh and connect. If you haven’t been, I hope that this has peaked your interest. There is no time like the present. Traveling is true education and I have heard that people are happier spending money on traveling the world than accruing it for years just to say they have. I travel every chance I get. My soul is richer for it.

Here are the best yoga retreats in Costa Rica for 2016

1. I am You and You are Me: A Costa Rica Yoga Experience with Alana Roach

I lead a retreat for a week in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, beginning on the 3rd Saturday every January. This is where I lived and continue to teach beach side retreats. The first time I stepped off of the bus and walked to the edge of Santa Teresa’s beach, I was struck by it’s raw beauty. There were waves that seemed to be about 8 feet high and surfers for miles in every direction. These were the kind of waves I had seen in movies. The kind that inspire you to move crossed borders and take up surfing as a lifestyle. There were beautiful, unbroken shells all over the beach, hermit crabs running in every direction, and a mixture of cultures scattered to sunbath and read. I sat in awe with a silly smile on my face thinking of just how beautiful this all looked as it glistened afternoon sun.
I thought to myself, “THIS is Costa Rica.”

My retreat sits atop of this incredible ocean view, nestled in a palm tree fortress called “Tropico Latino.” You can’t help feel like royalty with 2 outdoor yoga decks, canopied in the shade that overlook the Pacific Ocean, beautiful, private bungalows and beach houses that were made for lounging, food that is fresh and simply out of this world breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and a staff that is accommodating to every need.

This year’s retreat has nearly sold out so please keep Alana Roach’s, Santa Teresa Yoga Retreat on your radar for next January and register soon!

2. Yoga in Paradise: A Celebration of Life with Rob Schultz

This Feb 6-13th, Rob Shultz leads a Hatha based yoga retreat in La Fortuna, Costa Rica. Near by to the most active volcano on these lands, Arenal, La Fortuna is bountiful in hot springs and waterfalls. This grounding excursion will allow you to chose from many different day excursions while getting your fill of yoga twice daily.
A Celebration of Life’s mission is to get us back in touch with our passionate, create, inspired, and joyful nature. For most of us, we are surrounded by noise pollution, media, tasks, cars, lights, and other distractions, that we can forget what truly matters. This is one of Costa Rica’s best retreats because it is a return to YOU through simplicity, nature, and restoration.

3. Finding Peace Within: A Costa Rica Retreat With Day Yoga

Feb 28- March 6, 2016, Devon Schmidt & Brandy Erazo lead a 7 night retreat in Playa Uvita, CR. This retreat includes 3 whole foods meals a day, round trip transport to and from the airport, 2 daily yoga and meditation classes, personal retreat time, and a bonus 20 hours of training for those enrolled in Day Yoga’s 300 hr teacher training or those looking for CEU’s through Yoga Alliance.

With beautiful beaches, rainforests, a funky local town, ziplining, and a visit to the Arenal Volcano, there is never a shortage of adventure with these two yogis! Devon and Brandy offer a unique array of workshops that include subtle body anatomy, arm balances, and thai yoga adjustments. Daily classes include gentle, vinyasa, yin, restorative, and yoga nidra. You are sure to leave this retreat unbound, untethered, and ready to take on the world with a full breath in and a relaxed exhale.

4. Summer Solstice Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica with Julie Sichlau

Begin your summer with Julie Sichlau in the surroundings of National Park Chirripó. During the summer solstice the light is at it’s strongest to mirror our blooming transformative energies with-in. There is an inner stirring to cultivate an awareness of our heart’s beckoning, and this is the perfect time/space to let your heart run wild.

Julie is a special soul who doesn’t just speak of yoga but lives it. Envision yourself in the open air shala, gazing at the lush greenery and the blue skies as you explore an invigorating. pranic, fluid yoga flow by day by late afternoon your cup will run over with a balancing and soothing yin practice.

This is a truly nurturing Costa Rica retreat.

“Manifest your dreams and goals, whilst creating space for deep gratitude of living from a state of pure being and infinite love. Practice your power of shining brighter from within.” Julie Sichlau

5. Renew and Rebalance in Costa Rica—Re-Turn to Yourself with Lisa Feder & Dana Baruch

June 25- July 2, 2016 Rounding out my top 5 best Costa Rica retreats are Yoga and wellness teacher, Lisa Feder with life coach and educator Dana Baruch. They dedicate an entire week of empowering and exploring the many beautiful facets of you through yoga, meditation, coaching, creative exploration, journaling, and service to others.

They welcome all levels of experience at all stages of life to come re-connect with and rekindle your natural, authentic spirit. Laughter and fun is a guarantee.

You will be pampered by the True Nature Education staff from the moment you step off of the plane and onto the La Cusinga lodge. The eco-lodge and retreat center in Uvita is tucked away in the hilltops giving you a sense of royalty as you look out onto your view of sweeping oceans, sandy beaches, natural pools, and beautiful rain forests. This is Costa RIca’s most famous ecosystem ad by pure presence alone, you will be forever captivated.

∞

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta

Create a story that you want to read. One that plays on your senses and makes you feel alive. I know so many people who tell me that I am so lucky to live the life I do. I agree except it’s not so much luck as it is faith. If I can dream it, I can do it. It takes action, a firm regiment of positive next steps, and a lot of taking life by the reigns. It requires us, as yogis, travelers, and budding explorers to close our physical eyes, take a deep breath, and allow our inner sight to lead the way to the best yoga retreats in Costa Rica or simply taking that first step in getting your passport. Dare to vision, dream, and explore, and keep me posted because I for one, can’t wait to watch the journey that is you, unfold.

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. She practices and teaches varied styles of yoga at Ruahstudio.com, leads international retreats with Truenatureyogawellness.com, loves surfing, being in nature, and enjoys a good belly laugh. She is on Facebook , Instagram, Twitter, and can be reached by email alanaroachyoga@gmail.com

True Nature Travels Blog

Shaktis Retreat Leaders Share How Retreats Impact Communities With Love, Power, Courage, and Awareness.

This will be Shaktis 3rd year to partner with True Nature Education and lead a retreat in Costa Rica. We are thrilled beyond words to have such a dynamic and vibrant trio of ladies as a part of our family. We are constantly inspired by the community they build with their students! We asked them, what they thought made their yoga collective so strong and present, and their answer was simple, retreats. Retreats are a fantastic opportunity to build bounds, break barriers, and form connections with your fellow yogis. Want to experience this magnetism first hand? Join their retreat today! Click here to learn more and sign-up. Explore more of Kelly, Jennifer, and Lauren’s Costa Rican retreat and how they foster this feeling of togetherness. Lauren was kind enough to share her thoughts and a little preview of the Pura Vida that is in store!

“One thing I know for sure is we all three connect with the ocean and each other. Kelly, Jennifer and I are excited to travel to the beautiful Costa Rica and lead our first retreat all 3 together. The three of us have known each other for over 5 years and we have supported each other in the growth of family, being students, teachers, studio owners, and community leaders. Kelly and I founded Shakti Power Yoga in Nashville in 2012, and a year later Jen founded Glow Yoga in Gulf Shores and just recently opened one in Mobile, AL. Jen We all three thrive on creating community and sharing our love of yoga with all we meet. Yoga has shifted each of our lives and it opened us up to something bigger. We want to make a powerful impact in our communities and generate love, power, courage, and awareness. This will be Shaktis 3rd year to partner with True Nature Education and lead a retreat in Costa Rica. The time we spend there is absolutely magical, seriously each moment is special and we have fond memories of the joy and restoration it brings us. We thrive on creating community and partnerships and our yoga retreats allow people to step away and create space for new relationships, for rejuvenation, for fun! Let me share just a little taste of our wonderful experience. We stay at a beautiful resort in Santa Teresa Beach. The journey from San Jose is adventurous and a special time to connect with the everyone on the bus and boat. From The moment we arrive we are greeted by the kind staff and taken to our bungalow. The smell and breeze of the ocean is present right when you arrive and you know you are only a few hundred yards from the sand being in your toes, oh bliss. The bungalows have hammocks hanging just outside, perfect place to cozy up with a book or a nice afternoon nap. There is a calm about the place and feel of home. Oh and the practice space, it overlooks the ocean and the sound of the waves remind you to breath deep and free. The warmth on your skin adds the extra heat to the practice allowing you to dive in and let the residue fade away. You are a part of nature, free to play, grow, and explore. The Costa Rican fare speak to my heart and body. You can eat clean and fresh and feel nourished everyday. The resort has an amazing restaurant team that cares about the food they are serving and most of all are so kind and welcoming to each one of us. We have created friendships over the years and look forward to returning and connecting with the amazing staff. The community service project we commit to each trip is one of the most memorable experiences. We volunteer at a local school. We play soccer with the kids, sing, teach yoga, paint, garden, or anything we can do to be of service for the school. I know we get more out of it than the students. Our hearts are filled when we get to make a real connection with children and the feel of welcome and love from this is inspiring to see. I feel we left more connected and stronger as a group after this project, we still talk about the amazing kids and look forward to returning next year. Kelly, Jennifer, and I have a strong connection and we do a great job of going with the flow and working together. I think we all 3 could be sisters! We each have our own unique way to connect with people, how we teach, but we all three are committed to impact and build community and to live an INSPIRED life. We are excited to share our love of the practice in Costa Rica Retreat in 2016. We hope you will join us! Pura Vida!

True Nature Travels Blog

WAH! Embrace and Celebrate the Community of Devine Feminine Love

It was True Nature’s Education privilege to welcome back WAH! into the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina for a 3 day women’s retreat followed by a healing concert. This retreats was designed to give women a chance to share, sing, talk, breathe, and immerse themselves in higher energies. Going into it I had no idea what to expect. I have no previous experience of women retreats or using sound as a healing device. I dived in head first to WAH! music a month before the retreat, and asked myself why was I not listening to her before now?!

A little back story of WAH! First, the music. If you’ve been in a yoga class in the last five years, you have no doubt heard her music. The first female to bring kirtan music [call-and-response chanting performed in India’s devotional traditions] to the West in the 1990’s, Wah! has been playing bass guitar with her wildly joyful rock band at yoga festivals and centers around the U.S. since 1997. She has also consistently offered music and albums to the therapeutic market; her Savasana CDs have sold over 70,000 copies worldwide.

Her talent is inspiring and breath taking. Meeting her in person, only amplified this. She has such a soft, relaxing, but steadfast demeanor. WAH! has a genuine aura that lacks ego completely. You feel at ease and if you are in the presence of an old dear friend. Kind eyes, an open heart, and playful smile. I was completely ready and excited to see how the retreat would unfold.

The women on the retreat ranged in walks of life, location, and age. Many of them strangers, but instantly a community was formed among us. No questions, no judgements, just community. I thought to myself, how rare this is. In a culture, where communities are tending to be more and more online based, and less human to human connection. I even find myself in less situations with direct human contact and in person intimacy. Over the next 3 days I saw this energy of the community expand. It reminded me how critical it is to unplug from our devices and plug into each other.

WAH! seamlessly guided us through specific practices where we shared, touched, and healed with sound. We explored ourselves through others and formed a sense of complete sisterhood. Wah! guided us in grace, not over powering, but letting it organically happen.
Be sure to watch the video of a glance into the WAH! retreat here to get a first hand experience!

I suddenly realized how important this female community is. As a later 20 something year old, it dawned on me how I have not explored the woman community bond; how imperative it is to share, relate, tell stories, and heal together. We have a natural collective to embrace and honor. Through this development we feel more connected to the overall to the entire world. Centered, grounded, and buzzing with life I left the retreat with a mission on my mind. To continue to form daily bonds with people, even if they are strangers, through small human to human interactions. To stay plugged into my own self with compassion, and honor those around me doing so. And lastly, to continue to pay homage to this collective female divinity around us. So much gratitude to WAH! for creating a space to allow this. For True Nature Education for hosting such wonderful life changing events. And for all the women out there who constantly make the world go around. If you are interested in learning more about WAH! be sure to check out her website here!

If you are interested in attending a True Nature Education retreat check out our calendar here!

I want to close this with a poem Wah! shared with us…..

“I am beautiful, an enchantress for the world I come throwing love-glances Giving companionship to my Atma Self I am the seat of compassion. I bring auspiciousness and blessings, I bring comfort, I dissolve the mistakes of this lifetime. I show myself the path. Soft spoken and Mother of the World, I am the goddess who makes all life blessed. I will take you in my lap, I am the Mother who is pure. I am cool like the moonlight. I am a boat for crossing an ocean of difficulties I release worldly congestion. I bring new joys. Come, am I not the Mother of the world? I am the Goddess of learning, a fountain of knowledge, I grant the gift of loving pervasively, I am Devi, the highest resplendent light. I glide like a swan on the water (I’m skating through this!) Presiding over all creation, I join my hands and bow Full of love for what I have created. Throwing love-glances all around, I am Resplendent light.” (Saraswati Folk Song)

Written and Photographed By Christine Stahr the Director of Marketing and Outreach at True Nature Education

True Nature Travels Blog

Currently Craving: Passion, Simplicity, and Food

Italian cuisine has a history of passion, simplicity, and an ever evolving taste with the social and political climates,with roots stretching to antiquity.

It is characterized by its simplicity, with many dishes having only four to eight ingredients. Italian cooks rely chiefly on the quality of the ingredients rather than on elaborate preparation. Ingredients and dishes vary by region, depending what is produced and in season. Many dishes that were once regional, however, have proliferated with variations throughout the country. (Read More Here) italian-restaurant-sunshine-coast

When I think Italian food I instantly crave a homemade and hearty pasta dish followed by a glass of nice red wine. And then I realize, the food coma is always lurking around the corner. Do not get me wrong, there is nothing more appealing than a well rounded, fresh, comforting, and filling Italian dish. However, sometimes with our active lifestyle our bodies crave food more light in nature.

So why not take a traditional Italian dish and put a healthy spin to it?

And that is exactly what you will get to experience on a True Nature Education Yoga retreat to Italy. Our partner center has a fantastic view on Italian cuisine. Offering an authentic, yet healthy twist on some fantastic dishes.

The diet for the community is extremely important, as much as the yoga practice. The cuisine follows the ph alkaline diet philosophy whose goal is to bring back to balance our organism through a healthy vegetarian diet mainly raw, organic, with low gluten, no dairies and wheat free. They serve their own fresh, organic and seasonal products from the garden; they produce their own goat cheese and milk and make their own bread, pastries and pastas with spelt flour or no gluten flour like buckwheat. The dishes are from the Italian tradition but revisited by us following this diet by introducing some raw dishes at lunch and superfoods in the recipes. You won’t miss the Italian cuisine, simply you will taste it in a healthier way!

Drooling yet? Cause I sure am. You want to experience the food first-hand? Be sure to sign-up for one of our Yoga Wellness Trips to Italy here!

Since, I can’t jet off to Italy this very moment, I decided to channel my inner cook and whip up something delicious. I am pleased to share a lovely and simple dish that reflects the decadence of Italy. Healthy and light, this is great to serve as a main dish or anti pasta.

Lightly fried eggplant with honey and rosemary:

1 each medium eggplant

2 cups whole milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup local honey

1 sprig fresh rosemary

Salt to taste

1 quart vegetable oil

The day before:

Cut tops and bottoms off the eggplant and peel with a vegetable peeler or knife. Slice eggplant into rounds that are ½ inch thick—you should get about 12 slices from 1 medium-sized eggplant. As you slice the eggplant, put it into a large container or bowl with enough milk to cover. You will likely have to weigh the eggplant down with a plate to keep it submerged in the milk. Soak overnight in the refrigerator.

Heat a large frying pan with vegetable oil about 1 inch deep until approximately 350 degrees or when a drop of water sizzles. Make sure there is enough oil to cover the eggplant slices when you put them in. Drain the eggplant from the milk, dredge them in the flour and tap off excess flour. Drop into oil and fry until golden brown but not too dark, about 2-3 minutes. Don’t crowd the pan: you want 1 layer of eggplant frying at a time. Flip the eggplant slices during cooking for even browning.

Sprinkle each piece of eggplant with a pinch of salt as it comes out of the fryer. Drain on wire rack. Drizzle some honey onto each piece of the fried eggplant while on the wire rack. And top each piece of eggplant with 2-3 rosemary leaves. Serve immediately.

True Nature Travels Blog

Italy… Where Life and Art Intermingle Effortlessly

From sprawling mountains, sparkling coastlines, rolling countryside, ancient history and sumptuous cuisine Italy is a destination not to be overlooked.

True Nature Education is ecstatic to announce we are now offering yoga, wellness, and adventure retreats to Italy! And our center we are partnering with has us swooning…..
Quietness, Peace, Nature, Yoga, Sharing, Heart, Love: these are the key concepts to convey the spirit of our Italian retreat center, set by the countryside at about 5.6 miles from Martina Franca, in Apulia, the place is immersed in the splendid nature of Valle d’Itria.

The center is located on a hill at about 10 yards of height, halfway between Adriatic and Ionic Sea, a place that is totally immersed in peace and quietness.

It’s an ancient 17th century “Masseria” (farmhouse), recently restored and renovated by keeping its original structure intact, thus meaning to convey a good perception of space and time absence and better awareness of the present, here, now.

As of four years ago, a small community of people gathers here in order to opt deeply for a life made of sharing, far from traditional systems and life schemes: a merge arising from the awareness for the importance of life as spent together with others, based on freedom, heart, love and yoga as a discipline and a lifestyle, a chance for merging one’s inner universe and the others.

Partake on meditations, yoga practice, sight seeing, mindful cuisine, and immerse yourself in the passion of Italy!

Where do we sign-up??? Be sure to check out our retreats and book your adventure today! We would love to have you.

Be sure to take a look at our retreat video for more information.

Interested in learning more on why you should travel to Italy? Check out Huffington’s post on some sights and outings not to miss here! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/minube/21-reasons-to-finally-tak_b_4910139.html

Author: truenature