C O V E R S T O R Y

YOGItimes magazine for the modern yogi
COSTA RICA By Ted McDonald
In towns like Cordova which are completely devoid of fast food restaurants or strip malls, the latest trends in activewear or mat bags are of little interest. However, in Anchorage, the influences of mainstream yoga are starting to show themselves. Lynne Minton, director of the well-established Anchorage studio, Yoga The Inner Dance, has hosted the well-known Rodney Yee. Long-time Fairbanks instructor, Kay Hackney of Interior Yoga has cultivated a following for Jean Couch (author of the “Runner’s Yoga Book” and founder of “Balance”) who has led workshops during the summer. And John Friend, founder of Anusara Yoga, probably got more than he expected during his visit to Juneau last summer, when over 200 eager students attended his workshop. Slowly but surely the modern yoga world and big-name teachers are making their way to Alaska.

Perhaps it is because we are so far away that we are hungrier for what’s being offered. Any opportunity to receive a workshop without having to travel out of state is a luxury. For Mariah, Alaska’s geographical and cultural separation from the “Lower 48” is an advantage more than a downfall. “Because we are so far away we seek added education in all forms. Alaskans seem to travel more and be more adventurous, and that shows even in our practice.” Whether it’s adventure or deprivation that sends Mariah and other Alaskans looking for more is anyone’s guess, but it’s our way of linking to the yoga world, trends and all.

If yoga really is about learning to make room for everything, then Alaska is my yoga too. It is here that I unroll my mat next to people who continue to surprise me and silently encourage me. If a vegetarian and a hunting guide can sit side by side, then surely there can be room inside me for a devout yogi who thrives in the rugged wilderness and a city gal who loves to strap on some killer shoes, throw back a cosmopolitan and go wild.Imagine miles of endless, beautiful, uninhabited beaches; uninhabited by humans, anyway. Picture the most pristine rain forest in the world, virtually untouched by commerce or civilization. Visualize Howler monkeys wailing in the background, and macaws happily singing with their lifetime mate. Breathe the purest oxygen, and relish in the most comfortable climate; where your body truly feels at home. These are just some of the sights, sounds, and sensations of the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. Practicing yoga in such an environment is a completely transformative process.

The literal translation of yoga, from the sanskrit, is ‘union.’ In Costa Rica, the seamless union among thousands of species leaves me breathless. Vacationing for a week inherently comes with the opportunity to relax, renew and rejuvenate. But arriving in Costa Rica and traveling to the jungle adds an entirely new level of inner discovery. A forty-five minute flight from San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, is the Peninsula de Osa. There are no paved roads and no traffic lights, although you may have to stop to let the local slough cross the road.

I step off the plane into the warm, moist air. It is the first feeling of union with the environment. My body immediately relaxes into Mother Nature’s ‘room temperature.’ After a long drive on a road that seems to lead to nowhere, I check in, go to my cabina, and sit out on the porch to gaze at the awe-inspiring views of the vast Pacific Ocean. There is an innate sense of tranquility and symbiosis.

Later, I begin my yoga practice with Sun Salutations. I’m happily surprised that most of the normal tightness and tension are absent. Maybe it’s because I’m not thinking about how I rushed to get to the yoga studio, or maybe it’s because I’m not preoccupied with my life situation or ‘to-do list.’ At home, it usually takes time for my body to warm up, but here in the jungle I feel a step ahead. The climate moisturizes my body and the atmosphere dissolves the chatter in my mind. As I flow through my yoga practice, I start to move like an animal in its natural habitat.

In the jungle, the need to watch the clock and arrive at appointments dissipates. I begin to wake at sunrise, and go to sleep not too long after sunset. My energy follows the ebb and flow of the tides. The land is so pure, and all the wildlife fit so perfectly in this unadulterated environment. Much better than we humans do with our cell phones, machinery and blacktop. At the end of my yoga practice, savasana seems to go on forever. In fact, my trip becomes a week full of peace and serenity; it becomes one… long… savasana.

Ted McDonald leads adventure yoga trips around the world. adventureyoga@yahoo.com
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