Yoga in a beachfront paradise

Paraiso. What gets lost in translation from the Spanish to the English word paradise is regained in the Sanskrit term Samadhi. That eighth limb on the yoga tree where mind-body-soul meets Garden-of-Eden moment of being conscious, breathing easy and shining brightly.

And if that happened with any kind of frequency, we’d all be levitating. So for those - meaning most - of us who are still trying to gather enough Zen to balance on one leg, remember to breathe and forget the after-class to-do list till after class, the basic garden-without-Eden variety of paradise tends to suffice when it’s getaway time.

But that raises the question - have we lost the whole point of paradise?

Imagine all of the elements of tropical bliss - endless beach breaks, personal chef, oceanfront jungle hacienda, private guides, surf, monkeys - with a couple of twists and binds, yoga style.

The adventure begins in your home studio, where the Paraiso Adventures team creates a signature retreat.

“We work with the studio from the beginning to get to know the students,” said Paraiso Adventures founder Nina Ornstein, “and work closely with them to tailor the details of their excursion - from destination management and staffing to chef, menu and adventures. So the studio shows up at the perfect retreat and they can focus on their students and their wellness program.”

Now for the twist. Imagine all of the comforts of your home studio in that beachfront villa - not just daily classes but all of those elements designed to keep you balanced, nourished and happy that you never have time for like meditation, nutrition and whole foods workshops, yoga therapy, even your teachers, certified nutritionists, and yoga therapists - all packed up like a welcome-to-paradise fruit basket waiting for you take a bite.

Paradise is supposed to be perfect, right?

“I met Alana Bray when she first started her studio and I first launched Paraiso Adventures,” Ornstein said, “so we’ve been working together from the beginning. The Yoga Bound community is really cohesive with our mission of creating a personalized wellness adventure. On top of it, they’re happy, compassionate and really make time for everyone to learn. Everything from yoga therapy to clean eating to surfing becomes more than just accessible. It’s a lot of laughing and exploring.”

Essentially, what happens at Yoga Bound in Carlsbad Village happens in paradise. Studio owner Alana Bray is a yoga therapist and certified nutritionist and her studio manager, Kristina Kuzmich, offers SmartFLOW and guided meditations.

“We built the studio from an old craftsman house,” said Bray, “with the intention of creating a safe space for students to feel at home. The Yoga Therapy and SmartFLOW classes provide the foundation for alignment-based, therapeutic-based, mindful movement. And the Costa Rica Beachfront Boho Retreat is like a condensed version of our teaching. It’s yoga practice, meditation, restorative practice brought together with our “beLiving Well” program in healing through foods. It’s so much more than doing yoga on vacation. It’s a way to honor our conscious choices, assert mindfulness, and remain playful.”

What better way to check out, than by checking in? In addition to Beachfront Boho in March, Paraiso Adventures is also bound for Costa Rica and Las Cruces in May and Paros, Greece in June. Check YogaBoundforLife.com or ParaisoAdventures.com for yoga adventure updates. And the best part - what happens in paradise perfected, you get to bring home.

Anna Mueco has been a student of hatha and kriya yoga since 2003. Mueco became a yoga instructor in 2006 and currently teaches in Pacific Beach. Send your thoughts about the yoga world to her at anna@HyperNinjaYoga.com

Source: DiscoverSD