The simplest pleasures…

 Experiencing by oneself aligns the experience with the experiencer

When shared with an other, is another kind of alignment

Sin Domicilio Fijo, Escazu
Carrot, Orange & Curcumin Jugo

Appunto, Escazu
Coconut Brulee

Watching "Finding Joe"...thoughts

Bliss

“When you follow your bliss, the universe will open doors where there were walls” 

“What they think of me must be put aside for Bliss” ~Joseph Campbell 

My bliss as a child? What did i like to do that felt me? Living in a world that was not the material? Day dreaming as I looked out the window of the car. Climbing trees. Being outside and walking barefoot in the grass. 

I played outside.  

I felt different? Was it the childhood traumas that made me want to be alone? Getting burnt as a toddler? Almost drowning as a child? Separation anxiety? 

Rebelled against structure? Called headstrong? 

“Grow the most by the things that stretch us the most”. 

Sars cov-2 journey through me

I have this vision of the virus after it enters the body. It enters the physical and the emotional/mental body. With an industrious single pointed focus to travel through the nerves. It does not need a vehicle as its spikes are the oars and the wings. Feels like an out of space science fiction vision. The body goes into a full alert mode! A slugfest between the virus and the body(s). Wherever there is resistance, illness, weakness the spikes will anchor and like a parasite make a home. How did I counter it? Slow, deep, long breaths in and out. I follow this path of breathing, with no other thought in mind. A settling calm appears. I meditate, sit in the sun and breathe in the outdoors as i look out at the lake in the far distance. I watched a serial on Netflix to keep my mind occupied with stories of other people. Today is day six and the feeling is like I have allowed the body to do what it needed and the virus did what it needed. I welcome the antibodies to the virus and pro-bodies to health and well being.

May 2022 a trip to CR

 

Sometime a calling comes, and you try to find a reason or an excuse to justify it.  So i tried too! “To meet some friends, especially one who has been recovering from her bout with cancer”!  

May 4th I fly out to San Jose, luckily the flight was midweek, late in the evening.  After some wait at the baggage retrieval, I was out and in a few minutes the red taxi unido that was registered with Adventure Inn became my ten minute ride to the said hotel.  Arrival there is alway like returning home.  Familiar faces and effusive greetings, sharing hugs (without the lurking fear that the past pandemic has instilled). 

After settling into my room, I walk out into the post rain freshness of the night. The fragrance of  reina de la noche as they bloom into the night combined some other natural fragrances, especially the smell of fresh rain, all fill my senses. 

I run into Christopher, who is on his way back from Nicaragua to Mexico.  We exchange some niceties and the next day at breakfast a very engaging conversation on his life path. He has learned the ice bathing healing technique, which he accompanies with pranayama, with the Ice Man himself. Christopher shared his stories, his personal healing through this technique.  

The next day in the Interbus towards the Arenal, I chatted with Tina, who is considering retiring in Costa Rica. We shared our thoughts and it led to creating a group on WhatsApp.  Since then I met a few other expats that have relocated to this country as well as those on a research stage, and now we share our discoveries.  

Room at Ivannias'

 

I travelled on towards Arenal to spend a few days with Ivannia and Carlos.  The time spent there, a room overlooking the volcano, the sharing of meals and seeing these two friends brought a smile to my heart.   

Next stop was  a couple of days at Rancho Margot. I have some investment there and the trip was to further the discussion with the owner Juan, confirming the return of the loan by the year end.   

Rancho Margot Meditation

The fresh air of the ranch, food from the huerta, yoga led by Liz and then a tour by her, all contributed to a nourished stay.   I met Magalie, a Cordon Bleu Chef, who I met after many years. We remembered the food and the fiesta during a previous extended stay where I taught yoga as the resident yoga mama and she was the chef. Besides her other yummy food, the avocado chocolate mousse is so clearly remembered.  An evening with past acquaintances from the ranch, who live in the town of El Castillo was full of laughter.  Angelika now has two kids, the younger one was just born when I last met her, he is now 10.  We ate home cooked tacos and black beans and salad.  Her son Naoun, became our translator.  The rest of the evening was akin to comedy central, as I spoke my broken Spanish and they their English.  

Angelika, irum, Magalie & Naoun

Irum and Liz

I hitched a ride back with Magalie to Adventure Inn, where the friendships and laughter continued. 

Travis returned from Peru and we had another fun evening over dinner. He brought me a hand made scarf by the grandmother of the Shaman who helped him in his Ayahuasca ceremonies.  An astral connection with him during his last ceremony was a focus of conversation.  When friends meet laughter happens!

With Travis and Magalie

I was invited to the restaurant Tin Ho, to celebrate with Ivannia and her family, her sister’s 50th birthday.   The pad thai was excellent as was the ambiance.  It was a fun afternoon.  Her brother insists that he looks like a Pakistani, his wife Marce is a runner and wants to run the Toronto marathon. We exchanged contact, maybe one day we can swap our time and homes.

  

Story of Tin Ho Restaurant

Pad Thai

Delia and Luis came to take me dinner in the mountains near volcán barva. Through a scenic narrow drive we reached the restaurant at the top of the mountain. The air was fresh with a slight nip.  Delia lives in Santo Domingo and I spent a day with them. Meandering the small town, in and out of shops, with Luis stopping to show me the old street paving as well as the construction using earth. The walls of those building were surely a reminder of antique times. 

We returned to their beautiful home.  The dogs came out barking in excitement as Delia showed me her flower collection and the mosaic wall she has been creating. A sumptuous lunch of heart of palm risotto, vegetable soup and some red wine to wash it all down. It was good to see their two sons, David and Oskar Felipe. Oskar is celebrating his birthday soon.  Another south paw like me we feel connected. We talked about their trip to Canada and they shared their past trips to Peru. Maybe we will take the next one together. 

With Luis & Delia

As I finish writing the above, the planes starts its descent into Mexico City.   I will stay here for the night en route to Toronto. 

Mexico City

The three hours wait in the immigration line was making me realize that I might not be able to see the city at all.  I had booked myself at the Marriott which meant a walk from the terminal 1 right into the airport.  A decision I was feeling good about, as I stood in line, chatting other passengers who were nervous that they will miss their onward connections.  The two ladies, who were with me in the plane and now in the line, decided after an hour to buy their way to the head of the line.  With 200 dollars they did exactly that, some passenger was happy to let them cut in front of them for a price.  

I walked into the hotel, checked in and was glad that the concierge offered to get me a driver and car to take me to Zocalo.  Nothing like a hot shower and fresh clothes, with the idea of touring that historical part of the city centre.  Eduardo the driver knew some English, and as my sparse Espanol had got a refresher in Costa Rica, we hit it off great.  A wonderful two hours of sightseeing, the historical ruins of the historic Templo Mayor which they believed was at the centre of the universe.  The 50,000 years old meteorites and of course the delicious tacos.  

The journey back to Toronto brought me feeling nourished.  

Arenal at Sunrise

Arenal at Sunset

Mexico City Palacio de bella artes

Meteorite over 50,000 years old

Palacio de Mineria

Aztec Templo Mayor

Cathedral

Presidents Palace

Madero Calle

Best Tacos at Tacos de Canasta
Los Especiales
(Madero Calle)

How yoga is therapy

I am often asked if I teach or train yoga therapy. My answer is both yes and no. 

Why no, let us get that answered first. No because I am not a trained doctor, physiotherapist, chiropractor or trained in any other aspect of the medical profession.  I have not done any extensive research with randomized cases to support the claim of yoga as therapeutic.  

Then how do I say or can I claim the therapeutic benefits of yoga?  It is based on my own lifetime practice, on reading the work of researchers on the effects of meditation and following the writings yoga teachers.

The regular practice of postures/asanas with complete attention to the state that one is in, and approaching that state with kindness, is how I meet my physical body. For example how is the body feeling today. Is their physical fatigue? Emotional exhaustion or mental stress?  Dividing the attention between the three bodies, physical, emotional and  mental, using one to balance the other. 

Refer to the Koshas,  Yoga Training Manual then we can have a discourse to unpack the concepts, and apply them to the daily living.  

Regular practice of meditation, and its benefits, is a therapy for those who follow this path.

Through the application of the different yoga techniques we do bring about  healing and a sense of wellbeing.