The practice of Yoga is a lot more than making pretty shapes with your body – It is a holistic system that encompasses the mind, body, and spirit, offering a journey of self-discovery and transformation that goes far beyond the external appearance of flexibility and strength.  There is a Yoga practice that is right for your body – take the time to find an instructor that understands your needs.  Yoga is for everyone, no matter what your gender, background, physical ability or economic stance is.

When you get to practice in this beautiful country, you will find yourself so connected with Mother Earth that you will realize there is no separation between you and her, there is no separation between you and the beings that surround you, as our essence is all the same.  Costa Rica is celebrated for its breathtaking natural beauty and offers more than just a travel destination, it’s a sanctuary for those on a quest to explore the transformative power of Yoga. 

Yoga cultivates mindfulness, teaching individuals to be present in the moment, to breathe consciously, and to observe their thoughts and emotions without judgment. It provides tools for managing stress, anxiety, and the challenges of modern life, ultimately leading to a sense of inner calm and balance.

I invite you, as you are reading this article, to sit in a comfortable chair with your hands resting on your lap.  Take a long and deep inhale through your nose and an exhale (longer than you usually exhale) out of your mouth.  Repeat a couple of times and imagine each exhale you are taking in this space through your mouth is inviting tension to leave your body.  Let the exhale have a sound, like a sigh, everytime it comes out of your mouth.  Repeat a few times until you feel your nervous system relaxing.

Now we are ready for this breathing technique:

Inhale and let the breath reach to your lower belly, almost as if your lungs were located in this area and then fill all of your diaphragm, take a brief pause, then exhale through your mouth.

If this process is easy for you, now we are going to take a very brief pause in between exhale and inhale: inhale through your nose filling all your diaphragm, pause, exhale through your nose, and take a brief pause before you inhale again.

This breathing technique is being practiced around the world to relieve anxiety and reduce stress and it’s commonly called Box Breathing or Square Breathing.  As you begin to practice this technique, you will find the holding time, especially after the exhale, a little uncomfortable.  With a few minutes of practice a day, you will start to feel comfortable in this emptiness, and with time it will feel almost natural.  

Explore the time in between inhale and exhale and between exhale and inhale, and make sure you are never desperate for air before your next inhale – feel as if this was the natural rhythm of your breath.

Before you move from this space and continue with your day, offer gratitude for your breath and wonderful body for allowing you to be a vessel of love, creativity, abundance, and all the things that are unique to you.

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