When life gets away from us, clawing our way back out usually seems like an insurmountable task. The overestimation of the road ahead douses so many flames and drags capable people deep into a rut. 

It makes bad situations worse, augments self-doubt, and encourages self-destructive habits and negative thinking. If left unchecked, a rut can quickly (and often does) turn into a downward spiral, ending at rock bottom. 

OK, that might be a bit melodramatic, but you get what I’m saying. When we let what could be a bump in the road define our self-worth, things can get pretty hairy down the line.

The good news is that ruts are normal. They happen to everyone – from Tom Brady to Nelson Mandela. 

So, without further ado… Whaddya gonna do about it?

Acceptance

Image source: FreePik

The solutions that follow cannot be accomplished without first accepting the situation. Many people find this the most challenging step, as easy as it sounds. 

...

Benefits of yoga for mental health | Mental Health Awareness Month 

Over the last decade or so, we've seen a massive increase in mental health awareness. More and more people are speaking up about mental health issues and how "it's ok not to be ok". Mental health in the workplace is also gaining in importance, with many employers addressing the issue and implementing measures to make sure employees are happy at work. The COVID-19 pandemic also pushed forward the topic. Many countries were forced to step up their mental health services and support after the WHO WHO a 25% increase in the global prevalence of anxiety and depression.  

So, for this Mental Health Awareness Month (May in the USA), we wanted to talk about how yoga can significantly improve your mental health and quality of life. 

Research shows daily yoga practice can significantly improve mental health 

Yogis have known this for (thousands of) years, but the rest of the world is catching on:...

If you’ve ever attended a yoga class at AmaSer, or browsed our delicious smoothie menu, you’ve probably seen or heard a reference to the chakras. Other words that usually come hand in hand with chakras are ‘blocked’, ‘open’ and a range of body parts and colours. Read on if you’d like to discover more about the seven chakras and how they relate to yoga! 

What is a chakra? 

The concept of chakras is embedded into the ancient tradition of Hinduism. The Vedas, ancient and sacred texts of spiritual knowledge which date back over 3,000 years, have mention of chakras. In recent years, chakras have become more widely known, with the increase in popularity of yoga.  

chakra is an ancient Sanskrit word that means "spinning wheel". In yoga, the chakras are intersections, or wheels, of the body’s energy channels. According to the concept, these energy fields that surround the body make up the physical human body...

The decision not to eat animal-based foods has been present in human societies for a long time–like, 2,000 years type of long. Ancient Indian communities were well known for following strict vegan diets. In Ancient Greece, the mathematician Pythagoras of Samos (known for his theorem on right angles) was famous for more than his geometrical genius. 

Pythagoras believed that animals had souls and that eating them prevented union with a higher form of life. Many other philosophers of the past labeled meat as a decadence that leads to war and suffering. 

After cropping up in many groups worldwide and in the west, veganism finally caught a tailwind straight into modern mainstream culture. In the 2010s, it took off. Today, countless celebrities and people of all backgrounds are adopting the lifestyle. 

Here are some of the benefits of cutting out animal-based foods.

Nutrient-rich foods increase overall well-being

It should go without saying that when your body gets...

It came to the west and caught like a cold. There's something about yoga that arouses people's curiosity. It might be the spiritual aspect or the promise of a challenging workout; perhaps it's the touted health benefits that have people landing on the mat and twisting themselves into funny poses. Whatever lights that fire, curiosity is quickly extinguished by doubt.

Yoga beginners commonly feel like outsiders looking in or imposters imposing on other people's space. That's classic monkey mind behavior. Give that monkey a banana and tell it to chill because we've got you covered. 

Don't Compare Yourself to Others

If there's a universal hindrance to progress in any field, it's measuring yourself against the abilities of others. All that energy you waste being jealous or thinking of how long the road ahead is will be better spent making this moment the best it can be. 

When the mind starts straying into feelings of doubt, it hands the reins over to uncontrollable forces of...

As with any positive change we strive to make in our lives, there is a tendency to dig our heels in and go all out right away. For the first few days, everything is under control. Then a rain cloud forms over our heads and saps every last bit of energy we have. We say we'll do it tomorrow, then tomorrow comes, and we push it off again. 

Everyone who has tried to adopt a meditation practice knows this: showing up is easy when you're motivated. When the stars are aligned and the energy is high, you practically float onto your pillow. And then, when the chips are down, the opposite happens.

The good news is, there's nothing wrong with you. Success is all about having a winning strategy. As it stands, you may be making things harder than they need to be, and your approach could benefit from a bit of refinement. If that's the case, you've come to the right place.

Let's dive in.

Limit Your Sessions

There isn't a prerequisite number of minutes or hours one must spend on the mat...

 Why is Vinyasa Yoga good for you, and what are its benefits?

Vinyasa Yoga can build and maintain strong bones, muscles, and connective tissue to maintain a high metabolism, promotes healthy posture, and improve body/mind awareness.

But that's not all! In this article, we’ll take a closer look at these & more of the unique benefits of Vinyasa Yoga and why you should consider giving it a try.

Let’s jump right into it.  

First off, what’s Vinyasa Yoga?

In brief, Vinyasa is an approach to yoga in which you move from one pose directly into the next. The poses and moves create a flow, which varies from one instructor to the next.

The transition from one pose to another is coordinated with your breathing. Your breath moves together with your body, and you exhale and inhale with the change of each posture. 

5 unique benefits of Vinyasa Yoga:

1. A vinyasa flow practice makes you stronger

Vinyasa has some challenging poses, which are also...

Have you been thinking about taking a yoga teacher training but are not sure if you are ready? 

If you have questions like "am I good enough" or "is yoga teaching training for me," this article will answer those & more of your concerns! 

Hopefully, you'll know if you are ready for a YTT at the end of this blog post. 

Now, let's begin!

7 reasons you're ready for a yoga teacher training:

1. You have an established and regular practice

While you don't need to have practiced yoga for many years (before the teacher training), it is good that you have a solid prior yoga practice of at least 4-6 months.

Some classes can be more dynamic and challenging at times, so having regular practice for at least a couple of months is recommendable. 

So, if you've been practicing yoga for a couple of months now, you love it and are interested in learning more, YTT can be a great option.

2. You want to deepen your practice

If you are deeply passionate about yoga and want to...

The purpose of these hand gestures can vary according to tradition - from the concentration of subtle energy and the transmission of learning through symbols through a tool for the treatment of diseases to even the attribution of practical skills and psychic abilities!  In principle, however, mudras are a form of non-verbal communication - "an external expression of inner determination.

"Mudras open the universe." Sadhguru

In yoga and meditation, we often use mudras along with pranayama (yoga breathing exercises), usually in a crossed sitting position, such as sukhasana, virasana, or padmasana.  Mudras are also incorporated into the physical practice of yoga asanas. Performing mudras stimulates the flow of prana (life force or energy) throughout the body, calms the mind by focusing it on the mere touch of our hands or fingers, and intensifies the power of our practice.

The meaning behind the word 

The word mudra literally means "seal".  It is a given position of...

Get to know the people that help create this beautiful space and community!

We'd love to introduce you to our beloved Chef Chachi, who has been a team member joining AmaSer from their new post-pandemic beginning, “I was one of the people who saw this beautiful new project grow”, as she share with us.
Originally from Venezuela, Chachi arrived to Puerto Viejo 3 years ago and fell in love (we can relate). Her famous nickname is actually a play on her full name Drachir, and fun fact: she was named that after her father – Richard, but (kinda) spelled backwards...cool right?



She’s been working as a chef for the past 5 years, but specializing in vegan and Ayurvedic food for 1 year. Besides that she’s also an amazing photographer audio-visual producer, and even responsible for some of our latest Caribe Yoga Academy YTT photos.

Chachi, what is your favorite part about working for AmaSer? What this place means for you?
I love the peace of...