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You may have been thinking for some time that you would like to start yoga. First of all, the fact that you want to start must be a decision that comes purely from you, regardless of anyone around you. Simply start because you want to and everything else will gradually fall into place. So if you have taken the first steps in your head, that is the beginning of the success of your yoga journey.

What to take with you?

All you need for yoga is comfortable clothes and a mat.

Where and with whom to start?

In the beginning, it is better to spend some time attending classes under the guidance of an experienced teacher who will advise you on how to practice properly without causing yourself injury. Each person is different and each person will suit a different style and a different teacher. If you don't find a class that is quite your cup of tea at the first time, keep looking and discover what works for you. The range of yoga studios is diverse and so are the classes and yoga styles.

What...

Prithvi (earth), Jal (water), Agni (fire), Vayu (air), and Akasha (ether or space)

Yoga is not just a physical practice; it is a holistic journey that encompasses the mind, body and spirit. One aspect of yoga that holds great significance is the exploration and integration of the five elements. In Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga and one of the oldest medical systems still practiced today, these five elements are prithvi (earth), jal (water), agni (fire), vayu (air) and akasha (ether or space). Each element carries its own energy and symbolism. These elements are believed to be the building blocks of the universe, both physically and energetically. 

Also, the elements correlate with the senses and with specific body parts and functions. Each has an energetic correspondent among the chakras. According to the Ayurvedic system, each of us is born with a unique combination of the five elements. Some are more dominant than others. The combination of elements that are most...

The holiday season is all about festivities, joy, and celebrations with family and friends. However, it is also a time when people often indulge in heavy meals, sweets, and alcohol which can have a negative impact on their health. To maintain balance during this time, Ayurveda can be a great tool to help you stay healthy and feel your best. Ayurveda is an ancient holistic system of medicine that emphasizes maintaining balance in the body, mind, and spirit and enables to achieve a sense of lasting physical well-being and mental happiness.

In the winter season, Ayurveda recommends practices to balance the Vata dosha, which tends to become aggravated during this time. This includes adopting a warm and nourishing diet with foods like soups, stews, and cooked vegetables; practicing daily oil massage to keep the skin moisturized; staying hydrated; engaging in moderate exercise or yoga; and maintaining a regular sleep schedule. Additionally, Ayurveda suggests avoiding cold and windy...

In today's fast-paced world, finding inner peace and achieving a sense of well-being has become a priority for many of us. This has led to a resurgence of interest in ancient practices such as yoga and meditation. One powerful tool of these practices is also the chanting of mantras. Derived from Sanskrit words meaning "mind tool" or "instrument of thought", mantras hold huge benefits for our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. 

Mantras have been an integral part of yoga for thousands of years. They are repetitive sounds, phrases, or divine syllables chanted during meditation or yoga practice. By focusing on the vibrations and resonance created by the chanting, we can connect with our inner selves, tapping into the source of peace and tranquility. 

Harmonize Body and Reduce Stress

Regular chanting of mantras promotes a harmonious connection between the body, mind and soul. As we chant, our breath deepens and slows down, triggering the...

What are Sattvic Foods?

In general, a sattvic diet is primarily plant-based and focuses on organic, whole, natural fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts,  seeds, and grains that are grown in harmony with nature. Sattvic foods are generally sweet, fresh, light, nourishing, and aromatic and create feelings of contentment, joy, and aliveness after digesting them. Sattvic foods keep the body lean and healthy and make the mind clear and sharp.

Work on adding the sattvic foods listed below to promote and support a yogic lifestyle. Eating more of these foods will support your meditative, spiritual, and yogic practices:

1. Fresh fruit

Packed with prana (life force energy) and antioxidants, fresh fruit can form up to 50% of a yogis diet. All fruit that is sweet, fresh, and organic is considered sattvic, so adding more fruit is the easiest and most effective way to make your diet more yogic. Minimize frozen, dried, or preserved fruit in favor of fresh and in-season fruit. You...

Indian tradition teaches that our Prana, or life force, is delivered through energetic pathways, or Nadis, in the body. The human body has 72,000 Nadis which converge in the 7 chakras. with the most predominant being the Ida and Pingala.

The Ida Nadi is the feminine, creative, moon, receptive energy conduit, running from the base of the spine, alongside the spinal column, up the back of the skull, and culminating in the left nostril. The Pingala nano is the more masculine Nadi, channeling action-oriented, sun, directive energy throughout the body, This Nadi also runs from the base of the spine up the spin and head, and culminates in the right nostril. Ida is the Shakti, Pingala the Shive. Ida is the right brain, Pingala is the left brain. In this visible world, the duality of Ida and Pingala, masculine-feminine, sun-moon, dark-light are woven into everything we see.

However, humans also have a central nadi, the Sushumna, or spinal column, which is empty, neutral. As Sadhguru...

1. How to surrender to the flow of things 

The town of Puerto Viejo, the home of AmaSer, is located on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica near Panama. Here in Costa Rica, things flow a bit more loosely than you may be accustomed to. Picture it like a bottle of honey: in warmer climates, things flow a bit more freely! Plans often rely on the presence of sunshine, and as Costa Rica is a tropical country, the rainfall comes down quickly and heavily on the turn of a dime. It usually doesn't last long, but you may find yourself needing to take shelter in a cafe, restaurant, or store for some time which may change your outdoor plans for the day. Costa Rica wouldn't be nearly as lush and gorgeous without the rain nourishing all of the greenery, so try to be patient and accepting when those moments do arrive. 

2. How to say some basic sentences in Spanish

Most areas of Costa Rica have an amazing mix of people from all over the world, including other parts of...

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...

As you start to take your first steps on your Yoga journey, you’re bound to run into the image of a tree sooner or later. You may see people wearing jewellery or boasting tattoos similar trees too.

There are many reasons for this – but two of them stand out in front of the others.

The first is a snapshot into history and the ties of Yoga to Buddhism. When the Buddha first achieved enlightenment (Samadhi), he was sat in front of the Bodhi Tree. After countless days spent sat under the tree – days that included both starvation and a direct encounter with a demon – Buddha became enlightened. Another word for enlightenment is “Bodhi”. Hence the name – Bodhi tree. You can find Bodhi trees in most sacred spaces in India. You can even find the “Mahabodhi Tree” in Bhod Gaya, supposed to be a direct descendant of the tree Buddha became enlightened under (It’s only about 250 years younger).

However, the second reason is the one...

The Hindu Roots of Yoga 

Within Hinduism there are six major schools of thought: Samkhya, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa, Vendanta, and Yoga. Each one is inspired by the holy Vedas and other Hindu concepts.

Yoga, from the Sanskrit word 'yuj' means to unite. It is usually described in Hindu texts as a way to control the senses and the mind. The most famous Hindu text describing yoga is the Bhavad Ghita, which dates all the way back to the 6th - 3rd centuries BCE. In it, Krishna describes 4 types of yoga:

• Bakti, or devotion
• Jnana, or knowledge
• Karma, or action,
• Dhyana, or concentration.

Achieving Moksha 

The ultimate goal of each is to achieve Moksha, or unity with God and escape from the cycle of birth and death. No single person is born saved, though the Divine resides within all people. All people, regardless of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, have the ability to achieve Moksha. Moksha can be attainted through a person's actions, words, and thoughts, as they...