An Interview with Two Very Spirited Women: Suzie Hurley & Betsey Downing!

Betsey Downing & Suzie Hurley joined us this season for their yoga retreat in Mexico and will be coming back with us again in the fall 2012!  We sat down with them to find out a little bit more about why yoga and retreats have had such an impact on their lives.

XINALANI: How did you find out about Xinalani Retreat and why did you choose to host your Spirited Women Retreat here? 


SH: We heard about it from our friend and fellow Anusara teacher, Marsha Nieland who raved about it!

XINALANI: Your retreat was for “Spirited Women over 45.”  What makes your guests so spirited? 

SH: They practice Anusara Yoga and have a great attitude and adventurous spirit by looking for the juice in life!  (And remaining "juicy" themselves!) 

BD: One statement about getting older that I really like is that as we get older we become more of ourselves!  The more authentic we become, the more we step into our power, the more we lead from our heart, the more fun life is!

XINALANI: Why did you choose to have a retreat just for women over 45?  Are all your retreats for women only?  

SH: I also do a retreat in Jamaica each Feb. that's open to both men and women of all ages. We think there's a real need to share our wisdom and life perspectives as we get older. We learn so much from each other, sharing both the challenges and the joys of aging gracefully. We are actually just like fine wines! 

BD: I teach trainings and workshops all over the world, but this is the only retreat I offer.  I love the group dynamic that happens with all women on a retreat…the ways we share and support each other are wonderful, and the ways we inspire and challenge each other to be our full selves are amazing.    

XINALANI: You each were one of the first certified Anusara teachers.  What about Anusara yoga caused you to get involved so early on? 

SH: It is spiritually based, yet also precise in its alignment details, thus exceptionally therapeutic. My body healed in ways it never could before. And it's more just plain fun than any other system I ever studied. I like to think of it as playfully profound. 

BD: Right away Anusara felt different to me… right away it took me into my heart and helped me connect with something bigger than myself.  I love the basic message of Anusara is that we are expressing Spirit through our individuality.  On the physical level, the balance between flexibility and strength helped me integrate my body in ways I had not experienced in other systems of yoga.  I got strong as well as flexible and become more balanced in my poses, and also in my life.  I love the emphasis on taking yoga “off the mat and into our daily lives”.

XINALANI: What other styles of yoga did you practice before Anusara?  Do you still teach any of these styles? 

SH: I studied Ashtanga, Kundalini yoga, Kripalu and Iyengar mainly, teaching a variation of the latter two. I am committed to teaching only Anusara now.  

BD: I started out with an eclectic teacher in the 70's who taught no particular style, studied with Joel Kramer, and then Sivananda yoga for a few years, and Iyengar Yoga for many years.

XINALANI: You each have studios in different parts of the country.  How did you come together to start doing yoga retreats? 

SH: Betsey and I were taking Iyengar classes and workshops and teacher trainings for years together, and then we each opened our own studios (Betsey used to live in Va. so we were much closer), and the retreats just evolved from our friendship. 

XINALANI: How many retreats have you done through the years and where? 

SH: We've done workshops in Belize, different places in Mexico, in Guatemala, on the Outer Banks of NC, and other places in the States. I've also taught in Costa Rica and Jamaica.

XINALANI: What were you and your guests able to take away from your trip to Xinalani Retreat? 

SH: The natural beauty of the environment, the way the wonderful chefs, massage therapists and all the staff went out of their way to nurture us. Jean-Baptiste and his family have created an amazing Eco-Paradise.  

BD: And because the retreat is so serene and private, away from the hustle and bustle of regular life, there is time to drop inside to reflect on who we are under the layers.  We, and our participants, took that connection and rejuvenation away with us.    

XINALANI: What inspires you to keep practicing yoga and to keep teaching?  

SH: Anusara Yoga keeps me young and fit and joyful.  The longing to know the Divine more and more as myself, and help others do the same is all I've ever wanted to do for the last 30 years or more.  

BD: I love how I feel when I practice the poses and meditation ... I would not want to be without those benefits!  I love the joy of sharing it with others.  Their questions and participation expand our knowledge, understanding, and our hearts!

XINALANI: How has yoga changed your lives? 

SH: I think the above answer is the same. Yoga is a spiritual discipline, it is about becoming a disciple of one's heart. When one realizes the heart's deepest longing, there is no more searching, no more wanting, no more clinging. One is totally fulfilled on every level.  

BD: I don’t think I would recognize myself if I met my “before-yoga” self now.  My expanded ability to give and receive love (one of the major benefits of regular yoga) has transformed who I am on all levels of my life. 

XINALANI: Any last words of wisdom for our readers? 

SH: There's a great quote from Muktananda's Guru, Nityananda, "The heart is the hub of all sacred places, go there and roam” 

BD: Give yourself the gift of receiving yourself fully!  That’s what yoga has to offer you.

XINALANI: Thank you ladies and see you in October 2012!

A Moment with Lara Heimann and Jen Pastiloff

Last week we sat down with Lara Heimann and Jen Pastiloff (recently featured on Good Morning America), two independent yoga instructors sharing space at Xinalani for their yoga retreats in Mexico.  We wanted to find out what it was like to share such an intimate location, to participate and host a retreat, etc. Enjoy!

XINALANI: How was your stay at Xinalani this week?

Lara: Heavenly! There is no way to fully express how uniquely amazing this place truly is.  From the paradise setting, to the staff, food, activities, and the other people; it was one of the best travels ever.

Jennifer: There are no words.  I´ve done 10 retreats in 2 years and this was by far the best! From the open air rooms and my hammock to the staff to the food to the studios…   One word: WOW!

STRIKE A POSE JP!

XINALANI: What was your favorite experience from this retreat?

Lara: Seeing the transformation that everyone experienced: from frenzied travelers leaving home, job and families, to tasting the elixir of this magical place, embodying the tranquility and beauty of Xinalani.  It was an honor to witness and filled me with joy!

Jennifer: Too many! Watching the sunset in the jungle studio, whale watching, bonding with my group, relaxing, my class mooning me, the laughter, the sound of the ocean, the staff!!!  I wrote a piece about it called “Falling in Love” which aptly describes what transpired there.

XINALANI: A little birdie tells me you are coming back next year.  What would you like to do next year that perhaps you didn’t have a chance to do on this trip?

Lara: I and others in my group really loved surfing so I want to do more of that.  We all talked about having one or two salsa night dance parties!

Jennifer: Surfing, donkey rides to the waterfall, and more massages!! They were unreal!

LARA GETTING READY TO HIT THE SURF

XINALANI: What is it you like most about hosting retreats?

Lara: It´s like constructing the perfect party: different, interesting people, amazing food, fun activities, yoga and mixing all the chemistry to create an indelibly memorable & transformed week.

Jennifer: Getting to travel is amazing but it’s truly the bonding of the group.  We become a family.  I also love getting to see different places that I may not have seen before.  I loved the town Xinalani was nestled in; that part of the retreat felt so authentic, like we were truly a part of another culture.

XINALANI: What is it you like least?

Lara: Having to leave. (laughs)

Jennifer: Leaving. (laughs) 

XINALANI: What was it like to share Xinalani with another group?

Lara: It amplified my own happiness at the place.  Our collective enthusiasm and love for the place was palpable.  Jen, the other leader, was so fun and full of zest!

Jennifer: I was nervous at first but it was brilliant. I met new friends and I loved it!  Lara and I are planning something together now!  Isn’t that perfect?  There are no accidents.

JEN & LARA

XINALANI: What would you say to those who are unsure about coming on a yoga retreat?  Why should they take the chance and sign up for one?

Lara: In one week, your life will be enriched.  Your body will come alive, your mind will clear and shine brighter and your heart will sing.  Quite simply, it frickin’ rocks!!

Jennifer: It’s life changing.  Taking yourself out of your comfort zone and immersing yourself in love, yoga, meditation, new friends, good food, and a chance to unplug is priceless.

WHAT A JOYFUL BUNCH!

XINALANI: Anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Lara: Take a second, get on the website and book a week now!

Jennifer: Xinalani was the most amazing Manifestation Retreat I’ve manifested yet! I truly cannot bear to leave. If you want a life changing, beautiful experience: GO!!

Interview with Elise Espat

From March 3-10, 2012 we are honored to receive Elise Espat and her group of yogis!  We wanted to know a little more about her before she came down and she was gracious enough to answer some questions for us.  There is still space on her retreat so contact us if you want to come down and join her!

Xinalani: Thanks for taking the time to do this interview with us and allowing our readers to learn more about you and your upcoming yoga retreat.  How did you find out about Xinalani Retreat and why was it important to you to bring your group to our retreat in Mexico, Puerto Vallarta?

Elise:  Thank you!  Well, Xinalani has a fantastic location, which is totally ideal for a week of intense yoga practice, and it is eco-friendly which I feel is pretty important.

Xinalani: Tell us a little about how you found your practice.  How did it all start for you?

Elise:  Jane Fonda, actually.  I think I thought yoga could be a workout alternative but soon realized that something else was happening.  Something bigger.  Just to be clear, I wasn’t athletic by any means.  I was just self-conscious and confused.  From the tape I eventually got the courage to go to a “real” yoga class where other people would see me!  I was pretty worried about sticking out and looking silly and the teacher pointing at me, laughing, and announcing to everyone that I didn’t belong.  Happily, that isn’t what happened.  I think I was in some very gentle, very basic yoga class and was having a very hard time, but I made it through and afterward felt this sense of peace and clarity and I felt fantastic in a really clean way and knew I found something real that I had to hold on to.

Xinalani: What was it like to practice with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois ?

Elise:  I was really nervous when I first practiced with him in New York.  He really had this presence, this glow.  There were so many people in that room and it would get really quiet and you could hear his feet coming toward you…

Xinalani: What is Mysore Yoga?  What about it draws you in?

Elise:  Mysore is a method of teaching yoga where students work one-on-one with a teacher over a long period of time.  Once your teacher shows you some things to work on, you practice them on your own with supervision and the teacher monitors you and helps you along the way giving you verbal queues, adjustments, asanas, etc.  It is a bit chaotic from the outside because there are a lot of students doing their practice at the same time and all of it seems so different.  One person is doing surya namaskar, another is resting, another something else… But it is actually quite organized. 

It is really beautiful to watch students struggle and blossom and shine – to step into possibility and all of that. Of course, I am a student as well and go through all those same things and it is an amazing experience.

Xinalani: After years in NYC, why did you choose to leave such a large yoga community to head to a much smaller environment?

Elise:  New Mexico is a magical place.  The landscape is so vast, kind of moving in a way, spiritual.  I like being close to nature.

Xinalani: Tell us about your classes.

Elise:  Fun, honest, and probably sweaty.  The heart of the retreat will be the traditional Mysore practice with complementary workshops in the afternoons.  We’ll go over technique, tips, and tricks, theory… all that good stuff.  

Xinalani: What is your mantra today?

Elise:  Love!

Xinalani: If you could change one thing about your past life, what would it be?

Elise:    I probably would have liked to be a little wiser but I suppose that “wisdom” implies “experience” so I guess I wouldn’t change a thing.

Xinalani: What is your main goal for the next year ahead?

Elise:  Read more books! 

Xinalani: What will your group experience during your Yoga Retreat in Mexico?

Elise:  A thigh-slapping good time and a whole lot of sunshine.

Xinalani: If you could spread your love of life with the world, what advice would you give from your own personal experience?

Elise:  Follow your heart.

Xinalani: Is there anything you wish to share with our readers that we have not covered?

Elise:  Xinalani rocks!

Video Clips:

I'm in the red shirt on the far left.  This is a demonstration we did in front of the Mysore Palace in India.

I'm the second from the right.  This is a demonstration we did at the JSS Hospital in Mysore, India.

May 2012: Take a 3 week intensive at Xinalani and become a Yoga Alliance instructor

Xinalani is proud to announce that for the first time, it will be hosting a  200-hour Yoga Alliance immersion from May 12 to June 2nd, 2012. The training program will be led by  multi-style Canadian instructor Julia McCabe, an ERYT- 500, Certified Teacher (Yoga Alliance).
 
Julia McCabe has been practicing, teaching, and training yoga teachers for a decade. From Whistler, B.C, Canada to Hong Kong, Thailand, the US, Australia and Nicaragua, Julia's intense traveling led her to experience several of yoga lineages of yoga that inspired her on a deep level. "I'm multi-styled versus just one style.  I have spent extensive time with authorized Ashtangi Paul Dallaghan, with Ana Forrest , Seane Corn, Shiva Rea, as well years with top teachers in the Anusara kula.  However, I have my own power style infused with all".

Julia McCabe

The Teacher Training 21 days Program is $3,900 USD. It includes the complete tuition fee, eco-chic accommodation in a double occupancy Petite Suite, or Big Palapa (first come first served), taxes, airport pick-up and drop off/boat transport to Xinalani Retreat and a 200Hr Yoga Alliance Certification!

To ensure the student's privacy and concentration, the Xinalani Jungle Yoga studio has been reserved for the exclusive use of the teacher training program. "Morning asana begins at 6:00 a.m and we do a lot of theory and hands on practice, we pretty much live in the yoga studio for the day", says McCabe who successfully led two complete 200 hours training programs recently in Nicaragua and British Columbia.

"This is something we've been working on for a while", says owner and co-founder Jean-Baptiste Belledent. "We wanted to offer our guests the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of yoga and get a solid certification through this intensive training program. When Julia contacted us, we knew we'd found the right partner".

Xinalani was built in 2009 to host yogis and accompany them in the art of Retreat in Mexico. It has host more than a thousand guests in their quests for wellness, adventure, and true magical vacations on an unknown pristine private beach.

"This place is perfect to take your yoga to the next level of commitment, everything has been thought, designed and built for students to think of nothing else than their practice", says enthusiastic guest Janie H. "If I had had a place like that to retreat and train back when I was learning, it would have been so much easier than driving back and forth to the studio everyday". 

Learn more about Xinalani's 200 hrs Teacher Training Program and Register online. Space is limited. You can read more about Julia McCabe and ask her question through her personal website.

Delicious & Crunchy: Xinalani's Vegan Apple Cobbler

By Popular request, and as highly praised by our dearest yogini friends Heidi Kristoffer and Kathryn Budig, here's the recipe for Xinalani's famous and delicious Vegan Apple Cobbler, as prepared by Chef Sergio Campos.

Xinalani's Apple Cobbler

• 3-4 apples, peeled and sliced
• 1tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 Tbs vanilla
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup organic sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Topping

• ½ cup vegan margarine
• ½ cup brown sugar (Muscovado)
• 1 cup AP flour
• 1 cup of oats if desired

Pre-heat the oven to 350°. Lightly oil or grease a baking dish. Set aside.
Make the filling: In a large medium mixing bowl toss the apples, sugar, nutmeg, vanilla and lemon juice until evenly coated. Pour into the prepared baking dishes.
Make the topping: In a mixing bowl sift together all the dry ingredients until well combined, add melted margarine mixing until consistent. Using your hands, crumble the mixture over the apples. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold. Serve with a ball of Xinalani's coconut icecream

If you are interested in learning more tips, tricks and recipes, be sure to suscribe to our monthly newsletter or join one of our cooking classes in your next yoga or wellness retreat to Xinalani in Mexico

Hot & Sweaty at Xinalani

Xinalani recently inaugurated a brand new yoga space called the Greenhouse that can host hot yoga retreats. We wanted to offer our guests the opportunity to practice hot yoga in an exceptional facility, that could highlight the beauty of Xinalani, made out of a unique mix of jungle, beach and ocean. The Greenhouse was designed as an energy efficient building that could take advantage of the blessings of the sunshine to remain warm, yet keeping a very low impact on the environment. It's totally enclosed for the practice of hot yoga and it can host a Bikram Yoga Retreat thanks to a set of 10 electrical heaters. However, for yogis keen on a little ocean breeze, the wide openings on each side will quickly turn the Greenhouse into an open-air yoga studio, and will lower the temperature.

The Greenhouse is a truly spectacular yoga space with unique ocean and jungle views, setting a new genre in yoga studios architecture. It's a big rectangle: the large side is facing the ocean. The other wall is covered with mirrors that create an amazing sensation of space allowing you to see the ocean from all positions. The dimensions are 24 ft x 50 ft - total area: 1,250 sq ft, which holds comfortably up to 40 people practicing.

"Flowing your sun salutations in a pristine environment, enjoying the special contact of the lushness of the jungle, the heat of the beach and the prana of the ocean, really brings your practice to the next level." says Jen K. an apprentice currently attending a 500 hrs Hot Vinyasa Flow Teacher Training in California who signed up for a retreat at Xinalani to pamper herself between two training immersions.

Mexico is an amazing place for a yoga retreat, and Xinalani is now one of the leading destination beach yoga resort of the world. Everything is available at the same place: sea, sun, beach, great yoga, surf, stand-up paddle boards, contact with nature, mind-blowing adventures and excursions, world-class massages, the peace and quiet of a remote yet very accessible island location, the genuine kindness of the mexicans and the friendly and supporting staff serving delicious and healthy food.

Get yourself out of the freezing winter and come down for a week retreat at Xinalani. Contact us now!