With the chaos of busy schedules, managing work, children and the fast-paced world in which we now live, more and more of us are seeking retreat, relaxation and repose for our minds, bodies and souls.
Whilst gyms, health centres and aerobics classes are fantastic options for keeping fit and maintaining healthy, toned bodies, many of us are neglecting to attend to the health of our minds and souls, and failing to achieve a sense of complete peace and calm.
The beauty of Yoga is the coming together of all three elements that make up a human being, and achieving a practice that is physical, mindful and spiritual.
Tired and frazzled from juggling a small child, a hectic work schedule and a busy social life, I attended a workshop at Radiant Yoga Marbella in order to find this ‘enlightenment’ and ‘freedom’ that we are told Yoga offers.
The Tantric Yoga and Meditation Workshop with Lucas Benet at Radiant Yoga Marbella was the perfect opportunity to not only enjoy a thorough and rigorous Yoga work out, but also to gain a deeper understanding of the practice of meditation, as well as insight on the workings of the human mind and body. It consisted of a heart opening Hatha Yoga practice, Pranayama, Philosophy and different Meditation techniques.
Lucas Benet, an experienced osteopath and certified Anusara Yoga teacher with more than 20 years of professional training, immersed us fully into this intensive workshop, beginning with a riveting talk on Tantra, where we were encouraged to ask questions, participate and gain as much understanding as possible.
Within moments of commencing, Lucas had asked me something and I sat, wide eyed and blank-faced. I had not heard the question! My mind had been wandering; shopping lists, babysitters, deadlines and bills. Clearly I was in need of this course.
Lucas did not seem surprised; he explained that we were here in order to achieve a state of awareness and mindfulness, which is the essence of Tantra.
The true meaning of Tantra is the practice of ‘being present’, where the body and mind are connected in the same time and place in a state of consciousness. He explained that the more we apply this to our lives, the easier the practice will become. As thoughts took hold and our minds began to wander, we were encouraged to bring them back, centring ourselves to find balance and a state of awareness.
As the workshop progressed, we moved through flowing movements, sun salutations, poses and balancing positions that demanded our complete focus, and I soon found myself immersed in the moment, aware of my breathing, my positioning and devoid of worries of the outside world. Lucas continued to clarify that we are all connected, to each other, to nature and to the universe, and that our energy must flow seamlessly from within to the outside world and vice versa.
We partnered up, using each other’s bodies, strength and resistance to gain deeper stretches and to help each other acquire more challenging positions, including inversions such as handstands, which are some of the most energising but also relaxing poses.
As I stood on my hands and breathed through deep, trying stretches, I found that the energy was moving through me sinuously and I was effortlessly ‘present’, so when the class finally came to an end, I was thoroughly disappointed to be returning to ‘real life’. I was stunned at how quickly I had been able to achieve this sense of liberation and awareness, and was immediately convinced of the power of yoga to attain order, serenity and composure in my everyday life.
Following the resounding success of this initial workshop, Radiant Yoga Marbella will be commencing its first Anusara Immersion Training Course. This module will be made up of a series of workshops that will cover in detail all the basic elements of the philosophy and Asana Alignment Technique for Anusara Yoga. The 100-hour course will run over six to nine weekends, and will be taught in both English and Spanish.
This is a great opportunity to delve deeper into the Anusara tradition and it will provide a good foundation of practical understanding of Anusara Yoga for all enthusiastic students, those who wish to enter an Anusara Hatha Yoga Teacher Training or who would like to enhance their Hatha Yoga Practice & Philosophy.
For more information view our events page on Facebook.