“Highlights of the week included meditation on the beach ….”

In April, Kelsey did the Yoga Intensive Week me at Los Clavos Surf Camp, Nicaragua. I got her to answer a few questions about the week.

How much did you know about Ashtanga Yoga before you arrived in Nicaragua?
I had only practised Ashtanga Yoga one time before I went to Nicaragua. In a nut shell, I knew absolutely nothing. I actually only considered signing up for the Ashtanga Yoga after I made my decision to spend a week at the surf camp. I was looking for a beach holiday!

And now??? Will you continue to practise Ashtanga Yoga??
I will definitely continue to practise. I have been converted. I’ve had a cheat sheet of all the Primary Series postures on my phone since leaving Nicaragua and I still refer to it during my movement meditation.

Tell us a bit about the daily Alignment Class.
The Alignment Classes taught me about the history of Ashtanga Yoga and how the practice has developed. I have been able to explain this to friends and family, which is nice.

I learnt the proper alignment for each of the Primary Series of Ashtanga Yoga postures which then helped me in my practice each morning. I was really able to recognize where and when I needed to correct myself, to not only prevent injuries, but better my practice. This is something that you rarely get at a studio and it’s improved my practice a lot. I really learnt to appreciate the benefits of meditation.

What were your highlights of the week??
Highlights of the week included beach meditation and the downtime between practice and breakfast. I was able to spend that time reflecting on my practice and writing a little bit in my journal! The second highlight was lobster night with the Los Clavos family. That was my first night at the camp. It really set the tone for the week!

If you had to rename this week, what would it be?
Hmmm, everything I can think of sounds cheesy. But how about, “Learning to Live with Silence and Laugh After.” Julia really taught me to hold on to my tranquil state after meditation and to appreciate that quiet time on the beach. That was a big learning point for me. It felt difficult at first, but I will take this with me for my practice. That being said, though, it was great to be able to be silly and laugh after rejoining the Los Clavos banter at breakfast.

Yoga Intensive Weeks run throughout the season at Los Clavos Surf Camp
starting on Saturdays. For further details, visit this page.