Australian Yoga Journal — January 2018

114

january 2018

yogajournal.com.au

EXPERIENCE

travel

1. SOAK UP SOUND THERAPY*
   Tuning into the vibrational sounds
   of nature is another way (yoga being
   the first!) to come into union with
   the world, explains Sanará’s studio
   coordinator Alessandra Montana, a
   certified sound therapist. To try this
   at home, set an intention to channel
   the energy you’ll be working with in
   a positive, mindful way. Sit in a
   comfortable posture that allows you
   to connect to your breath and simply
   listen to the natural sounds around you.
   “Hear with your entire body by feeling
   the vibrations as far inside you as the
   center of your heart,” says Montana.
   Then, bask in the afterglow of love
   and light.

Pristine beaches and the healing spirit of the Maya have lured yogis to

Tulum, Mexico, for decades. Our favourite retreat? Sanará, with its low-key

yet modern architecture; rooms that feel like refuges; and a sun-soaked,

waterfront yoga studio. Experience some of Sanará’s offerings at home

with these self-care tips for relaxing and resetting. By Tasha Eichenseher

2. INDULGE
   Sanará’s restaurant, The Real Coconut,
   serves up the fleshy fruit in unique
   recipes including coconut-flour
   quesadillas, coconut fish ceviche, and
   this heart-healthy Very Berry Chia
   Parfait from Sanará cofounder Daniella
   Hunter: In a bowl, whisk together
   1 tbsp chia seeds with 1 cup of coconut
   milk and tsp vanilla extract, and
   refrigerate until it gels. In a Mason jar,
   layer 3 tbsp berry jam (mixed with
   another 1tbsp chia seeds); 2 tbsp
   coconut milk–chia seed mixture; 1/4
   cup coconut yogurt; and three sliced
   strawberries. Repeat, cover, refrigerate
   for a few hours, then top with fresh
   mint sprigs before serving.
   3. TAP INTO MAYAN HEALING*
   Many of the Mayan healing practices
   offered at Sanará are based on the
   belief that your stomach represents
   your mental and physical well-being.
   This belly self-massage from Sanará
   therapist Harumi Barrios is for calming
   the mind and connecting with heartfelt
   wishes: Lie on your back, close your
   eyes, and feel for your pulse around
   your belly button with your middle and
   pointer fingers. Move the massage from
   the center of your belly to the right
   side, then up to your ribs, along the
   underside of your ribs, down the left
   side, and then across the bottom of
   your belly. Continue making circles for
   5 to 20 minutes.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF SANARA

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*Consult a doctor if you are pregnant