xvi INTRODUCTION
started to sink in. I had narrowly escaped, with just some minor gashes and a
limp, what could have been a life-changing, devastating accident. I declined
to go to the hospital, and after I signed some papers, the paramedics cleared
me to leave.
I hobbled back to my car, and every time I stepped onto my right foot,
my knee gave out. This condition continued for many months. The injury
continued to bother me when I walked, and jogging was definitely out of
the question. I was resigned to the fact that my joy for running was now a
thing of the past.
Ten years after my accident, I was in Costa Rica conducting an interna-
tional Holistic Yoga Flow teacher training. Once a year, for the past three
years, my wife Lauren and I invite people from all over the world to join us
for a three-week intensive teacher training. It includes 10 hours a day of yoga
practice, meditation, lectures, workshops, homework, and teaching practice
for 21 days straight.
Lauren teaches half the day, and then I teach the other half. The retreat
center that particular year was at the Costa Rica Yoga Spa, located up in the
hills of Nosara. This majestic part of the country is nestled between the Mon-
tana and Nosara rivers, with breathtaking views of Costa Rica’s Gold Coast
of Guanacaste.
On our last full day of the training I decided to do a trail run through the
jungle, as I had done many times over the last weeks. But this time felt dif-
ferent. I found myself drenched in sweat, my heart thundering, and at times it
felt like it could explode out my chest. I don’t mean that in a dangerous way; I
mean it in the best possible way. I had never felt so invigorated, awake, clear,
inspired, and full to the brim with vitality. My body felt invincible, like I was
a superhero! My mind felt sharp and my heart radiantly alive. It was one of
those rare moments that’s truly a peak experience.
As I continued to run through the hills, not one soul was in sight. In fact, I
hadn’t seen another person for well over three hours. But there had been an
abundance of other life forms. Periodically, I heard a big rumble coming from
the trees. It almost sounded like a monster from a child’s bedtime story. In
this case, though, it was howler monkeys, famous in this part of the country.
They move as a tribe through the trees, rummaging for their favorite food.
Although their howl is quite intimidating, they keep to themselves and are
harmless. I also saw some shy and much more rare spider monkeys, and I
stopped briefly to exchange eye contact with one in particular. It looked nerv-
ous, but I did my best to communicate with my eyes that I came in respect
and peace. Then it went along its way, and I continued my run. At that point
in the run, I had set a new personal record, having covered more than 14
miles (23.5 km) with some dramatic total elevation gains and all without a
bite of food or a drop of water.