In this Daily: Beach Yoga as Town Engages with Costa Rica’s History of Practice
This morning featured yoga at the beach terrace, one of three yoga classes on August’s weekly activity schedule, and one potential sign as to the growth of town’s tradition of wellness. There’s an intrinsic harmony between yoga and the outdoors, especially when enjoyed together. Both represent connection the self and natural rhythms, both offer a chance to get away from the busyness of life and focus on being still and centered, and both have countless benefits to the physical self.
There is a rich culture of practice in Costa Rica that traces back centuries, and with three weekly yoga classes now offered in town, it will be interesting to see how that history continues to grow and evolve in Las Catalinas.
Beach Yoga, as Town Engages with an Ancient History of Practice
Just as yoga and the outdoors align, the rich natural wealth of Costa Rica has lent to a culture of mindfulness and practice that predates the arrival of yoga in the country by thousands of years. As long as people have been inspired to sit still and simply listen to the natural world around them, there has been practice in the outdoors, taking shape and form in many ways throughout the country’s history.
The rise of Costa Rica as an international yoga destination has been recent, at least on the country’s scale, tracing its roots back to the 1970s, when the ancient Indian art began to find a small foothold in the country. With the rise of Yoga’s popularity over the course of the next 50 years, towns like Nosara began to gain international notoriety as destinations to travel, experience natural environments unlike any in the world, and practice.
Today, Costa Rica is among the top destinations in the world for yoga travelers and retreats, with a strong base of both locals and expatriates each influenced by the towns and regions in which they practice. It’s for this reason that seeing the growth of yoga will be interesting to watch over the course of the next few years. The arrival of consistent, Las Catalinas-based yoga classes is just the start.
From there, only time will tell how the culture of yoga, mindfulness, and practice engage with the growing town of Las Catalinas. Whatever it is, it is sure to be unique.