When I met my fiancé three years ago, I knew little about the true lifestyle of a surfer. The stereotypical, annoying caricature of a bleached blond repeating the mantra "hey dude!" at every turn, was burned into my brain, and the only image I could conjure when this man that I loved immediately, told me that he was indeed... a dedicated surfer. But he was thoughtful, and smart. He had ambition! Everything my preconceived notions had told me a surfer was not. So, I did not run for the hills. I stayed, and tried to develop my own appreciation for this possibly misunderstood activity.
And soon the inevitable happened. Like any fanatic or addict, my now fiancé (let's call him "K") wanted me to join him in his surf obsession. If only we could do this sport together! I could be his enlightened surfer girl... and we would have fun frolicking in the waves... talking for hours later about how "rad" that wave was, comparing board wax, and eventually making fun of the "kooks" until we could laugh no more... ah, the memories we could create! So, needless to say, like any good girlfriend would, I squeezed into my very first wetsuit and we loaded up the car and headed for the beach.
It wasn't that K was a bad teacher. It wasn't even necessarily that nobody had warned me about that slimy, warm feeling I would have to endure when I realized that if I had to pee, it would be close to my skin for a good couple of hours while I "learned to surf", making me "hold it" for longer than what was comfortable... Could it have been the FREEZING Nova Scotia climate? The combination of all these things certainly did not help. No. But I am certain it was truly my lack of familiarity with the ocean, and more specifically, the ocean's waves, that convinced me I would never surf again.
The specific wave that seemed to hold a special dislike for me, took me, flipped me more than once, filled my mouth with salty water and sent me into an underwater panic where I wasn't sure if I would find my next breath. Well, obviously I found it, as did I find my way back to the shore. And then to the car, where I sat, silently reflecting on my frightening experience. I longed for my yoga class. Safe, calm, every bit as enlightening as surfing, yet on land. Well, been there done that, was my satisfied sum of my surf experience. Can't he just come with me to Yoga? His answer was a self-conscious "no". He didn't like the idea of being the least flexible guy in the room. Well wasn't that the point? To become more flexible? But still, he continued to drag his feet. It would take time away from his surfing. So, stubborn as we both are, I would not surf and he would not yoga. As my future father-in-law would say -"Case closed. End of discussion. Period." Well, Namaste.
This is why, almost three years later, I find it so fascinating that K and I have booked our honeymoon trip as a Costa Rica surf/yoga discovery vacation. Yes, you read correctly, I have agreed to give it another shot. If - that is - K agrees to make yoga as much of a priority as surfing. There were several influences in making this decision. One being my ever-increasing love of Yoga; Ashtanga, Kindulini, Bikrahm, you name it, I love it. Studying at the Canadian studio, Moksha (a form of flow yoga in extreme heat) has been my personal favorite. My love of Yoga, like K's love of surfing was dividing our spare time from one another, something we both value. Another influence was my fiancé's chronic back issues. Reading extensively about surf-yoga has shown me just how crucial it is for surfers to balance their ocean routine with some strength training that combines stretching. Nothing does this better than Yoga, and since I'm getting married to Mr. K, I'd like him to be as healthy as possible for as long as possible. His incentive, besides getting me to try surfing again, is all the many reports on how costaricasurfguru.com/surf-yoga Surf Yoga enhances a surfer's ability in the water and, of course on the board. Balance, focus, and peace of mind, are all commonly noted as shared threads between surfing and Yoga. Another reason behind this Costa Rica surf and yoga trip was an article I recently read where a celebrity whom I both admire for her talent and physicality, stated in a magazine "Surfing is like Yoga on the water. You engage your body, mind and spirit." Call me a sucker, but the notion of "Yoga on the water" got me inspired to try again.
The main attraction for this surf/yoga quest, of course, was Costa Rica itself. Learning of the many surf camps, retreats and incredible yoga studios and teachers "had" me like a kid in a candy store. K and I will be checking out a number of locations like Tamarindo, Mal Pais, Dominical, and Jacó, but the one we're most excited about is our 7-day Montezuma Yoga Retreat. Right now, we're figuring out which program to try - Montezuma Yoga (with instructor Dagmar Sprember), Davaya (at Davaya Yoga) or La Escuela Del Sol. I feel confident that if we both persevere we will eventually solve this incredibly daunting life-altering dilemma, and pick one!
After all, isn't yoga about being a warrior? About being brave, and strong, both physically, and spiritually, in the face of uncertainty? Well, we'll see. All I know is that this adventure has us both opening our minds more than either of us would have thought all those moons ago. I will get to know my wave. K will get to know his Yoga mat. And if all else fails we will be surrounded by Costa Rica in all its glorious beauty. Could be worse right?
Namaste!
Reagan Pasternak is an actor, writer, and fitness buff. She is also a contributing editor to CostaRicaSurfGuru.com, a travel guide to Costa Rica for surfers, eco-tourists, and adventure seekers. Reagan has been practices Moksha Yoga, a branch of "hot Yoga" derived from Bikram Yoga.
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