Handstands!!

Hola!

I’ve been back in Denver for a visit and have spent some quality time with my family, friends and my teachers. I have spent the past several months living very simply and modestly…. in the jungle… on the beach….and it has been amazing! It was a bit overwhelming coming back to the States for me…so many decisions…so much traffic…so many people! I have realized, that I am happiest living very closely connected to nature, and away from life’s daily distractions….like cell phones…traffic lights….and just too many choices in general! I also realize that this too becomes a state of comfort….as much as I enjoy my “Pura Vida” lifestyle on a daily basis, I also need to reach beyond my comfort zone….if I want to see my family and community here.

This is where the yoga and the surfing come in. Finding comfort in the discomfort, skillfully navigating and mindfully maneuvering. Being able to stand on your hands, or on your board! Chasing a moving target, and also being held by your own unwavering strength! Life will continually pull us in many directions, and it also requires us to stand up for our right! The right to live our lives and follow our dreams, while also taking into consideration the people affected by our choices. Being good in the world isn’t always easy….and there is always a sacrifice.

While I am encountering this crazy, beautiful life….I’m at least gonna have fun! I’ve included a few handstand demos one with Desi, my teacher and friend…the other on a riverside in CO. So grateful for my old home and my new one! Love yoga…love surfing!! LOVE LIFE!!

Killing the comfort zone

Hola Friends,

Sridaiva

I have just arrived back in Denver after attending Desi Springer and John Friend’s Sridaiva workshop in San Jose, Costa Rica. This is my first trip back home to Denver, after spending several months in Costa Rica. I moved to Denver when I was 21 years old, and I met Desi Springer when I was 27. I am now 35 and have spent the past 8 years studying under Desi, and 5 of those years teaching at Vital Yoga, which she and her sister Micah own and operate. In addition to being one of my most beloved teachers, Desi is also one of best friends.

New Methodology

I have also been a student of Anusara Yoga for many of those years, and have benefited tremendously from the philosophy, and of course from the universal principals of alignment. These principals have been a valuable asset and practical tool during my years of study and practice. I know them like the back of my hand, they have become a place of comfort, of familiarity…..like home. When Desi and John introduced me to the new methodology behind Sridaiva, I was resistant and questioning….why? They were asking me to do things that felt strange and foreign in body, things that defied the principles that I had lived by for so long! In addition to being unfamiliar, it was freaking hard, asking my body to work in a different way, that required waking up some muscles that have also been living ‘pura vida” style!

The Unknown

We humans struggle with change, with unfamiliarity….we fear the unknown. But as we all know, some of the best adventures in life arise from “killing our comfort zone!” The first few days applying the new technology in my body and my mind made me more than uncomfortable…it was actually really pissing me off! Kind of like the first few months I was learning to surf and my continual struggle to learn Spanish and be able to communicate with my new friends! At the same time it left me wanting more, I began to connect with the new alignment and embraced the challenge of my own evolution….one that requires me to sometimes sit with the discomfort, to face my demons, to be embrace the unknown…..and most of all to be open to the ever expanding nature of the universe!

Another Adventure

I have decided after scrupulous debate that this new methodology is of service to myself and my students. I will continue to explore this new technology with an open heart and an open mind, embracing the unknown and embarking on yet another adventure!

Peace!

New Technology

Hola Friends,

This has been an exciting weekend. I am in San Jose attending a Sridaiva workshop with Desi Springer and John Friend. Desi has been one of my most beloved teachers and friends for nearly a decade. She and her sister Micah are the founders of Vital Yoga in Denver, where I studied and taught the yoga that I love for many years.

When she introduced the new methodology to me last week at Shaka, you could say I was a bit resistant. I immediately questioned why? Why would I want to do this? The old “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. Desi answered my questions with kind, logical, intelligent answers. She has obviously had her head  in the books, and spent some quality time on her mat exploring this new technology….and that is really what is….new technology.

Just as technology is continually evolving and advancing…so are we. Our bodies and our minds also require software updates and upgrades. Learning these new operating systems can be frustrating and often times challenging, but necessary for further growth and expansion.

I am in the process of exploring this new practice with an open heart and an open mind…..I will keep you posted as I practice this alignment more in depth over the next few week.

Gracias!

Ride the Wave!!

I’ve been kicking it in Costa Rica now for about seven months. When I arrived from Denver, I had only surfed a handful of times in my youth, while living in Florida…..that was a long time ago! So, at the ripe age of thirty-five, I have taken on one of the most difficult sports out there. It has been quite the humbling experience to say the least, and also one of the the most exciting! I have learned countless lessons about life and about myself, all while paddling my ass off trying to navigate through the powerful waves.

You never know what the day will present, some days the ocean is peaceful and forgiving….other days ferocious and relentless. Each time I paddle out, the experience is different. It’s the butter and shit analogy…that’s right…butter and shit, so well stated by Dr. Douglas Brooks. The universe is throwing two things at you…butter and shit…so you’d better get really good at dodging the shit…..and really good at receiving the butter!

Seems simple enough…right? Well, I’m still struggling, to be honest. One of the things I struggle with the most, is being fearful…I get scared of the shit and the gigantic waves!  Fear is necessary and helpful at times, but we can’t let it consume us either. The other day, I decided that I wasn’t going to be scared anymore….without good reason of course. I have good knowledge of the break, I am a strong paddler, and I have the most important thing….desire to kick ass…. and to get some butter!

IMG_6797Yesterday, I went surfing with that mind set and did just that! It was freaking awesome! Just what I needed to boost my moral! The ocean accommodated that desire for a second, letting me win a few….then she chewed me up and spit me out the next day! Defeated again….only for a moment!

Today however, was the best day I’ve ever had in the water….the months of practice finally had paid off! Riding a 6’4, short board, actually catching and riding most of the waves I attempted! When I awoke this morning, I was feeling a bit beat down and questioning whether or not I should even paddle out….so happy I did! Victory….at last….for now anyway!

Such is the pulsation of life….the continual ebb and flow….the rise and the fall…the peak and the trough. Without these fluctuations, we wouldn’t be able to ride the waves at all! Who wants to surf in a still ocean?!? Not me, I need a little more excitement than that! I’d rather have all of life’s confusing joy, with it’s pleasure and pain, it’s victory and it’s triumph!

With that being said, I also want to be skillful enough to get the hell out of the trough! My dear friend and teacher Desi Springer once said to me, “‘Megs, recognize the importance of the darkness, but always head in the direction of the light.” I will never forget the priceless value of those sincere words.

 

Ocean of Possibility

 

A SolaLunaYoga Reunion

“Ocean of Possibility”

With Megan Panchinin

palm tree

Vital Yoga Denver, CO

Friday, June 7th from 7:00-9:00pm

Cost: $25.00

 

Dear Friends,

 

I am requesting your presence for an evening of yogic celebration! After spending eight months in beautiful Costa Rica, I am returning home for a visit! I would love to share my personal adventures and new insights, regarding this infinite ocean of possibility we call life! We will explore these concepts through asana and pranayama. Can’t wait to see you all!!

 

 

In Gratitude,

Megan Panchinin

 

3 Week Get Fit Update!

Hola Friends,

We are a little over a week into our 3 week get fit program and things have been going well. I am getting into the flow, feeling strong and I’m excited to keep this going for a while. We both lost a few lb’s…not bad for the first week!

From Playa Hermosa to Playa Carmen

In addition to the diet, as far as exercise goes, we are mostly doing yoga and surfing. We had intended to do a little more of a variety, but we have had a full camp at Shaka and been keeping pretty busy around here! I did manage to bike a about 8 miles and Mo’e and I paddled the surf boards 4 miles…. all the way from Playa Hermosa to Playa Carmen! That was one of the most difficult things I have done in a while! Twice during the journey, I nearly broke down in tears I was so fatigued, but I pulled it together, sucked it up and made my way.

A State of Exhaustion

Whenever I get to a state of exhaustion like that, where I think I can’t go on, I have a few scenarios that I like to play out in my mind. I like to pretend I’m an Indian crossing the Rocky Mountains in a snow storm with a tee pee on my back. That’s one example…..the new one that I came up with during the journey, was to pretend I was in a ship wreck, stranded on a plank of wood, in shark infested water and I can spot an island in the distance….Playa Carmen was the island and I was gonna make it there without getting eaten alive! We don’t have to worry about sharks here, thank goodness, but it helped motivate me to keep moving!!

Remember Your Strength

It truly is amazing what we can accomplish when we put our minds to it! Our minds will always give up before our bodies, we have to push beyond that barrier and break into the power that lies within. This is true with anything, whether you are committing to a 3 week cleanse, a four mile paddle or a 90 minute yoga class! Remember your strength, reclaim your power and experience the natural high of completing an extraordinary challenge!

3 week get fit update

Hola Friends,

We are four days into our 3 week cleanse and I have a video update for you guys. Things are going well, just getting over the initial hump that always accompanies a cleanse. I have done cleanses for a few years now and pretty much know what to expect. I must say, this one has been a little more difficult for me, since I had to take antibiotics for an infection from a burn on my foot. Anytime we take antibiotics, they disrupt the bacterial flow in our digestive system. I have worked for several years to establish a healthy digestive system, so I am a little bummed that my gut health is compromised right now. I am however grateful that I didn’t have to have my leg amputated with Carlos’ Machete (Carlos is the gardener at Shaka)…which I thought may happen if I didn’t take the medicine! So, I will be working on the restoration with plenty of my raw goat milk kefir…..and of course the chicha!! Stay tuned for our weigh in and measurements on Friday!

 

The 3 week get fit program!

Hola Friends,

3 week get fit program!

We are just getting started on a 3 week get fit program here at Shaka Surf Camp and Sol a Luna Yoga. We are eating super clean food, surfing, doing yoga, running, biking, and more! So, the participants in the program include, myself, Mo’e, Krista and Cristelia. The motivating factor….Mo’e is turning the big 40 on the 21st of February…so we are his support group. Also, I am in desperate need of an internal house cleaning. I had a severe burn on my foot a month ago and while I was hammock surfing licking my wounds, I was also licking Trits….that’s right the best ice cream sandwiches on the planet, chased with a bottle of Flor de Cana rum! So, the time has come and I am ready to get it back!

The Stats!

We are going to be filming this process on my YouTube channel. I will be posting daily videos of food preparation, so you guys can join us on this journey to cleandom! Mo’e and I took our measurements to begin the journey and document our progress. I was not pleased when the fat pinchers came out and I still think that whoever came up with the ratios give the men an advantage! We took our measurements and I came in at 19% body fat and Mo’e at 17%, I weighed 147 lbs and Mo’e at 209 lbs. So, every week I will update the channel with a new video and stats, documenting our progress. Stay tuned, should be entertaining and educational!

The Yoga of Desire

Hola Friends,

megThis is my first actual blog for Sol a Luna Yoga. In the past three months,  I have been writing more than I ever have before. Creating my website, blogging for Shaka Beach Retreat and most recently for Anamaya Yoga and Retreat Center  It has been an extremely challenging and fun experience and has pushed me beyond my comfort zone.

Where there is a will, there is a way!

I am continually amazed by our abilities…..where there is a will, there is a way! The power of desire is one of the most potent energies of the Universe, this combined with knowledge and action, create a force unstoppable. We are stronger than we think we are and we need to begin to own that strength! We need to realize our potency, stop complaining and make some shit happen…..P.S. this message is for me too!

The collective effort!

Seriously People, it’s time for us to wake up to ask ourselves what is the future we wish to create? Remember, the mind creates in the area in which it is focused. Instead of yelling about what we don’t want, maybe we should begin to focus on what we do want! So, what about the collective effort? If we are all collectively supporting one another and sharing our gifts, won’t we benefit as a whole? This requires being the center of your universe and not of someone else’s!

Killing your comfort zone!

Killing your comfort zone, yep that’s right. To push yourself beyond your normal limits. To dig deep and begin to embrace the power of your human potential…..this takes desire, a whole hell of a lot of it. It also requires knowledge in order for there to be an action. Meaning, if you desire something and you don’t have the knowledge to back it up…..it probably isn’t gonna work so well.

Grow beyond our embedded self limitations!

We have to educate ourselves and practice the things in which we hope to become successful at…..that’s just the way it is. In other words, we have to work our asses of to achieve our goals. I don’t know about you but I don’t mind working my ass off to do what I love to do. So, if I can write blogs, it proves that we have the potential to grow beyond our embedded self limitations. It proves that we can shift something within, that we never thought possible.

A highly enlightened existence!

We are magnificently intelligent creatures with powerful desires and courageous hearts. We are embarking upon a highly enlightened existence and we need to embrace this reality through it’s pleasures and pains. It is necessary for our continued growth and evolution. But, guess what? We are in it together! Each one of us on the journey to discovering the pathway to the heart!

This ain’t no rest home!

No more procrastinating, no more tomorrow! Time has a funny way of speeding up and life will continue to move by more and more quickly. So, be the creator of your vision, be the center of your universe! The time is now, the urgency important….like having to pee! Don’t wait until you’ve peed your pants, save that for the rest-home! If you would like to find out how to speed up this process, please subscribe to my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/solalunayoga and receive my updates relating to yoga, philosophy, nutrition and more.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog! Until next time….