2012 paya calendar

The official 2012 Paya Bay calendar is now ready for review. Book early to get 2011 rates!

exploring dance at ananda

In what was a dream come true for me, last night at the Ananda Movement Center we explored freeform dancing based on the teachings of Gabrielle Roth and her transformational 5Rhythms® "dance as a journey to the soul" methods.

It wasn't long before everyone was being danced by Spirit! It turned out to be an absolutely amazing evening! Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

life is now

The eternal present is the space within which your whole life unfolds, the one factor that remains constant. Life is now. There was never a time when your life was not now, nor will there ever be.

- Eckhart Tolle

grand cayman blue iguana back from the brink

We expect to reach our goal of 1,000 iguanas in managed protected areas in the wild in a few years. After that, we will monitor the iguanas to make sure they are reproducing in the numbers needed to maintain the wild population. If we get positive results, we will have succeeded.

- Fred Burton, Director of the Grand Cayman Blue Iguana Recovery Program

Photo and source: Great News Network

Yay! I love GNN!

quote of the day

Everything is a wave.

- Paula Tursi

working the law

If you want to attract a better job or anything better than what you currently have, it is important to understand how the law of attraction works.

You know that to bring in something better you must imagine what that better thing looks like in your mind, and then live in that picture as though it is here now. But you should also know that if you complain about your current job, for example, and continue to focus on all the negative things, you will never bring the better job to you. You must look for the things to be grateful for in your current job. Each thing you find to be grateful for is helping to bring that better job to you. That is really working the law!

- lessons from The Secret

quote of the day

There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come.

- Victor Hugo

See or read The Secret. It's important.

honduras immersion

"Honduras Immersion," a yoga retreat and teacher training intensive led by Paula Tursi (Reflections Yoga, New York City) and Peter Kaaberbøl (Denmark) is the first group to make use of the new Ananda Movement Center at Paya Bay Resort. The immersion started July 21 and continues through August 18.

It's truly amazing how the movement center came together so beautifully. We are so happy to welcome Paula, Peter, and their multinational group of yogis to Paya!

Namaste, amigos!

tolle on religion

Religions, to a large extent, became divisive rather than unifying forces. Instead of bringing about an ending of violence and hatred through a realization of the fundamental oneness of all life, they brought more violence and hatred, more divisions between people as well as between different religions and even within the same religion. They became ideologies, belief systems people could identify with and so use them to enhance their false sense of self. Through them, they could make themselves "right" and others "wrong" and thus define their identity through their enemies, the "others," the "nonbelievers" or "wrong believers" who not infrequently they saw themselves justified in killing.

- Eckhart Tolle

My thoughts exactly on this subject. [Speaker gets on his soapbox.] This Tolle quote is especially timely and relevent given the tragic events in Norway this weekend. A nightmare of hatred allegedly carried out by a religious fundamentalist. If fear, hate and killing are the results of any spiritual concept or idea, there is something fundamentally flawed with that concept or idea, and it should be discarded from the collective human consciousness. That's why I keep a safe distance from nearly all 'organized religions' and explore alternate ways to experience spirituality. I urge others to do the same.

Consider the dreadful track record of some religions thus far: the Inquisition, the Crusades, countless assassinations, rapes, massacres and wars, the eternal cauldron of hate that is the Middle East, the crimes of colonization, the crimes of slavery, Madrid 2004, 9/11, Oslo 2011, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Enough already! I look forward to a New Earth free of the insanity of these oppressive, hate-filled, farcical "I have the only answer" dogmas. There simply must be a better answer for humanity's spiritual needs than this absurd madness.

Time to wake up, folks. The emperor (religion) has no clothes. I know the collective change in consciousness needed seems monumental, but as Mahatma Gandhi wisely instructed us, "You must be the change you want to see in the world."  If not YOU, who? If not NOW, when?

memories of esalen

Forget everything you've learned up until now. Your life is starting over. Now you are REALLY going to start living.

- Tihikpas, Native American sage and shaman (on the left in photo; another new friend, Cheryl, is on the right). Esalen

quote of the day

The way is shown with the first step.

the ananda movement center

a·nan·da: Noun: (in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism) Extreme happiness, one of the highest states of being.

I'm back in Roatan after a wonderful break in Big Sur, California. Upon returning I found that master builder Miguel Padilla and his team had completed the final touches on what I've been calling the "yoga pavilion," henceforth to be known as The Ananda Movement Center. While certainly ideal for practicing yoga, these 1,200 square feet of extraordinary space can also be used for other types of movement 'medicine': dance, tai chi, aerobics, etc. And 'movement' isn't necessarily limited to just the physical body; I suspect many will also experience both mind and/or spiritual movement. Calling this beautiful and sacred space a 'movement center' is, therefore, the description that probably best portrays both its intent and its tremendous potential. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

This could very well be the premier yoga and movement facility in Central America...

It's time to celebrate this accomplishment and give thanks for the divine guidance provided. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

just give!

Is this a thought that you hold?

"I have no money to give, but when I have money then I will give."

If it is, you will never have money. The fastest way to attract anything is to give it to another, so if it is money you want to attract, then give it. You can give $10 or $5 or $1. It doesn't matter what the amount is, just give it. It doesn't matter how much and it doesn't matter where you give it, just give!

- lessons from The Secret

time and the mind

Why does the mind habitually deny or resist the Now? Because it cannot function and remain in control without time, which is past and future, so it perceives the timeless Now as threatening. Time and mind are in fact inseparable.

- Eckhart Tolle

the baths at esalen

Fed by natural hot springs that come directly out of the mountainside, the clothing-optional spa facility at Esalen is anchored in the cliffside right above the Pacific Ocean. People come from all over the world to enjoy the heavenly hot tubs in this architectural masterpiece.

you are one with all there is

Identification with your mind creates an opaque screen of concepts, labels, images, words, judgments, and definitions that blocks all true relationship. It comes between you and yourself, between you and your fellow man and woman, between you and nature, between you and God. It is this screen of thought that creates the illusion of separateness, the illusion that there is you and a totally separate "other." You then forget the essential fact that, underneath the level of physical appearances and separate forms, you are one with all that is.

- Eckhart Tolle

glimpses of esalen

Esalen is such a spectacular place. Here are a few glimpses of the grounds...

The sweat lodge. I'll be entering it tomorrow morning...

back in cali

I'm currently in Big Sur, California, one of my all-time favorite places. I'm spending a week at self-exploration and recharging at the incredibly special Esalen Institute. I'm happy and grateful for my good fortune.

always something to be grateful for

Criticism can be very subtle in the way it creeps into our thoughts. Here are some examples of criticism to help you become aware of its subtlety, so you can eliminate it from your thoughts:

The weather is awful today.
The traffic is terrible.
The service is really bad.
Oh no, look at the line.
He/she is always late.
How long do we have to wait for our order?
That motorist is a lunatic.
It's so hot in here.
I've been on hold for so long!

These are subtle things, but the law of attraction is listening to them all. You have the ability to appreciate something in every single circumstance. There is always something to be grateful for.

- lessons from The Secret

marine species facing 'unprecedented threats'

...it turns out that even the fathomless depths of the oceans have limits. The U.N. reports that 32% of global fish stocks are overexploited or depleted and as much as 90% of large species like tuna and marlin have been fished out in the past half-century. Once-plentiful species like Atlantic cod have been fished to near oblivion, and delicacies like bluefin tuna are on an arc toward extinction. A recent report by the International Programme on the State of the Ocean found that the world's marine species faced threats "unprecedented in human history" — and overfishing is part of the problem.

Source: Time

cashew roast

Last night I joined my friends Lisa, Sandra, and Al for a cashew roast at Al and Sandra's place in Sandy Bay. Roasting cashews is an old island tradition (and one I had not participated in since I was a kid). Fun times!

The husks of the cashew seeds are saturated with very caustic oils. When these oils reach a critical point and ignite, that's when you know the nuts are sufficiently roasted. At this point they are quickly removed from the fire and the flames put out with sand. Once they've cooled, the charred husks are cracked to get the delicious nut inside.

you are life

Many expressions that are in common usage, and sometimes the structure of language itself, reveal the fact that people don't know who they are. You say: "He lost his life" or "my life," as if life were something that you can possess or lose. The truth is: you don't have a life, you are life. The One Life, the one consciousness that pervades the entire universe and takes temporary form to experience itself as a stone or blade of grass, as an animal, a person, a star or a galaxy.

Can you sense deep within that you already know that? Can you sense that you already are That?

- Eckhart Tolle

photo of the day

A hermit crab goes about its business. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

Photo: David and Vicki

honduras immersion

We are so excited about our first major yoga retreat event! Reflections Yoga of New York has partnered with Paya Bay to produce "Honduras Immersion," a teacher training and yoga immersion program. Paula Tursi and her group of yogis will, of course, be using our brand-new 1,200 square foot yoga pavilion! The dates are July 21 through August 18, 2011. You can sign up for a week or the entire month. For more info click here.

honduras bans commercial shark fishing

Honduras has announced that commercial shark fishing will be banned from its' 92,665 square miles of national waters. the ban follows a moratorium on shark fishing impose some time ago, and the hopes are that it will preserve the marine environment and biodiversity.

[...]

Honduran Vice President María Antonieta Guillén de Bogran said that "We have seen that protecting sharks help our environment and our people. When tourists come to Roatan and other destinations, they spend money to see the sharks. But these animals don't just help the Honduran economy. Our coral reefs and marine environment thrive because these apex predators are safe in our waters. Today's declaration will help us all, underwater and on land, for generations to come."

Source: Great News Network

Wow. This is great news! Here's hoping the Honduran government continues taking actions like this one that benefit the environment and wildlife.

dolphin encounters

There are many fun, memorable things to do while visiting the Roatan, Honduras. A dolphin encounter at the Marine Science Institute is one of them!

Photo: David and Vicki

ask for others

What is the most powerful thing you can add to the process of creating what you want? Ask for others as you ask for yourself. An easy way to do this is to ask for ALL, which of course includes you. Ask for a good life for all, peace for all, abundance for all, health for all, love for all, and happiness for all.

When you ask for others, it comes back to you, so the law has it ALL covered.

- lessons from The Secret

life is eternal

When you walk through a forest that has not been tamed and interfered with by man, you will see not only abundant life all around you, but you will also encounter fallen trees and decaying trunks, rotting leaves and decomposing matter at every step. Wherever you look, you will find death as well as life.

Upon closer scrutiny, however, you will discover that the decomposing tree trunk and rotting leaves not only give birth to new life, but are full of life themselves. Microorganisms are at work. Molecules are rearranging themselves. So death isn't to be found anywhere. There is only the metamorphosis of life forms. What can you learn from this?

Death is not the opposite of life. Life has no opposite. The opposite of death is birth. Life is eternal.

- Eckhart Tolle

astounding

Over 10,000 signatures have been collected in San Pedro Sula in four days by activists of the movement behind the presidential candidacy of popular TV presenter Salvador Nasralla.

Rocael Ramos, a member of the Anti-Corruption Movement, explained that tables were place in the 18 departments of the country to have a better control of the people who signed in support to the sports commentator.

In these two weeks they hope to collect the signatures needed to allow the Anti-corruption Movement to become a political party, and Salvador Nasralla its candidate for president of the Republic.

Translated from and photo: El Heraldo

I find this news extraordinary for several reasons:

1. The brilliance of naming the political effort the "Anti-Corruption Movement." If there is one thing Hondurans are utterly fed up with, it's the grinding corruption that permeates every level of our government. The name in itself garners immediate support in the minds of voters.
2. Nasralla's appeal is based to a large extent on the fact that he speaks his mind. He's seen as honest, courageous, and not part of the corrupt establishment. Notice in the photo above how the activists are primarily young people. He gives a voice to the aspirations of a new generation of Hondurans.
3. Mr. Nasralla, as they say in the American South, is a 'confirmed bachelor.' He doesn't deny rumors that he's a friend of Dorothy, something that -- incredibly! -- appears to be a non-issue to a large segment of the Honduran people. Honduras, a conservative and very Catholic country, may soon elect its first openly gay president! Simply astounding. 

photo of the day

You looking at me? A common green lizard. Mature males have the blue head. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

Photo: David and Vicki

as much...

...as I dislike Hugo Chavez's policies (particularly his policies toward Honduras), I can't find it in my heart to wish the man ill with his current health crisis. Even our enemies deserve human dignity. Mr. Chavez, may you recover, if only for us Hondurans to prove to you again (and as many times necessary) that no matter what you do, you'll never get your hands on our country.

Mysterious ways, this Universe.