I do too! Sea kayaking is also something that I love very much. I’ve been practicing yoga for about two years, mostly on my own. I’ve been to very few classes. Actually, YouTube has provided me with wonderful teachers.I find that yoga and sea kayaking complement each other wonderfully. Sea kayaking, which utilizes a lot of core, can be strenuous, but also very meditative and rhythmic. Strength, stamina and flexibility help with everything.

This is why I’ve reached out to a wonderful yoga instructor, Lisa Nicole Tai, to create an exciting offering that combines yoga, sea kayaking, travel, and Guna culture. (If you’re reading this blog and haven’t checked out the rest of my new website, please check it out. You’ll find more information about who the Guna are and why Guna Yala is such a spectacular place to visit.)

I met Lisa last spring in Santa Catalina, Panama (on the Pacific side), where she was instructing yoga at a lovely hotel called La Buena Vida. I was there visiting a kayak guide friend of mine, Liz, and wanted to join a few yoga classes. La Buena Vida has a gorgeous yoga space, overlooking the mountains, and I highly recommend it. The food at the restaurant is fresh and delectable and the whole place is covered in gorgeous mosaics. . . so awesome!

I attended two classes with Lisa. That was all I had time for! I loved her teaching style, her soothing voice, her hands-on approach to yoga, and her attitude. I thought hey, a yoga/kayak trip would be amazing! I’m grateful that Lisa was interested. So here we are, planning for this new adventure. We are in the process of contacting a beautiful yoga retreat center outside Panama City. I’ll post an update when we have confirmation. If the center is a no-go, yoga on a tropical white sandy beach in Guna Yala it is! Either way, contact me if you’re interested in this positively life-impacting journey. We’re planning on offering this in January. Specific dates to come. Let me know your availability. And if this winter doesn’t fit into your schedule, keep it at the top of your list for next season:) Thank you!

Meet Lisa:

A practitioner of yoga since 2001, Lisa Nicole Tai is a Sivananda-Certified Yoga Instructor, as well as a graduate of the Hatha, Vinyasa, and therapeutic-based Yoga Space Teacher Training program. Her passion for helping others, especially with relaxation and self-care, led her to become a Thai Massage Practitioner, Holistic Nutritionist, and Holistic Esthetician. She teaches various private, semi-private, and group classes, and hosts retreats and workshops.

A hands-on teacher who believes in the healing power of therapeutic touch, Lisa brings elements of Thai massage into all of her classes. Guided by the Buddhist practice of metta (loving-kindness), she creates a supportive and safe environment in which to explore and grow. Her classes focus on breathing, alignment, mindful movement, and love! She sees yoga asana as a vehicle for mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual transformation. A creative and inspired teacher, she has developed many unique offerings, including a fun and invigorating class called HouseYoga. Over the years, she has become attracted to more therapeutic forms of yoga, such as Restorative and Yin, and she is excited to share their benefits.

As a Women’s Studies graduate of York University and former board member of the York Women’s Centre, she has a particular interest in women’s health. Teacher and student, Lisa is consistently striving to explore and deepen her practice. Her goal is to make yoga and yoga-based healing practices as accessible as possible to diverse populations of people.