Is the fear of sharks holding you back from getting in the water?
People always ask me if there are sharks. It is the ocean, so they are probably out there, but I’ve never seen one and I paddle almost everyday. If you are afraid of sharks, please check out this graphic. It provides some pretty eye-opening statistics on sharks.
Yesterday on the beach, I got to talking to Rich German, a frequent beach dweller of the Fisherman’s Cove crew. We were talking about Sup and his favorite teachers at Yogaworks Laguna Beach when we both came to the conclusion that all you need in life is Sup and Yoga.
While this may be a little too simplified version of the meaning of life, yoga and Sup provide a grounding in this crazy, chaotic world. Similar to the Beatles anthem, “All you need is love,” I would say “All you need is a paddle and a board.”
My last post was about the anticipation you feel before heading out on the water and the letting go of all stresses and fears. Once you’re on the water or practicing yoga, your heart immediately opens up to receive an illuminated light and power, which causes you to feel lighter and stronger, while also facilitating a union between you mind and body. This union and these feelings are hard to come by at a commonplace gym or sitting in front of tiresome workout videos.
You shouldn’t dread a workout. You should be chomping at the bit to unroll your yoga mat or to get down to the water. Whether you like to get moving in the morning or in the evening, start to create a routine for yourself that makes you happy. My morning routine is as follows:
6am: Wake up smiling! I know, I’m an annoying morning person, but I can’t help it! I love waking up to a fresh cup of java and reading my emails/news. Frying some eggs and bacon makes me even happier.
7am: If the surf is good, I’ll paddle over to Rock Pile to get my adrenaline rush in the waves.
9am: Teach a Sup Class and help people overcome their fears and usually get them to fall in love with a new hobby.
11am: I get my asana on at Yogaworks Laguna Beach. With various classes happening all day, it’s an awesome studio with a great community feel.
What does your morning routine look like?
There’s a moment I cherish before I head out on the water. As soon as I pick the board up off the sand and look down to shore, I can immediately feel my stresses and problems melting away from my mind and body. Everything negative is left behind on the beach and a new lighter, relaxed being takes over. You almost want to start running in anticipation, but instead you start to take everything in because you feel at peace. Your breath deepens to take in the sweet salt air and your face relaxes into a smile as the sun warms you from the inside out. You feel the sand crunch between your toes as you look out on the massive ocean and can’t help but feel blessed for the opportunity to embark on another adventure.
Some islands in Thailand are full of obnoxious tourists, littered with trash, and full of peddlers pestering you to buy everything you could possibly imagine. One of these schemes included throwing a monkey on my friend so that she would have to pay for a picture. This was both scary and really funny.
This was not the case with the beautiful and peaceful island that is Koh Lanta. Brimming with pristine beaches and dense jungles, Koh Lanta is a safe haven from all the tourist chaos and boasts unparalleled relaxation amid quiet, uncrowded beach scenes. Inviting warm waters take on a pale tourquoise hue and from Nov – April, the ocean is calm and smooth, making it the perfect stand up paddle spot.
On top of paddle boarding, there are a ton of other activities available from elephant trekking, morning yoga, scuba diving, Thai cooking classes, rainforest walking and island-hopping – or you might just want to relax and have a Thai massage or spa treatment. My favorite thing to do was rent a motorbike and explore the circumference of the island!
Falling in love with the motorbike road rush, I decided to ride to a yoga class that was a couple beaches north of my hotel. After turning on a dirt road, I rode through some jungle until I reached a bike park. Unsure of where to go, I sighted signs that pointed to yoga and followed a windy path. Once greeted by the yoga shala, I knew I had reached paradise.
Set on a jungle cliff above the ocean, this bamboo, wood structure resembles a miraculous tree house that commands sensory overload with the sounds of the waves, the smells of the ocean, the feeling of a warm Thai breeze, and the ultimate experience of relaxation.
Being I was the first one there, I had no idea what to expect but the class quickly filled up with people from all over the world. Hearing all the different accents made me realize how special the experience was and how yoga unites us all.
As the class started, a tiny lady, Mona, strolled to the front of the class and immediately made me feel at ease with her peaceful, warm spirit. Like any strong yoga practice, Mona encouraged a focus on breath and flow which was both inspiring and challenging; leaving you feeling awesome at the end.
As soon as I was introduced to her kind soul, I knew I wanted to do a retreat here. Coupled with the fact that there’s stand up paddle, I somewhat developed a love affair with the island and I can’t wait to return in January for our first Sup Yoga Retreat!!
Tentative Dates: Jan. 13, 2013
Itinerary will be posted next time! Have you done a retreat? Please leave a comment below.
After a jam packed couple months, spanning across Thailand and its islands, north to Laos, and finally down the eastern coast of Australia, I have made it back alive from the adventure of a lifetime and am so excited to be paddling in Laguna again. From practicing yoga in a thai treehouse to surfing one of the longest waves in the world, I cant wait to see everyone and share my stories. I’m also eager to work off some of the holiday weight i picked up along the way 
We have tons of exciting events and changes that will be coming in the new year. I have been working with the PB Bliss team to incorporate some of the ideas and influences that i encountered in other parts of the world to create a program that rests within the Laguna locality while also enveloping worldly traits.
Heres to a great 2012, may it be full of adventure and bliss.
Exciting things to come:
Sup Shape, the hottest workout to hit the water, is now everyday of the week. For beginners, there is a daily intro class at 10am and the level 2 class is at 7:30 and 9am. We’re doing a New Year’s special, so give us a call 949.529.4242
Winter Rental Card – buy 4 rentals and get one free.
Non transferable. Offer valid until 3/31/12
Coming Soon!
February: Lululemon Open Beach Day – FREE Sup Shape Class
March: Sup Cleanup – help clean our beaches by hopping on a board and scouring the kelp beds for litter.
April: Stand up for the Cure – Paddle for Breast Cancer
June : Summer Kick Off Party
January: THAILAND SUP YOGA RETREAT
More info on the Thailand Retreat will be my next post!
Have a great week and be sure to come see the whales!
At first glimpse, a stand up paddle board looks just like a big, long surf board. It’s got a curved board-like structure with fins on the bottom. While some of the terminology and components are the same as a surf board, there are a few extra components hat every SUP paddler should know. Before you hop on a paddle board, you should learn some of the terminology. Here is a quick video on where you should stand and below is a list and description of the different lingo when referring to the parts of a standup paddleboard and their overall function.
Now that you know all the parts of the board, put your knowledge to the test with a stand up paddle adventure in Laguna Beach, CA.
This last month was the one year anniversary of PB Bliss and I can’t believe how far we’ve come. I had skeptics from the start, namely my father, but I think I’ve proved them wrong. From the get go, I wanted to make this company much more than simple board rentals – I sought to create an experience of finding your true self on the water.
Last week, I received an email that touched my heart and I wanted to share it with everyone because I know there’s a lot of people out there who can relate. For now, this kind soul will remain anonymous, but in the spring she will be a paddling force, living the life she chooses. Thanks so much for passing this on to me – you are an inspiration!
“I love your website. Your story inspires me and I look forward to coming to take lessons from you beginning next spring. Why so long from now? Well, I’m on a fitness quest, and am currently working with a trainer to lose 100 pounds. I don’t believe SUP’ing is in the cards for me at the moment, but it will be very soon…
I was an athletic kid, waterskiing, swimming and playing softball. Then in college I fell in love with SCUBA diving, my total passion. Marriage, kids, and a desk job made me sedentary and bad food made me fat. I’ve gone through a divorce and come out the other end. I’m now 39 and redifining my life. I’m a Paralegal in Irvine and live with my mom & kids in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Why am I telling you this? My trainer asked me to visualize my perfect authentic life and what I came up with led me to your site. You are living my dream life! At least the job and fitness part of it! I thought I’d share with you what I came up with:
My Dream Self, My Authentic Self (thriving, not merely surviving)
I am healthy. I am fit. I am firm.I have rosy cheeks, bronze skin and long light-brown shiny hair with sun kissed strands about my face.
I enjoy paddle boarding, SCUBA diving and swimming.
I live in a bungalow near Laguna Beach in Orange County, California and can see the sea from my bedroom window. I do yoga every morning in my backyard.
I have happy, healthy and kind children. They are my joy.
I have a relationship with a man that is patient and selfless. We spend time together and enjoy our children. We may even get married some day, but there’s no hurry.
I vacation twice a year: one camping trip in the states visiting the wonderful parks and beaches on the West Coast, and once to an international location for a tropical island reef SCUBA diving adventure.
I don’t have a job. I do what I love. That includes living healthy, and inspiring others to do the same. I arrange travel for parent groups and that pays for my own. I spend much of my day outdoors, near the sea, and when I need to, I work from my home office with a view and lots of natural light.
I don’t worry about retiring, because I’m not working. I have enough to live comfortably, and invest for my old age, the kids’ college funds and emergencies. I am healthy and have great health insurance as well. I don’t worry about anything.
I have a deep connection with my spirit and God, and I spend at least two days a week nurturing that relationship through worship and study. I share this in my love and family relationships.
I am in the planning stages of a foundation/non-profit. I will give back to the community, and run it from my home. I am being called to children’s needs, but haven’t put my finger on it just yet.
I love to read, run, swim, cook whole organic foods, travel, love, laugh and THRIVE!
I don’t know exactly why I’m telling you this, but I suppose it may be to introduce myself and to tell you, put it out there, that I will learn SUP’ing and yoga come spring. And just maybe, I’ll be so good at SUP that in the future your company may need my services. Maybe I will get out of the corporate world, use my legal/business education to help run a company (or start my own), and enjoy this life I’ve been given. And enjoy the outdoors M-F as well as Sat & Sun.”
Writing down your goals and who you want to be makes it tangible and holds yourself accountable. If you want something to happen, write it down and hang it on a wall that you will see every day. This way, you never lose sight of your goals to make each day a step in the right direction.
