On our fifth day in Placencia Village, Linda DeBarthe took us to this beautiful yoga studio to learn about therapeutic yoga styles. Therapeutic yoga involves stagnant yoga poses and guided meditation to help clear the mind and focus on the Ujjayi Breath. These poses are not meant to be physically strenuous, but are instead used to help guide relaxation and stretch the muscles. The poses may feel a little uncomfortable or may even hurt at first, but once they are held for a while help relieve stress and center your chakras. It was a new experience, but personally I prefer the Hatha yoga Linda has been teaching us (the most popular form of yoga in the U.S.), which consists of meditation and breathing, and then moves on to continuous yoga positions that stretch the muscles and help with stress management.
-by Sylvia Finger