Yoga in Puerto
Photo: Ernesto J. Torres, Casa 12
Yoga is big in Puerto, part of an international trend for wellness vacations. It seems that new studios keep cropping up, while some older centers keep changing their teachers. For the purposes of this report, we have decided to focus on bilingual teachers who have been here a few years and who have established a following, which is not to say you might not find a terrific visiting teacher at some other locale.
Traditional Hatha yoga is a spiritual practice that emphasizes physical postures known as asanas. Vinyasa flow yoga focuses on movement. Restorative yoga concentrates on relieving physical ailments through traditional postures and stress reduction techniques. In fact, at any given moment you will find a wide variety of practices in Puerto, and teachers from one center sometimes offer classes at another center too.
One Love in the Punta offers regularly scheduled classes by three certificated instructors. Lorien (Lolo) Chávez teaches a fusion between Hatha with restorative alignment and Vinyasa which she calls Mindful Flow, while Georgina Aguirre specializes in Fusion Yoga – Hatha with restorative alignment and mobility. Vicki Cano (formerly of Casamar) offers classes twice a week in Power Yoga which focuses on movement. In the winter, expert teachers come to One Love from all over Mexico and other parts of the world, and groups come from Chicago and London for special courses that are also open to the public. Except for special advanced workshops, the classes are geared to students at all levels from beginners to advanced practitioners.
One Love, calle Tamaulipas, Brisas de Zicatela. Monday-Friday 9:30-11 a.m. Saturday-Sunday 11-12:30. (954) 129-8582. onelovehostal@gmail.com facebook.com/yogaonelovepe
Photo: Ernesto J. Torres, Casa 12
Mariné Larippa opened Puerto’s first yoga school, Vida Yoga, near playa Zicatela,in 2008 and she has a loyal following among long-time residents. She has been a certificated teacher for 12 years and specializes in a form of Hatha with conscious alignment. Sonia Moliner and Christianne Guerrero also teach here.
Vida Yoga, Casa Mandala, next to the Hotel Aqua Luna, calle Vista Hermosa, colonia Santa María. Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9-10:30 a.m. and 5:30-7 p.m. marinelarripa@gmail.com
Sofia Agatón has been teaching restorative and Hatha yoga in Puerto for eight years, and two years ago she opened her own center, Arte y Espiritu, in Rinconada. She specializes in conscious yoga which is especially helpful for stress reduction. Her hands-on teaching makes her a favorite with beginners, but she also teaches advanced classes at Vida Yoga. All her classes at Arte y Espiritu are open to everyone from age 13 on up.
Photo: Ernesto J. Torres, Casa 12
