Insights from the Caribbean Yoga Conference.

Most people come to Montego Bay, Jamaica to relax and gaze out into the lazy Caribbean Sea.

Not today.

Today, all eyes are on Seane Corn, yoga instructor, teacher and humanitarian. Over 200 dedicated yogis eagerly lean in to soak up every word that drips off her tongue.

Today Seane is leading participants through a “Movement to Manifestation” vinyasa flow series. But before she stretch’s our bodies her intent is to stretch our minds.

I am at the first annual Caribbean Yoga Conference in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Although we are at a conference, this four-day event feels much more like a spiritual retreat. It is a meet up for connected, inspired individuals who all yearn to make a profound difference in this world. Here are some transformational tips that Seane Corn shared:

We Are All One

As Miss Corn will say, “Yoga is not really about yoga. The practice of yoga is what is important. It teaches us about oneness. Oneness for life, oneness and connection with self.” People who return to the mat on a regular basis do more then just show up for themselves. They choose to face the world with self-awareness, courage confidence, compassion and love.

Seane reminds us that, “Yoga doesn’t care if your old, young, fat, tall, poor, rich, yoga is a tool to help you become more of who you really are. Yoga has everything to do with your interest in knowing that we are all one and is a result of knowing we are one. We have a responsibility to reach when others might withdrawal.”

Embrace Your Shadow Sides

Seane Corn says, “You can not get to the bless you with out the F-You.”

This message teaches us that the dark places of our life, the traumatic experiences, happen to show us and guide us closer to whom we need to become. Many of us choose to conceal our pain by numbing ourselves with drugs, alcohol, food, sex, shopping, porn, anything to rid us of feeling the desperate pull of the darkens.

Whether emotional, physical or spiritual pain, it happens to us all.

When we do yoga, we have the chance to connect to our higher self.

We turn inward to reveal the facets of our character that no longer serve us.

The World is Your Mirror

The cells in our body and skin remember.

We can always dial in on the areas that need more attention.

Everything we do on the mat is a mirror to how we approach our life. When we compare our self to others we slow down our growth.  When we refuse to try a new pose based off of our experience from the past, we let our dark fears win. But you don’t need to be a yoga junkie to see that the world is a reflection of your internal state. Start to examine your relationships with others and yourself.

After all, the real yoga starts when we leave the mat. You may see the areas you need to work through. For example, when we ask for more patience, we don’t usually get patience landing in our lap. What the universe returns is more opportunities to practice patience.

Everything we do is an opportunity to grow and learn. Recognize the mirrors around you for true transformation.

You Have Everything You Need

We are all connecting; yoga can help us help each other. When we step away from the mat that is when the real yoga happens. This is the ripple effect, we are all connected and weather you practice yoga or not you are touched and moved by the ripple effect. You don’t have to be a yogi to practice patience, kindness and awareness.

Everything we truly need is within ourselves.

When we do the work, peace is inevitable.

When we do the work we learn to love unconditionally, this is how the world changes.

Inspirational author, life coach, speaker and travel writer, Shannon Kaiser is creator of the site, Playwiththeworld.com. Which inspires people to love their life to the fullest, through articles, videos, books, podcasts, lectures and more.  She is currently a travel tip editor for Healing Lifestyles & Spas, and a Destination Travel Editor for Examiner.com. A handful of her motivational stories have been published in “Chicken Soup for The Soul” and she is the author of the forthcoming book, “Find Your Happy, An Inspirational Guide on Loving Life to Its Fullest.” Published fall 2012.

If you are craving more Seane Corn and yoga inspiration visit Jamaica for the second annual Caribbean Yoga Conference. For more details on the Caribbean Yoga Conference, click here.

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Editor: Elysha Anderson

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