Yoga at Maho
"My hamstrings are screaming. My lower back is as tight as a bungee cord taxed by the weight of a linebacker. My neck sounds like Jiffy Pop on the stove. So much for the warm up - my first yoga class is about to begin." This is a quote from a story by Brian Courtney in the February 2003 issue of Caribbean Travel & Life. The article was "The Art & Soul of St. John". In this article Brian Courtney was writing about Suki, one of the yoga instructors at Maho.
The October 2003 Caribbean Travel & Life also did an article on Live and Learn Vacations where it invited its readers to STRETCH THEMSELVES and enjoy a YOGA vacation. We quote: "Long considered an esoteric fad by mainstream America, yoga is now commonplace. Through a series of poses called asanas, hatha (physical) yoga strengthens muscles, builds stamina, increases flexibility and may help prevent heart disease. With a low risk of injury, a variety of speeds and styles, and a spiritual side flavored with colorful deities and vibrant rituals, yoga is one of today's happening pursuits. Yoga centers throughout the Caribbean make it a virtuous alternate vacation."
It is not surprising to see how popular yoga has become and why so many yoga groups are making Maho Bay Camps a yearly destination. At the top of a hill, with breathtaking views of the Caribbean, a 325 square foot open-air pavilion is used for yoga practice. Here are some of the groups who visited Maho.
- Ambassadair Travel Club from Indianapolis, IN
- Bhagavan Das from New York City
- Body Prayers Yoga from Jackson, MI
- David Seaman, Unity Yoga from Clifton Park, NY
- Mystic River Yoga from Medford, MA
- Omega from Rhinebeck, NY
- Paul Spector, Laughing Heart Yoga from Northampton, MA
- Pranapower Yoga from Newtonville, MA
For the group-less person, Suki and Susan, Maho's own yoga instructors give morning classes five days a week every week ($10 Contribution / Class).
Suki, no one calls her Suki Dickson-Buchalter, began her yoga practice in 1975 in a quest for a holistic lifestyle, after receiving a BA in Social Work. She began a search for enlightenment through herbs, massage, breathwork and yoga. Suki located to the Virgin Islands in 1978 and connected with friends who shared her love of yoga. Her first teacher was Amrit Desai, founder of Kripalu, who led several Yoga retreats, along with his disciple Don Stapleton in the Virgin Islands in the 1980's. The Virgin Islands are such a wonderful retreat destination that Suki has had the opportunity to study with many well known instructors such as Guru Charan, Barbara Bender Birch, Cindy Lee, and Shivea Rea to name a few. She has maintained a yoga practice throughout the years and felt called to share her love of yoga in 1997 when she began teaching at Maho Bay Camps. Suki teaches a posture flow of hatha yoga and also is massage therapist at Maho. Her classes are currently held Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8AM and Tuesday and Thursday at 5PM at the pavilion on top of the hill.
We are also fortunate to have Susan Feraco with us at Maho. Susan has been a yoga practitioner since she was a teenager and brings 30 years of experience to her classes. She has studied in Maine with Kripali certified instructors as well as participated in retreats in Mexico, at the Kripalu Yoga Center in Lenox, Massachusetts, and with the Omega Institute here at Maho. Susan believes that yoga allows one to be comfortable inside one's own body, and that the stretching, toning and strengthening qualities of yoga make it possible to do all other activities with comfort and ease. She also believes that yoga can make you feel good about yourself and leave you with a basic trust in oneself. You can find Susan's classes on Tuesday and Thursday at 8AM at the pavilion on top of the hill.
Great way to start the day. Yoga and Maho Bay Camps are a perfect match.
