Posts Tagged ‘fitness’

Traveling is a great way to find something to take your mind off everyday routines though sometimes you may come away feeling dissatisfied when you return home from your travels which is the main reason to consider the benefits of spiritual travel. Cathedrals and Madonna portraits can only provide a certain level of satisfaction and often you won’t feel spiritually awake and so it pays to consider traveling to be spiritually awake.

Spiritual travel is not just a catch phrase that you hear from the lips of a travel agent because in fact people have from the very earliest times been making pilgrimages. Religious travel is therefore not something that has just become popular. In fact, in the sixteenth century Jesuits from Spain made their way to far away Paraguay and to Brazil as well as to Argentina for the purpose of establishing missions to convert the native peoples of those regions.

Nowadays, there are many places that you can visit if you want some spiritual satisfaction and some of these places are vastly different to the Vatican and to Yucatan and even to Egypt. There are for example numerous monasteries that have been erected by Buddhists which though mainly located in Asia are also found in the US and also in Europe.

However, for a true spiritual Buddhist experience you need to travel to Bodhgaya in India which is located in the Indian state called Bihar where Lord Buddha achieved enlightenment beneath a Bodhi tree. The place where Lord Buddha achieved his enlightenment is now the home of a vast Mahabodhi Temple complex.

This particular place is truly exceptional as the surroundings are serenity personified and everything here is absolutely peaceful so as to promote true spiritualistic experiences. It is here that monks read the Holy Scriptures and spend their time contemplating the complexities and meaning of life.

The best way to fly into Bodhgaya is to take a flight from Kolkata to Gaya airport. However, if you want to fly in from the rest of India you will need to deplane at Patna airport that is almost a hundred kilometers away from there. A train journey is the more relaxed and cheaper mode of transport and all it requires is to get off at Gaya from where Bodhgaya is not far away.

If you are traveling from other parts of India then there is the main airport at Patna the state capital of Bihar and this airport is about eighty-seven miles distant from Bodhgaya. Of course, if you don’t mind a train journey then it is certainly more convenient to use this mode of transportation that is cheap and which will help you reach Gaya very easily.

There are few better places to find spiritual peace than Bodhgaya that has kept itself pure and untouched by the ravages of modern civilization. So, a visit to Bodhgaya will not only be very pleasant and productive; it will also be a very different and unique experience as well.

Howie Holben offers suggestions for spiritual journeys. Spirit Journeys hosts extraordinary spiritual travel tours and they have a spiritual journey for most everyone.

Vacations are something that everyone takes in order to get themselves out of the hustle and bustle of the real world for a little bit of relaxation and rejuvenation. This time away is very important to both our physical and mental health. There are many different types of vacations that one can take in order to fill these needs.

You can vacation alone, with friends or family, or you can travel with a group. You can also choose to travel with a group of people that have similar backgrounds and interests. Spiritual travel is one choice for gay people.

On gay vacations, our gayness is one thing we all have in common. This shared life experience can only add to our vacation experience. Bonds are quickly formed in the group due to our shared experiences in life.

People we have just met can quickly become friends and confidants. This makes gay vacations all the more special and meaningful. We’re able to share our gay vacations experience with others that we know understand us.

Being understood allows us to open up, relax more and let our guard down. This vulnerability lets more of the vacation into our hearts and minds. The more we feel the vacation, the more we recover from the strains of life at home.

Taking it to an even deeper level, we can take gay vacations with people of similar intentions. Travelling with men and women that want to grow spiritually is one way to do this. Then not only do we share our gayness, we share goals for the vacation.

Exploring our spirituality while on gay tours visiting special places throughout the world is a wonderful combination. With the other group members by our side, we are encouraged to step outside our box and live free. Living freer is the main goal of all vacations, is it not?

Recommendations for gay travel. This essay is by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys offers gay folks gay vacations and gay trips that are really unique.

Whether you are biking in a fast or slow pace, the feeling of the fresh air caressing your face is unparalleled. It always feels great and is more convenient to go biking around Central Park in New York. This is the reason why there are a lot of Central Park bike rentals available near the place.

You can rent a bike for a few hours or for the whole day. If you are staying for a few days in New York, you can keep the bike after making arrangements with the bike rental shop. You can also arrange with the company to have the bike delivered into your hotel.

If you have qualms going alone, you can go with the bike tour scheduled three times a day. The tour guide will lead you through all the way. They are trained to give you a lot of information about certain sites that you will stop at for a while.

If you go on a guided tour, plan on it taking about two hours. In those two hours, you will visit and see a lot of things in Central Park. Among the stops are some famous Hollywood scenes.

If you want to see a piece of Hollywood, you can check significant sites in Central Park. Some of the most popular films and television series were filmed in the park such as Ransom, Friends, and Maid in Manhattan. There are also celebrities living near Central Park like Mary Tyler Moore, Steven Speilberg and Dianne Keaton.

When going to Central Park for a bike tour, you will want to make sure that you are dressed comfortably. Also, be sure to bring your camera with you so that you can take pictures of this memorable time.

During the tour, it is highly advised for you to wear comfortable outfit. And of course, for you to not miss anything, bring a camera with you. Aside from taking pictures of these popular places, you will also have the opportunity to capture the great wildlife in the park.

You can also arrange an exclusive tour for your family and friends. Proper arrangements can be made beforehand to ensure availability of the equipments. Also, if you are going with a foreign visitor, there are also available multi-lingual tour guides upon request.

When it comes to rates, there are differences between renting a bike and going with the scheduled tour. Per hour rate for bike rent is $15 and goes up. You can also have the bike for the whole day for $35. However, if you reserve online, you will get great discounts like getting the bike for $14 per two hours.

Included in the price that you will be paying for are other safety gadgets such as a helmet, a chain lock and a map. You can also check out other equipments available such as trailers for small kids and baby seats with additional charges. The rental store also offer other services such as providing you with lockers and restrooms, and sell snacks and beverages.

If you are going to New York City in the not so distant future, I would recommend that you get a bike rental in Central Park and also sign up for a Central Park bike tour and enjoy a day in New York City relaxing in one of the craziest places in the world.

Roller Derby has been around for years and was a staple of the early days of television. It was similar to its better known counterpart, pro wrestling and was seen on many of the same low powered UHF stations in the same bad timeslots. It had a similar borderline sleazy group of promoters and businessman that was common in the regional territory era of pro wrestling. Roller derby didn’t have the success or popularity that pro wrestling did. There was a serious athletic component to be sure, but the dim witted storylines made pro wrestling look like Shakespeare. The sport does have its own history–most know that the LA T-Birds were the perennial champions of 1970’s, and Ann Calvello and Ralphie Valladares had been in the sport forever and were considered legends–but it never really stuck in the public consciousness like the pre-Hulk Hogan era of pro wrestling.

New era roller derby reached a national audience through the A&E reality series Roller Girls. It featured a local, all-girl roller derby league in Austin, Texas and followed the lives of the players on and off the track. While the show was oddly engaging, it was the first clue that many had that such a league existed in the first place. A sport that was never taken seriously to begin with and that was really living on borrowed time since the 1960’s before fading into the lowest level of obscurity had been rediscovered and embraced by an eclectic group of young women. They had kept the same essential format, thrown in a healthy dose of burlesque camp and Varga pin-up inspired glamour and made it into their own vibrant subculture. They changed some of the nomenclature and competitive format–in lieu of regularly scheduled games they renamed the competitions “bouts” a la MMA or boxing. The result was a compelling mixture of glamour, toughness and athleticism driven by a healthy dose of punk rock “do it yourself” mentality.

Today, the same sort of league featured on “Rollergirls” had become a full blown cultural phenomenon. There are now literally hundreds of local “roller girl” leagues in the US, many under the auspices of a national organization called the Womens Flat Track Derby Association. Las Vegas has the ‘Sin City Roller Girls’, Portland, Oregon the ‘Rose City Rollers” and Seattle the ‘Rat City Rollers’. There are now groups in not only the larger and traditionally “hipper” cities but also smaller flyover country environs such as Birmingham, Alabama and Omaha, Nebraska and all over Canada, Europe and Australia. Most of the local groups similarly play up the campy retro pin-up/hot rod iconography and everyone involved sure looks like they’re having a good time. Between teams there’s a vibe of good natured competitiveness and camaraderie.

This organic rebirth and growth of roller derby is a result of young women taking what essentially was TV time filler and made it into their own distaff ‘action sport’. The roller derby circa 2009 is a matriarchal success story. No one is in it for the money, as these local groups are typically run as non-profit organization. The women involved have recreated this sport, and run it, promote it and compete in it on their own terms.

The new generation rollergirls also pay homage to their sports’ pioneers much in the same way that skateboarders give props to Duane Peters and Tony Alva. Many of the individual group websites have sections devoted to the history of roller derby, and the late Ann Calvello–regarded as the Queen of the original Roller Derby–is revered as something of a patron saint. The Texas Rollergirl group featured in the A&E series has renamed their championship the Calvello Cup.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer specializing in college football and NFL football betting. He is a frequent contributor to print publications, and often appears on talk radio where he gives tips on successful football betting. He lives in Las Vegas with his two dogs and an emu.

There are many different types of freshwater fish that are very popular with anglers. Once that receives great attention in Europe, but hasn’t caught on so much in the States, is carp. Carp fishing is still a very popular hobby, and one that is even growing in the U.S. There is one thing that carp anglers have in common regardless of where they are from: the need for good carp fishing tackle and equipment.

One of the most important parts of getting good gear is obviously the fishing rod. A good carp rod will be medium action, and long – generally at least six feet long, although longer can be better. This gives the strength and flexibility needed for carp fishing.

Next is the reel. A good reel for carp fishing is one that is open faced. You don’t want tangles inside a closed face reel screwing up everything. The reel should also be able to hold 150 yards or more of 12 pound test line.

Finding the right bait is important with any type of fish. Carp aren’t picky eaters, but some bait is going to work better than others. While many bass anglers love rapalas, the best tackle for carp is actually sticky and smelly bait. There are many specialty carp baits available, so test around and see what the carp in your area like best.

If you’re a beginning carp angler, you may have heard of pods. Pods are basically rod holders that many carpers use to get more than one line out there while waiting for the carp to bite. This isn’t a tool that beginning anglers need to worry about, but if carping becomes an obsession, it’s something to look at down the line.

Without the right fishing line, the rest is moot. For carp the absolute “lightest” fishing line you want is 12 pound test line. Heavier line isn’t a bad idea, either.

A beginning carp fisher can get all the tackle and gear needed for a fairly inexpensive price. Between rod, reel, line, and bait you can start out for well under $100 in most areas. This is a fantastic fresh water fish to pursue, and one that lives up to its reputation as a fighter.

Every angler knows you have to have the right gear to get the job done. If you want to really enjoy carp fishing, get the right tackle and gear early on and you’ll be glad you did.

But if this article didn’t answer all your questions about beginning carp fishing equipment, please feel free to visit that site for more great information, or check out this carp fishing article.

Gay and straight travelers alike flock to Brazil in droves to enjoy the pristine beaches, beautiful people, exciting nightlife, diverse culture and lavish annual celebrations, such as Carnival. As one of the most welcoming and accepting gay vacation destinations in South America, Brazil is a popular choice for both gay men and lesbians looking for fun in the sun or a relaxing respite in a tropical paradise. From luxury gay vacations in exclusive beachfront resorts, to exotic excursions into remote Brazilian jungles, Brazil has much to offer to every type of traveler and is an ideal setting for international gay travel.

Rio de Janeiro is among the most popular gay travel destinations in Brazil and offers gay beaches, gay and lesbian bars and clubs, drag shows, circuit parties, bathhouses and a vast array of dining, shopping, recreation and cultural activities that attract travelers from around the world. While the establishments and gay culture in Rio de Janeiro are geared more towards gay men, lesbians will find a welcoming atmosphere at most gay establishments and events and can enjoy womens nights at several locations throughout the city, as well as a lesbian club that is open nightly. Of course, Rio is also home to Carnival and world-famous New Years festivities, both of which provide plentiful parties, parades and festivals for gay and lesbian revelers.

Although Rio de Janeiro may be the most popular gay vacation destination in Brazil, there are many other options throughout the country. Many cities in Brazil, such as Sao Paolo and Belo Horizonte, host annual gay pride festivals and parades and the majority of urban areas have a thriving gay community. For those who may be looking for gay vacations outside of the pride and party scene, gay travel opportunities in Brazil also include organized tours of cultural and historical landmarks and luxury all-inclusive Amazon cruises provided by tour companies dedicated to providing exceptional gay vacations to gay and lesbian travelers.

Brazilian gay vacations provide ample opportunities to partake in once in a lifetime adventures and experience this cosmopolitan culture to the fullest. To ensure a safe, enjoyable vacation, keep in mind that gay travel in Brazil is not unlike gay travel within the United States when it comes to being aware and using your best judgment. Just as gay travelers in the U.S. know that some areas are more accepting and welcoming than others, gay travelers in Brazil should also keep this in mind as they explore Brazil. And, for travelers who may wish to enjoy some of Brazils well-known bathhouses, taking the necessary precautions to play safely is just as necessary as it is back home.

To ensure a fun-filled, relaxing Brazilian gay vacation, your best bet is to work with a travel agency that is familiar with vacation packages, optimal travel dates for your vacation goals, local attractions and the particular information that is of interest to gay and lesbian travelers. Whether your ideal vacation is an adventure into the jungle, a relaxing week at the beach or a wild time in Rio, working with a travel agency dedicated to gay tours will allow you to sit back and relax and have the Brazilian vacation you have always dreamed of.

The author of this article about gay holidays to Brazil is Howie Holben. He has traveled the world for over 30 years and owns and runs Spirit Journeys, a spiritually based gay travel firm. Spirit Journeys has offered gay adventure travel with a difference since 1992. You can learn more at www.spiritjourneys.com.

There is the perception that gay travel focused on spirituality is not fun. When we take a vacation we want to have fun and relax. A vacation is supposed to be a time away from the responsibilities of life. We think of spiritual travel as something we should do because it is good for us. With this idea as a back drop, of course we will think that this kind of travel is not fun. When we vacation, we wish to leave behind this kind of responsibility. What would happen if we didn’t think like this?

My personal experience has shown me that the “work” done during spiritual gay travel is not “work” at all; it is a joy. You meet and connect with people at a level simply not possible on a typical vacation. The connections you make with others on such an event adds immensely to the enjoyment of your time away. To be able to sit and have a real conversation with someone; for you to be listened to with genuine interest; for you to listen to others with your heart; the importance of these things cannot be measured and bring a deep sense of fulfillment.

Also, somewhere along the way, we seem to have been taught that in order to be spiritually connected to the world, the people around us and to ourselves, we must act in a “serious manner”, almost to the point of being somber, or at the very least solemn. Somehow we’ve come to believe that laughter and play are “irreverent”.

When we connect spiritually with others and the world, our vacation is greatly enhanced. Conscious awareness of our surroundings, makes gay travel more exciting and we can get more out of our travel experience. We become very aware of everything we experience while travelling and as such, we are more fulfilled.

Little children are a wonderful example of this. They are enthralled with the world around them; everything is new, everything is a wonder. Discovering and learning new things is not “work” to a child. They find joy in all that they encounter; everything is a new toy to play with.

And last, but certainly not least, sometimes people confuse the experience of being awestruck as being serious or solemn. When you travel with conscious awareness there can be times when you will be “deeply moved” (awestruck) by something you encounter. It could be the hospitality of a family you meet; a genuine smile; the grandeur of a sunrise or simply the revelation that you are blessed to be alive. Pesonally, even after countless visits to Monument Valley, I am still moved tears while I am there. But these are tears of joy, humility and gratitude.

You’ve been to a couple of yoga classes and maybe also have done some workshops, and now you want to get more serious about your yoga development. The decision is made, for your next holiday, you are going away on a yoga course. Here are some answers to some of the questions you might ask yourself.

Yoga retreat or yoga vacation?

While the distinction between yoga holidays and yoga retreats is not always plain, now and again, even the organizers have not thought enough about how to perfectly name their course), there is quite a dissimilarity in terms of focal point and general ambiance or mood.

Generally speaking, a yoga holiday is primarily an activity vacation. The time devoted daily to yoga usually will not last more than four hours, in one, or perhaps two daily classes, and you will have a lot of time for other activities or just to let go and chill out.

The atmosphere should show this, with a beach or other remarkable attractions in the vicinity.

The tone is often calm, and it is usually a grand to come across other like-minded people. On a retreat, in contrast, the yoga program is likely to be more intense, possibly together with some meditation, times of silence, etc.

The most important focus is no longer to enjoy yourself on holiday, but to deepen your yoga practice. Again, the choice of location should reflect this, with a quiet, possibly remote location. Retreats should be fully residential, the food vegetarian, and meal times carefully thought out to fit smoothly within the daily yoga routine. You will find more ‘hard core’ yogis and yoginis on retreats, and the overall mood can be quite serious, with much less ‘free’ time.

Unless you are quite certain that yoga is your thing, and want to move your practice to the next level, a yoga holiday rather than a yoga retreat may be the best option for your first time doing yoga away from home.

Go alone, or take a friend?

Going alone is not a hitch. Actually, the vast majority of people going on yoga course go alone. The shortcoming to going on your own is that you may have to share a room with one or more absolute strangers, but at least, you will know that, like you, they have a keen interest in yoga, and great friendships are often formed on yoga trips.

If you decide not to go on your own, choose your companion(s) cautiously. A few yoga centres will welcome guests who don’t do yoga, but in most cases, and definitely in the case of a retreat, yoga should be a shared interest with your prospective travel companion, so if you don’t want to go alone, a yoga buddy is a far better choice than your new boyfriend (unless, of course, you met him on a yoga weekend!)

Where and when to go?

The yoga vacation market is now becoming increasingly competitive, and main stream travel agents are moving in, sometimes with disastrous results. Unlike yoga teachers and dedicated venues, they do not always understand the particular requirements of what is still very much a niche market.

Complaints about such new comers to the yoga holiday market, who often have operated successfully in other branches of the tourist trade such as the organization of seminars or other types of package holidays, are their lack of understanding of the specificity of the yoga market, particularly in relation to diet (vegetarian and vegan options are not always available) and the unsuitability of the venues chosen, which are often large, soulless resorts, sometimes shared with a crowd of rowdy drunks (as happened to me in Goa a few years ago).

All this is not very conducive to peace of mind, so it is best to avoid large operators and stick with small, dedicated venues. There are a lot of them to choose from all over the world, and new ones are sprouting up everywhere so there’s a large choice of destinations at any time of the year!

Sun destinations such as Greece, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Italy, and the south of France tend to be most popular in the European summer while in the winter; India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Mexico and the Caribbean tend to be favorites. There are also a number of other locations which don’t emphasize the ’sun’ part including Scotland, various parts of England, Ireland, Finland, Canada, Austria to name just a few.

See for example the Yoga Centres listing of the Yogaholidays.net site. Even thought they might not be right up on the beach, these venues are chosen for their quietness and are far more suited to the practice of yoga than large tourist resorts.

What style, what teacher?

Perhaps more important than the location is the teacher and the style of yoga. Remember you will be stuck with your choice for the duration of the course, so a bit of thinking may be in order.

The best, of course, is to choose a teacher you have already studied with, perhaps in the context of weekly classes or a short workshop. Second best, is to get an opinion from someone who has been on a holiday/retreat with a particular teacher before. If this is not possible, you might find some useful information on the Internet, as most established teachers now have websites.

This should at least give you an idea of who they are and of whether their style of teaching (and style of yoga) will suit you. If nothing else, don’t be afraid to ask the teacher such questions as who they studied with, how long they have been practicing and how long they have been teaching yoga. Try to ring rather than email, as you’ll get a far better idea over the phone.

Tell the teacher about your yoga knowledge, how fit you are and what you expect to gain from the retreat so they can advise you properly on suitability. Usually they don’t want to be stuck with the wrong student any more that you want to be stuck with the wrong teacher, so they will advise you honestly. It is also recommended to try the style of yoga that will be taught as part of the holiday/retreat by taking a few classes in your area, just to be sure that it will suit you, before booking.

What to bring?

Check whether you’ll need a yoga mat (if you have your own, it best to bring it anyway). Bring some reading, yogic or not, and don’t forget your practice clothes!

Have a great retreat!