Hello from your hosts, Lisa, Emily, Julie, and Alex! We can’t wait to share our little slice of heaven with you.
Lisa Sochocki's passion is YOGA, the process that creates space, freedom, understanding, strength and grace. Lisa is certified with (3) 200RYT trainings and 15 years of experience in Vinyasa Flow, Power Yoga, Yin Yoga, Hatha, Classical Ashtanga, Bikram, Prenatal Yoga and Restorative Yoga. She brings spiritual connection to a class room setting, while encouraging you to find your inner strength and explore your edge. She’ll guide through movement of body and breath incorporating alignment, anatomy, and ease. She believes that the practice is to surrender and connect, creating space for the unknown and finding flexibility of body and mind. Follow Lisa @pilotyogamomlisa.
Emily Meersand is a Hawaii-based yoga instructor whose life has been transformed and elevated in every way through the practice and teachings of yoga. She is passionate about sharing her love of a well-rounded and balanced yoga practice through her teachings of both powerful, sweaty vinyasa classes and grounding, soothing restorative and yin classes. Emily incorporates the healing properties and benefits of essential oils into her yoga classes as well. Seek more balance in your life, invigorate your mind, and soothe your soul in Emily's classes!
Emily's yoga practice and teaching style is derived from yoga trainings and classes all over the world. She is E-RYT through the Yoga Alliance, has assisted and lead multiple teacher trainings in San Francisco, has studied yoga in Ubud, Bali, and has taught group classes as far as Playa Maderas, Nicaragua. She has completed the following certifications: Power Yoga Teacher Training (200 Hours), Janet Stone Sadhana Immersion (50 Hours), Restorative & Yin Energetics Training (40 Hours), Sculpt Teacher Training (50 Hours), Intermediate Power Vinyasa Teacher Training, BASI Pilates Certification, Aromatherapy & Essential Oil Studies. Emily can't wait to share her love of both yoga and surfing with you on a retreat! Find Emily @emilyyoga_ & www.emilymeersand.com.
Julie Murrell is a henna and flow artist. She learned the art of henna from Catherine Cartwright-Jones of The Henna Page who is said to be the world's foremost scholar and researcher on henna. Julie has been practicing henna for 10 years, with experience as an artist-in-residency. While henna has many uses, she believes foremost in the meditative and healing qualities of henna — when used for self-care, girls nights, expecting mothers, for pampering and relaxation. She also loves sharing the art of henna for a good celebration, festival, event or for just hanging out.
Julie has also been studying poi dance from Temple of Poi and is excited to share the amazing impact this meditative and healing dance can have on your body and mind. Follow @jollymurrell for her henna, flow arts, and personal adventures.
Alexandra Martin is our good friend, and resident retreat photographer. She documents the experience of the retreat in a natural, and easy going way. If you don’t want to be included in any photography, that’s ok! Just let her know. Otherwise, keep an eye out for beautiful candid photographs delivered to you during the retreat that you can share — so you can put your phone away and spend more time being present while you explore and enjoy your retreat.
““Mexico has taken my heart since I was a little girl. As a family my father would bring me and my mother down for his windsurfing trips. We’d drive to Baja, Mexico from Santa Cruz, California. We’d spend the summer camping on windy beaches, eating street tacos or the catch my father got from fishing. At 16 my father took me to La Saladita for my birthday to surf, this was my first time to mainland Mexico and I loved it (a seed was planted on that trip). Fast forward to myself at 21 years old, in a crazy relationship with an Italian who was going to get deported, so Mexico was the answer. :) We drove from Santa Cruz through Texas and mainland Mexico La Saladita. We surfed the whole trip down, camping, exploring, eating our way from village after village in a VW bus. We settled in a little town just 15 minutes south of La Saladita called Troncones. We called Troncones home, and opened up a restaurant. I lived in Troncones for 2 years, learned Spanish and loved the locals. However, the universe had other plans that took me to Oahu, HI. Every time I come back to La Saladita, Mexico (as often as I can) it still feels like home.””