The Path to Joy, Peace, and Freedom

A Conversation with Stefano Allegri

Stefano Allegri is the yoga master at Florblanca.  We are incredibly lucky to have him in our lives, inspiring us to be our best, reminding us to live with awareness, and not to take ourselves too seriously.

We caught up with Stefano recently and asked him about what yoga means to him and how he approaches his practice everyday.  We think you’ll love his perspective and his unique voice.

Just with awareness!

Yoga affects daily life?

YES

When the practice is not just asanas (postures), but is also pranayama (the art to extend the dance of the breath).
Dhyana , meditation ….. sit, cross the legs, and just observe the moment.
And study philosophy and, sure, a lot little rituals, too.
Some transformation appears.

How that affects you is unique and is part of your personal journey.

It’s about the commitment to the practice and how you embrace the vision in the experience of the practice.

How to transform just an asanas practice in a holistic adventure?

Most people start (like me) just with the asanas.
And it is an amazing beginning.
I enjoyed the physical benefit in my body. I felt stronger and flexible.
And unrolling the yoga mat six days a week started to open the energy channels (Nadis : little rivers of energy).
The magic emerges from the deep within the center of the body.

With discipline, that magic comes spontaneously and I started to feel the field of the energy body. Sometimes the spiritual body is like that – some sweet testing is part of my daily life.
I am part of the magic.

I feel that I have more awareness in all the different manifestations of life.
“Ananda ” for me means joy without opposite…
I start to feel the real essence, the center for all the human being.
Joy, Peace, Freedom.

This doesn’t mean that I don’t feel more sadness or suffering in difficult moments of my life.
But my approach and the vision are different.
I am not the situation that I live.
But I try just to observe the situation.
Soon or later the real emerges again.
Joy, Peace, Freedom.

Or definitely the balance through the opposite is transformed in harmony.

Is yoga is a good practice for surfing too?

Well, the answer is easy ..YES!!!!

When the body have more consciousness about the breath, is stronger, more flexible – specifically in the hips – for sure my surfing improve a lot. For that, too, at my yoga class I put a lot emphasis in sequences where we open the hips.
This is very important.

Like I mentioned before, the rituals are really important.

I love, like a first action in my day.
I wake up super early in the morning when it’s still dark outside.
With the amazing natural “silence” of the Costa Rica early morning, I start what my tantric teacher called “the best breakfast of the day.”
My pranayama practice.
That softly opens the door for my meditation.
Until the howler monkeys start them concert😂😂😂

And of course my asanas practice at the shala of Forblanca.
This is a just a super sacred space, with the vision of the ocean, the sound of the waves.

That meeting with the special nature of Costa Rica is just magic.
The words never can explain the experience.

“A lot water has passed under the bridge” from when I unroll my first yoga mat.

Of course, it is different from that time but I still try to keep the famous beginner Indian mind.
I still have eyes like a kid.
Still enjoy my practice with fresh energy.
Still in the magic.
Still an eternal student.
Sure, more shanti … peace …
And with the awareness that everything is impermanent.
Om shanti shanti shantiiiiiiii

“nadevo devam arcayet”

“non si puo’ venerare dio
Se non si e’ dio”

Thank you, Stefano, for sharing your experience with us here and at Florblanca every day.

Learn more about Stefano and meet other members of the Florblanca staff.