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Guest teacher highlight: The magic of water

2/24/2021

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In this juicy interview with Dakota Channel we hear about how the sacred waters of the Azores called Dakota to host her retreat here.

“One of the best ways I love to connect to a place when I first arrive is to find a spring and drink water from the place, because that water… has the energy, the spirit of the place.”

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Dakota’s shares with us her powerful daily practice and “anchor-point” of communing with her water altar. You can get a free guided video on how to incorporate and connect with the magic of water at https://dakotachanel.com/free-water-priestess/

We talk about the legend of Atlantis and what traveling here and partaking in ceremony can mean for the healing of the world. “The group of women that’s come together for this is so special and to be with all of them and to do these ceremonies and practices, and offerings, I just know that magic and miracles are going to happen and I can’t wait."

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We can’t either!
“When I first started working with water and women... I started to realize this softness and this strength. This deep feminine power that’s not a power over but a power through unity and through connection… and the teachings of the water of love, unconditional love, where she washes us all clean, equally. She is so abundant in her love and grace.”
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Five-year itch

2/11/2021

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Post by João

AFTER OUR FIVE-YEAR GLORIOUS JOURNEY came to a screeching halt in 2020, we figured it was time to turn inside.


We've helped scores Discover and Feel the Azores, a driving vision for the MINUVIDA AZORES operation of lodging, outdoors experiences and retreats since 2015. But all along we wondered if that was all we were doing or could do. We started noticing that what people really need, now more than ever, is to turn inside, awaken their consciousness. Elevate.

So, after many in-confinement stream of consciousness sessions, we ultimately settled on a new vision (the why) and tweaked our mission (the what and how). We evolved our look and are set on changing travel. (We kind of had plenty of time to do all this...)​

A BRIEF HISTORY OF EVOLUTION (ABRIDGED)
Welcome to our new symbol and logo. It not only signifies the volcanic peaks of São Miguel island at sunrise, along with their lakes, but it also shows that much more lies below the surface, inviting the journey inside. The shapes can either signify A for Azores, M for MINUVIDA or even MVA for MINUVIDA AZORES.
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Our website is also now more focused with a clear message, plus more interactive features. (Just navigate this site to learn what we're talking about.)
Travel can be much more than getting away from it all. It can also be about opening our minds to new worlds and new ways, taking the time to listen to our true selves, to turn inside.

We are therefore pleased to announce that our vision is now ELEVATE CONSCIOUSNESS. 

To Elevate Consciousness through Travel, through Mindfulness, through the Journey Inside.
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We feel strongly that travel can be much more than getting away from it all. It can also be about opening our minds to new worlds and new ways, taking the time to listen to our true selves, to turn inside.


With that, we are still helping you Discover and Feel the Azores, but that is now part of the how, or our mission. The why is to Elevate Consciousness. You'll see that we are developing new, immersive themed experiences to connect you to all your senses through food, mindfulness and the wondrous nature of the Azores, probably the main reason bringing you here in the first place. 

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Guest organizer highlight: Transformative travel

2/4/2021

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Itching to travel again? As retreat organizers and experts in the wellness travel biz, Kristin and Ian of SolSeed Retreats give us some great insight about what travel looks like and the kinds of meaningful, transformative trips people are going to be interested in taking. 

​If you have or are planning to have any kind of event you’re not going to want to miss their “must have sales and marketing tips” based on their knowledge of working with retreat leaders around the world.

​Ian shares with us some tangible tools on things you can do TODAY to make sure that when we can travel again, you’ve got a head start on the process.

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Find out more about SolSeed by following them on Instagram and Facebook and we look forward to hosting our retreats again with them soon! 
“Coming off of a year of introspection is going to lead to some profound travel experiences across the board.” 
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Guest teacher highlight: A wise woman

1/25/2021

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What a pleasure it was interviewing Cyndi Bulka and hearing her many gems of wisdom for us all.

As a yoga teacher, retreat leader and certified coach Cyndi talks about how the pandemic gave her a chance to consider her “legacy” as she reinvented herself (yet again!) at 60.  “I knew I had to sit with all the difficult emotions first... I didn’t deny myself that, and I knew that if I gave myself the time to process all that, I’d actually have the energy to decide what I wanted to do next, to have the clarity of the heart and mind to move forward. And that proved to be a good decision," she says.

Cyndi shares with us a powerful exercise in shifting emotion and getting out of anger and fear. Cyndi is launching her Wise Woman Wellness, an on-line holistic weight management program starting Feb.1. ​You can find out more about Cyndi and about her offerings at: www.zaktihealth.com/ and join her Wise Women Facebook group. 

​We look forward to receiving Cyndi here to the Azores! 
“When you’re aligned with purpose and passion, the Universe just sort of unfolds it for you...I feel like that’s where I am.”
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Supporting the guest teacher community

1/12/2021

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MINUVIDA welcomes several guest teachers and their students each year. We’ve hosted 35 international retreats and had a sold-out 2020 retreat season before the pandemic. 
We missed group hikes, conversations and songs by the firepit, our amazing meals together and the knowledge exchange between participants and teachers from all over the world. ​
As 2020 blurred by we sorely missed our groups, whose retreats were postponed. We missed group hikes, conversations and songs by the firepit, our amazing meals together and the knowledge exchange between participants and teachers from all over the world. We thought, how can we help support this incredible community?
​
So the Highlighting Guest Teacher Community series was born!

We hope you enjoy meeting the leaders who will be hosting upcoming retreats at MINUVIDA and find inspiration for your own practice, journey and maybe future trip here. ​
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The brave new world... of travel

5/19/2020

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Post by João

I explored the makeshift markets of Kolkata and found connection in the suspicious quarters of Rio. I talked serious cross-the-channel politics in London pubs and strayed off the track in Puerto Rico to discover its authentic food.


When traveling in any of these places, I always instinctively social distanced from the crowds and wandered off-the-beaten-path, even in and especially when visiting big tourist traps, to find deeper connection. The slums of Rocinha and Pedra da Gávea, or the Zona Norte in Rio showed me a truer picture of the city than any Copacabana.

The allure of getting up at the crack of dawn, jump on a crowded bus ride, and wait for hours in long lines wasn't enough to convince me to visit the not-to-miss hallowed marbles of the Taj Mahal. Instead, I wandered the neighborhood markets of Kolkata and Old City Delhi, swerving around speeding rickshaws in the narrowest of lanes, despite the nagging that I must visit the Taj and see the new and shiny sections of Delhi.

When the talk got serious, and maybe, I'll admit the drinking of local beer, at a particular London pub, I didn't walk away from an Irishman living in London who filled my ear about the his country's difficult relationship with the good old UK. We virtually closed the door of the early night drinking hole talking about how we're all connected and how we're all the same in the end. Why the wars?

What I'm getting at, and keeping with the message of my previous post, it that this novel coronavirus pandemic is reinforcing what I always believed: Travel should be about discovery and connection. The virus doesn't like crowds, mass confusion, debauchery. Neither do I.
​

MINUVIDA FAMILY EXPERIENCE

Want to travel in a new way with us? Join our MINUVIDA FAMILY EXPERIENCE program for families seeking to reconnect this year in a natural, welcoming and stunning setting.

Contact us for full details.
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"I wandered the neighborhood markets of Kolkata and Old City Delhi, swerving around speeding rickshaws in the narrowest of lanes."
When did travel become a sideshow? When it become the realm of selfie sticks and casual ascents to Everest? Of helicopter drops in remote places from glamping excursions that only leave places dirtier and poorer? When did travel become about getting so wasted that I don't remember which island of the Caribbean I visited or if Bali is even an island?

Maybe the time of jetting around the world endlessly for weekend warrior type vacations on a whim is over. No more crazy Vegas junkets, in-and-out ski trips to Vale, or Paris flyovers to wait hours in line to eat a croissant at that new patisserie. Just imagine the carbon footprint of all of that.

Maybe senseless 10-hour flight business trips for a couple of one-hour meetings in Moscow, and just maybe a peek at the Red Square, are a thing of the past. What's not over is true travel. The type of discovery travel that true explorers, like you, relish.

Maybe instead of five-trips-a-year-to-faraway-places-for-weekend-entertainment-because-work-doesn't-allow-for-longer-trips, we will all start to take one, longer trip a year to places like MINUVIDA. Maybe we will take the to truly connect and discover. Maybe we even take the time to better ourselves.

How about that?
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What is going on

4/1/2020

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Post by João

You never see it coming. It's been true throughout history. Think Roman empire.

But Hemingway once wrote, and I paraphrase, "Rather be ready than lucky."

So, as the bottom fell from under our feet and MINUVIDA AZORES operations came to a halt, with five spring yoga retreats cancelled, I'm happy to report that we are fine.

Mainly because we were ready.

Over the last three years, we grew our business using a measured, sustainable approach, and that includes business finances. We saved when we could have splurged. We kept our aging econobox yet another year when we could have bought a shiny new one. We invested wisely in enhancements to the business, not luxury "I have to get that to keep up with the Joneses" outlays. We focused on the things that matter first.

Then shit hit the fan. Then all the phases of mourning. And now we are moving on and planning for the future. 

We are enjoying our orchards, eating tasty, fresh food and spending time with our animals, and even stepping out into nature, with ample social distancing (no one's around)!

As a small business with three full-time employees, we have been forced to institute a layoff. But thanks to government emergency aid, we will able to pay their salaries and have them back when a new version of normalcy returns. 

The thing is that "our way of life" before Coronavirus may not be worth it.

Consider this:

We are a problem to our planet (really, ultimately to ourselves, as the planet will recover and go on after we exit the scene). Every pandemic is a picture of humanity at a given time, I read recently. Our global economy, our consumerist mindset, with the "i" first is taking its toll.

As we have come to a halt, carbon emissions have dropped drastically – fewer factories, fewer cars, no planes, less coal production and so on. The virus is doing something world leaders couldn't. The waters in Venice are now transparent and the fish are returning. All over the world signs are emerging that while we are struggling the Earth's ecosystems are celebrating.

As members of the travel industry, we have a responsibility to think about the future differently:
  • The huge carbon footprint left by air travel on a whim.
  • The huge waste created by the hospitality industry to meet our ever-increasing thirst for amenities, newness and luxury.
  • The urge to create new things out of thin air to attract more visitors, sell more useless stuff, and indulge the wildest fantasies.

​Are you still with me?

I propose that after this is over – and it will, I am sure – we focus on making travel a journey of discovery. Maybe then our lives will become more balanced, and those urges for extreme experiences and behaviors will subside.
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I propose that after this is over – and it will, I am sure – we focus on making travel a journey of discovery. Maybe then our lives will become more balanced, and those urges for extreme experiences and behaviors will subside.

  • Let's rethink our priorities. Do we really need all the things we think we need.
  • Let's not isolate ourselves with the noise of distraction and resume meaningful social contact when we actually can. Get to know your neighbors for real this time. A healthy community is a healthy society.
  • Let's be generous. It's great to be rakin' in the dough, but are we aware those resources could be used better than and livin' the life?
  • Let's engage in more healthy, balanced lifestyles. Do we REALLY have to work 60 hours a week to get that promotion, to climb the corporate ladder, so we can rake in the dough and live the life?
  • Let's become more resourceful, self-reliant and self-sufficient. After all, if you become all of the above, you are likely to be healthier and more likely to survive the apocalypse.
  • Let's travel with purpose. (Given our line of business, I had to insert this one here.) Go travel to beautiful destinations to get away from it all, but let it be a journey of discovery, not a journey of debauchery.

If you come to us, you will find me indulging in cooking a meal, getting drunk on plants, cliffs and waterfalls, finding luxury in afternoon naps on grassy surfaces and livin' the life, MINUVIDA style.

Join us on a journey of discovery when times allow.

See you then!
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Responsible travel in the age of sustainability

12/12/2019

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Post by João

Sustainable tourism and responsible travel are the buzzwords in the travel industry for 2019. We're staying above, and ahead of the hype at MINUVIDA.

Not bragging. 

We've made sustainable and conscious (responsible) travel the core principles of our business since 2017. The concept is now more relevant than ever as the Azores have attained the coveted title of "sustainable destination." The only sustainable archipelago in the whole wide world!

"The Azores has achieved EarthCheck Bronze Benchmark, with a goal of becoming a world-leading sustainable destination," the official announcement from EarthCheck reads. EarthCheck is the world’s leading scientific benchmarking certification and advisory group for travel and tourism, so this is a big deal. 

MINUVIDA AZORES rejoices with the Azorean government and its "Green Team" for the great accomplishment. We are an official underwriter of the Azorean Sustainability Charter, the document that sets forth the types of initiatives that led to this award.

MINUVIDA has recently been highlighted by Holiday Kingdom, (partner to ParkHero) as THE sustainable lodge to stay on the island, for example.

Awards and recognition are nice and all but the real proof is in what's happening on the ground. It's not just a shiny plaque or marketing speak.

At MINUNIDA AZORES we've made it our mission to promote responsible, sustainable travel. You're probably tired of hearing about how we serve only local and in-season products, encourage short showers, lights off, drinking from the faucet, etc., etc. 
Responsible Travel Azores
There's more to sustainability and responsible travel than a pretty picture of a wild beach.

But this stuff is important. Every single thing you do has a potential impact.

We want comfort, we want choice, we want convenience, but are we aware of the impacts of our choices?


Back in our little corner we worry about mass tourism taking over. How can we remain authentic and pristine while making tourism a sustainable and viable economic engine?

For us, sustainility is our way, not a business model or marketing strategy. It's about being sustainble in all its facets, including supporting the local economy, paying fair wages, reusing and making things last longer (the traditional hospitality industry replaces every single appliance, piece of furniture, etc., on a schedule so everything always looks brand new). We encourage our visitors to engage in responsible, sustainable travel by providing immersive experiences with context, and yes, by telling them why that matters.

As hard as the Green Team is focusing on obtaining the Silver Certification in October let's focus harder on being truly responsible and sustainable travelers.

So, join us in our little revolution. Let travel be a journey of (self) discovery.
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Eat, poop and be happy. The new metrics for success.

12/2/2019

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Mindful business leader
Post by Rimi

Typical day in the life of mindful business leader: Get a full 8 hours of sleep a night. Harvest ripe fruit from the trees and pick greens from the earth. Eat three wholesome meals a day (none of which are in front of a screen or in a to go container). Meditate and/ journal and practice yoga once a day. Spend more time outside in nature than inside. Live your soul’s purpose.

Does that sound like any of the successful business owners you know? Well it’s MY life.

What if I told you I’m making 1/10th of what I made in my high flying corporate job five years ago? 

I’m grateful for my past life as a corporate exec. It enabled me to save and invest so I could live my soul’s purpose and run a lodge and retreat center in the Azores islands. Many of us spend our entire lives saving up for retirement, or maybe we have plans to do something big. 

But somehow we forget what we’re striving for. We simply strive for more, bigger, better. But how much is enough? 

Do you feel successful? What is your definition of success?

I now understand there are many definitions of success and mine is not just about profit margin and growth. ​
Read my definition of success and tell me what is yours, and check out our current specials to embark on a journey of self discovery!
EMBARK ON YOUR JOURNEY
My definition of success 
  1. Get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. There is a plethora of research on this and if you’re not getting enough sleep (and no you’re not one of those people that only needs 5-6 hours) then WAKE UP! 
  2. Eat three wholesome meals a day, none of which are in front of a screen. We need to be relaxed in order to digest and absorb nutrients to fuel our body and mind. If you’re stimulating yourself while eating (looking at your phone, watching TV or driving), you’re unable to properly absorb the food you’re eating. 
  3. Have a good poop at least once a day. Your digestion is the first to go when you’re under chronic stress and stimulation. You need to be relaxed for your body to digest and absorb nutrients, and also function properly to eliminate waste. If you’re not pooping once a day look at where you’re overstressed and overstimulated. It’s not just about what you eat.
  4. Connect daily to my soul. I start each day with some form of “daily connection”. This can be meditation or yoga, singing, bollywood dancing (yep!) or just breathing. How do you know who you are and where you’re called to be if you don’t connect with yourself, and on a regular basis? 
  5. Spend more time doing what I love and want to do vs. what I have to do. Are you in charge of your life or are you constantly reacting to demands placed on you? I choose where I exert my energy and time. You can’t be all things to all people so choose wisely. This has in turn given me more time to focus on my soul’s purpose.
  6. Directly impact the wellbeing of my community. When I’m successful it means our team and partners succeed, which leads to another exponential set of good things happening. Success breeds success, who does your success directly impact? 
  7. Run a profitable business that enables me to do all of the above. And yes we run a profitable business. So, stay tuned for Part II…
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Wandering the Azores

11/29/2019

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​Poem by Leon Kuhn
Inspired during our October retreat

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My feet are the red soil of this earth.
Toes the roots that seeks nourishment between its layers. 

My legs the trunks that hold me upright, and arms the branches that sway with the seasons.
Fingers, leaves that reach for the sun.
My hips are filled with the ocean, that moves and rips with the tides.
Belly the volcanic warmth, that rise falls and settles with the ages.
My lungs blue lakes reflecting white clouds, the banks green foliage that nurture all creatures besides.
My head a pool of water on a mountain path, with deep shadows and dancing lights.
My throat the waterfall that flows and falls inward, permeating all my cells.
My breath the mist that veils this landscape.
And heart the consciousness that knows the rhythms of all time.
 


Leon Kuhn is a yoga and mindfulness teacher from Stockholm, Sweden, who has been to the Azores and minuvida twice.
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​Being on retreat gives us the unique opportunity to slow down, and reconnect within and with nature. The creativity, inspiration and energy that we feel during and after the retreat reminds us how important is to keep coming back to nature, to keep coming back home to ourselves. 

Our next retreat retreat is coming up over Spring Equinox with Rimi and Maria.
If you can't join that one check out our 
other upcoming retreats this Spring.
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