She overcame her fears and couldn't be happier now!

Living Colours hosted our first Scuba-Yoga Retreat. For me it seemed an obviouse combination - yoga and diving. Breathing and living. Or so I thought.

Having not touched my toes for some time I had heard that yoga could help. Signing up for the yoga classes taught by Cynthia I thought they would be a lot of sitting around in different poses whilst hyperventilating. I was right. Only in the fact that Cynthia was gonna be the guru, everything else I thought I knew about yoga was wrong and I got my first taste at 05:30 for some sunrise meditation. That's right 05:30.

The morning meditation lasted around 15 minutes and the first one was guided. Its amazing to me how many thoughts I had to silence to clear my head and meditate, only to find that another thought had sneaked into my brain while pushing others out. But after a few minutes of guided meditation I was getting closer, my breathing slowed and I enjoyed the sunrise, remember it's 05:30.

After the meditation we moved onto the “yoga that the photos look like”.  This again was priority on breathing and moving your body into different poses.  Hungry dog, crazy baby, cat pulling its legs, and many more that I forget the names.  After a while beads of sweat were forming and I realized my second misconception about yoga, it's bloody hard work. Also as soon as I moved my ample body into one pose I was ordered into another, and another, and another. Glansing around everyone else seemed to be grasping the poses with less persperation than myself, almost looking like a mirror image of the person next to them. Army flashbacks continued as our Sgt aka Guru ordered us into more poses  until thankfully moving slowly into the sitting position, you know the one with your legs crossed looking like a dreadlocked sweaty buddah. And with a slow and dramatically loud exhale it was over.

After the morning physical episode I approached the afternoon session with caution. The afternoon session was a yin yoga, or was it zen? Well names are not important what is important was the positions we got ourselves into were more of very long stretches, pulling joints and muscles  I haven't felt for years if not at all. Moving into positions and holding them for minutes (until Cynthia's iphone went “ping”), stiffeling a groan as my boddy moved out of them. This yoga style enabled my breathing to be easier to control and more time to get my position correct, with some assistance sometimes. Until after an hour of twisting grunting, pulling and breathing the final “ping” sounded and we moved into the sweaty buddah position.

The day before the yoga started I was thinking of ways to get out of it, after the first days yoga I was hooked! You couldn't drag me away from attending a session, even to the point when we took one 05:30 session away and replaced it with a longer afternoon session, I missed my morning meditation and sunrise. Being able to touch my toes was one thing, increased mobility and absence of back pain was amazing. Now booking my own holiday I have one thing in mind. YOGA.  

Al

Pictures: Kari Minkkinen, Heini Härsilä

Year 2015 has been amazing. First of all, we've been very lucky with the weather, it's like rainy season never came! (Well lets not say anything yet.) Secondly, we've had some amazing guests here in the island and we also held our first ever scuba-yoga retreat with Cynthia Joanna from Ocean Sound Yoga.

In January Ernie Brooks came to Living Colours with his parner to celebrate his 80-year-old birthday. This legendary photographer has worked with Jacques Cousteau for 17 years and traveled all over the world with Calypso's legendary crew. Ernie has taught thousands of underwater photographers through his father's Brooks Institute and lived full life taking pictures of the things he loves. Very facinating and interesting person, still going strong and taking pictures of mangroves, clouds and corals. Read his interview!

In February Living Colours was filled with zen mode when inspirational yoga teacher Cynthia Joanne came to the island to lead our first scuba-yoga retreat. Eight full days of awesomeness, even beginner Al thought the week was very eye opening and helpful in many ways. Waking up in early morning to meditate at 5.30 watching sunrise was perfect start for the day. Thank you Cynthia for all your amazing classes and beautiful moments.

Comments about the scuba-yoga retreat:

“When two of my favourite hobbies – diving and yoga – are put together in this way, I absolutely had to come! Yoga and diving – perfect combination.” Eira

“Good balance between body and soul, both hard work and total relaxation, loved it!” Heidi

“I loved the sunrises and sound of the waves.” Marika

“I can finally touch my toes!” Ali


We really want to do this again! If you're interested of joining next time, send e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will send you info when we set the date and all! :) Namaste <3

Pictures Maria Haipus 2015.

Hello all divers, snorkelers and nature lovers around the world! Living Colours Diving Resort and Bunaken National Marine Park has always many interesting things happening and interesting people visiting, and that's why I thought about creating a dive resort blog called Living Blog. Tadaa, here it is, not much content yet but there will be. Not just about the fish and marine life (like yesterday our dmt Andreas saw an mola-mola in divesite Siladen jetty) but also about things to see and do in North Sulawesi, interviews, staff introductions, PADI courses and what ever comes to our little minds.

Blog's writers:

Heini Härsilä
Diving instructor / Videographer / SOME specialist

Island's very own crazy cat woman loves good vegetarian food, great movies & tv series and filming/editing undewater videos. Heini's been working for Living Colours few years, mainly taking care of Finnish dive students and some office stuff when needed. You'll find her and her sun burned nose around at all times, morning 'till evening.

Heini's top 5 at the moment:

1. Scuba-yoga retreat, terrific combination
2. Baby reef sharks at Lekuan 2
3. New yoghurt maker
4. Kittens
5. Shortpouch pygmy pipehorse / töppöpuikkohevonen


Alistair “Al” Thursby
Diving instructor / Equipment maintenance / Oxygen redistribution specialist

Also known as the dreadlock baker of the island bakes amazing bread and pizza and occasionally sips one ice cold beer down at the safety stop beach bar. Al has been in the island for almost six years – probably longer than any other instructor ever. His laugh is catching but his bar videos are very bad. You'll find him either from the boat, compressor room, sauna or in his house with a playstation controller in his hand.

Ali's top 5 at the moment:

1. Living Colours' new barman Jandi
2. Annika's and Steven's baby girl
3. Bose noise reduction headphones
4. New bread knife from Singapore
5. Is there five already?

See you soon!