Get Radically Inspired by Rosie Acosta

Rosie is the founder of Radically Loved, as well as a Certified Nutritionist, Wellness Consultant, Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Teacher and Yoga Teacher Trainer! Bali has been on her wish list of places to visit and she recently got to experience it for the first time with a group of amazing people during a Yoga and Meditation retreat at one of our villas. We caught up with Rosie to tell us more about her retreat and why Bali has a special spot in her heart.

How did you get into yoga and teaching yoga?

I was trying to get on the health train and was training for a marathon. My coach suggested I do Yoga to cross train and voila! One class and I was hooked…to the physical aspect anyway. It took about 3-4 years for the practice to actually take root in my being. Once that happened I started practicing with a different intention, it became less about the “exercise” and more about the spiritual connection I was feeling. Power Vinyasa turned into Gentle Hatha and eventually turned into a full on, daily, disciplined meditation practice. It seemed like a natural progression for me to do a Yoga Teacher Training. I wanted to deepen my practice and I wanted to teach people I knew about the mind, body and spirit connection.

Yoga is?

Everything is yoga. How you sit and read at your computer, how you interact with your friends, your family, how you play with your kids or your dogs (or cats). It’s all union. It is our way of connecting and being mindful of the world outside our narrative. That is Yoga.

If you had to choose a favorite yoga pose, what would it be?

It would have to be Savasana. When I first did Savasana I found it to be a huge struggle to relax in the pose; many times I would often just stare at the ceiling waiting for class to be done not really knowing if I was doing this pose right. After a few years, I found that the essence of Savasana is to relax with attention, that is, to remain conscious and alert while still being at ease. Remaining aware while relaxing really allowed me to begin to notice and release long-held tensions in my body and mind.

What was your first retreat experience and how did it shape your practice?

Wow, the first retreat I did was in Santa Barbara when I lived in Los Angeles. I had NO experience with what I was doing, I had 3 people sign up and I was mortified that they were going to be disappointed with the turn-out. I thought it was going to be a disaster, but it ended up being the greatest experience. We laughed, we ate we did yoga, we became quite close in just 3 days. I am still so grateful for that experience, It was a defining moment for me that’s for sure.

What do you think are some of the advantages to training and practicing in a location like Bali?

I think that it allows us to becoming fully present, it gives you the opportunity to be fully immersed in what you are doing without the distractions of the outside world. You get to wake up, get fed, do your practice, relax, reflect and then do it all over again. Bali is a deeply spiritual place, it is filled with the most kind and generous people. This is the first place I’ve traveled where I felt like everyone was being so kind and loving. So, this type of environment really produces quite an incredible landscape for self-inquiry and releasing tension. It also helps if you are surrounded by well intentioned individuals who are also on the same path, and what better place for healing, love and gratitude than at a yoga retreat?

What is special about Villa Yoga and hosting a yoga retreat in it?

This place is absolutely beautiful! The actual villa really makes this stay pretty epic. It has a huge lap pool and an incredible outdoor studio, and is located in Seminyak but still manages to create this quiet and serene environment that is conducive to relaxing and enjoying silence or lounging in the pool with friends. I will be coming back to Villa Yoga in the Fall of 2017.

Must try places off the mat?

Divine Earth Juice Bar has the best organic juices and is located just steps away from Villa Yoga. And the food at Good Earth Café Vegan is incredible. We had both our retreats catered by them and the food was delicious!

How Bali has changed you as a person/yoga teacher?

It taught me a lot about expectation and allowing room for the unknown. Typically I don’t get attached to results or outcomes. When your planning a retreat and your asking your students to fly thousands of miles away from their homes to do a yoga retreat is a huge ask. I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself because I want everyone to be happy and I am more concerned with everyone else having a good time than my own experience. Momma Bali taught me that I need to SLOW MY ROLL. I learned that slowing down and actually giving myself a little self-care creates a better environment for me and for my students and it allows there to be a space where we can all let go of expectation and instead just be in the moment and enjoy every second as it arrives.