Yoga and Conservation in the Tambopata-Candamo of the Peruvian Amazon

Raw. Freshness. Change, unfolding like the stamen and pistol inside a bright yellow flower opening its heart to the world—a trumpet calling us to wakefulness if we look with the right eyes and proper attitude.

I’ve made it to the Amazon and I’m overjoyed to be here.  After a five and a half hour flight from Miami I arrived in Lima, and the following morning I flew to gateway of the Southern Peruvian Amazon, Puerto Maldonado.

Not knowing quite what to expect in terms on living conditions and work, I have now come to feel grateful for what I’ve found: community, soul, permaculture, and a sincere commitment on everyone’s part to discover what it means to live sustainably with Mother Earth.

I am currently living in the outskirts of Puerto Maldonado. I teach yoga with 2 ecolodges and work for a conservation organization doing program support and environmental economics/biological research. The region holds some of the most pristine tropical forest with some of the highest records of butterfly and bird diversity in the world. The region is teeming with wildlife, including the famous Giant River Otters, Tapir, Jaguar.  

The conservation organization is called Fauna Forever Tambopata, and I connected with them initially when I was in the region back in 2007 doing my master's research. Here's a nice promotional video about the environmental education component of the work (http://vimeo.com/30094489), and this is the website: http://www.faunaforever.org/

For the second part of my work there I'll be teaching yoga with these lodges and helping to develop their infrastructure to more readily handle retreats/immersion experiences. Kapievi Ecovillage (doing a massive update to the site): http://www.tambopataecotours.com/about-us.html. Kapievi is a small ecovillage specializaing in the “homestay experience” and experiences with plant medicine. Refugio Amazonas (deep in the Jungle, a 3 hour motor canoe up the Tambopata river from Puerto Maldonado) http://www.perunature.com/refugio-amazonas.html has pristine rainforest, brazil nuts, amazing lakes, a canopy tower, and world-class guides and accommodation.

The initial contract for this work is 5 months, so please come and visit me! As the marketing material for this yoga program gets put together (integrating conservation, sustainable development, and yoga) I'll be sure to share the fliers. If you want to stay in touch with other than just emails I invite you to join my newsletter list on my website, The Ashtanga Tree -- or just let me know and I will add you. No SPAM I promise. 

I’m leave for Refugio Amazonas lodge on Friday, June 15 for the next 10 days where I’ll be teaching yoga to travelers from all around the world. After this I’ll return to Puerto for another 10 days and then I will be heading to the field for a stint of research and to make a promotional video with the Fauna Forever team.

I teach daily at 7am for an hour and then I head off to the all-vegetarian kitchen to eat the usual assortment of fruit, granola, yogurt, eggs, bread, tomatoes, avocado, and, of course,  delicious coffee. After what usually amounts to about an hour of chatting and eating I walk next door through a regenerating forest, over a line of leaf-cutter ants, under a few cecropia trees, to arrive at the Fauna Forever house/office/think-tank/conservation powerhouse/research center and get to work.

In addition to teaching, proposal writing, and conducting research, I am supporting an initiative to bring more yoga to the Amazon. We are interested in sharing the powerful energy of mother earth, supporting sustainable development, healing, and facilitating awakening experiences in this heart center of the world. We are striving to bring international yoga attention to the region as well as fostering the development of yoga in local community. Grassroots style. 

If you have any interest in visiting, please let you know ASAP and I will be able to arrange accommodation for you. We will be able to make a special experience integrating yoga and the finest rainforest experience you can imagine. 

My heart sings in this place, but it is muffled by my wishes to see you all and longs for the next time our paths cross.

Yours,
Matthew