(DiverWire) For years, there has been talk about the similarity between scuba diving and Yoga. Both involve controlled breathing, relaxing and developing inner peace. Earlier this week, Elite Island Resorts announced the launch of the Caribbean’s first scuba-yoga program at its luxury-inclusive spa resort, LaSource.
Located in St. George’s, Grenada, LaSource offers guests an all-inclusive program that blends a luxury getaway with a commitment to wellness and well-being. According to company officials, “The new offering is a welcomed addition to the resort’s already extensive list of complimentary services and amenities: a complimentary spa treatment each day, excluding arrival and departures days; all meals and beverages; a full day program of land, water and holistic activities, including SCUBA diving.
As a part of the new program, guests can select three morning dives over a seven-night stay. The dives are then balanced with Pranayama yoga techniques, meditation exercises and underwater buoyancy lessons, thereby enhancing the overall dive experience. The program is especially beneficial to those who may have initial fears of diving as the meditation element helps maintain a positive mindset for the best experience underwater.
“Pranyama aids dive performance and gives beginners confidence,” said Dr. Manoj Kutteri, the resort’s resident holistic program director. “The specific techniques within the breathing exercises strengthen the lungs and help develop greater ability to breathe with continuity. They also de-stress and create openness of the mind to the quiet world underwater.”
Aquanauts Grenada, a group of diving professionals whose experience spans sixteen years, is managing the program’s launch for LaSource. With five diving instructors and seven dive masters, the Aquanauts team is well suited to welcome divers to the underwater delights of Grenada’s seas.
“There is a general consensus that yoga and scuba diving complement each other, given the emphasis on quality of breath,” said Gerlinde Seupal, director of Aquanauts. “Habitual patterns are challenged in both activities. Our mind is asked to explore new dimensions of our body and its movements in yoga, and diving requires openness to a new environment physically and emotionally.”
Whether there might be a “Scuba-Yoga” specialty course introduced in the near future is uncertain, but this unique approach to a scuba diving vacation is certainly interesting and worth a look.
