There are several centers in the Oeste region of Portugal offering courses or retreats for yoga, mindfulness or meditation. Some initiatives are temporary or seasonal and not very easy to find. Among the permanent ones, Ponto Sereno in Leiria, Vitality in Praia da Areia Branca or Yoga para iniciantes Caldas can be a good option to start getting to know this kind of practices and see if they can also fit us. One of the best initiatives are the retreats offered by Budha Retreats in the small village of Columbeira, between Bombarral and Peniche, where you can do yoga only or yoga and surf retreats. And, of course, we especially recommend the great Heart Zü, who teaches both group and private lessons in Lisbon and in Óbidos.
Even just fifteen minutes a day can make a big difference, and bring several positive effects, especially at the level of concentration, improvement in memory and general well-being. And these positive effects can be achieved by several ways; mindfulness, meditation, tai chi, yoga or even the Alexander technique all share similar basic principles, of positivity, of relaxation, of being concentrated in the present moment and of postural benefits, so it is good to experiment and see what works best for each one of us.
And, what is also common to all these paths is that in combination with the beach they multiply its positive effects. It is well known that the sea and the beach are very beneficial for our health: the negative ions of the sea breeze increase the levels of serotonin and reduce our anxiety; the iodine present in the water and the breeze clean our airways and help us to oxygenate the organism; and minerals present in water are very positive for skin conditions. All this usually produces a relaxing and well-being effect, very positive. But, if to all these effects we add the benefits of sitting or lying down for a few minutes and practicing some form of relaxation, we can have an even more complete experience.
Obviously, the ideal is to be able to do it with some tranquility, enjoying only the sound of the waves. To do this, the beaches of the Oeste region are just perfect because they tend to be large and allow easily to find that meeting point between us, nature and inner peace. Going first thing in the morning or walking a bit to a quiet area ensure the best experience.
The beach at sunrise has something special, especially when the low tide during the night has left the sand smooth and perfect, as if a new carpet of several kilometers has been placed just for us. Walking on the sand in those moments and looking back, seeing only our footprints, always produces a strange feeling of intimacy and fusion with the environment.
