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served at 10 AM (the ashram is completely vegetarian-no meat, fowl, fish, onion or garlic, not to mention alcohol, tobacco or Walkmans). The rest of the day is open until the second asana session followed by a communal dinner (similar fare to breakfast, which does require a slight adjustment in perspective), and then a second satsang. For those seeking more earthly pleasures during their stay, the spiritua l energy pervading every aspect of daily life at the ashram (spiritual community), from the eight hours of daily yoga, breathing, relaxation and meditation, through to the encouragement of karma yoga (s'elfless service), which could find you cleaning up after breakfast or re-varnishing an outdoor yoga platform in the afternoon. The combined, rather unsuspecting effect of all this is to purge all the negative energy from the soul and to recenter the body and mind. Even skeptics or novice practitioners wi ll find within their first day at the ashram that, in effect, it works, and that it is indeed a thing of rare peace and calm. The Sivananda Ashram (www.sivananda.org or phone 800-783- YOGA) is a part of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre, founded by Swami Vishnu-devananda in Montreal in 1957. Swami Vishnu- devananda established the Paradise Island Ashram in 1967 and, while a dedicated "staff" of swamis (title given to one who has taken the vow of renunciation, and thus become a monk, or sannyasi, in one of the trad itional Hindu Orders) and longer-term guests tend to its physical upkeep on a daily basis, the modest, charming faci lities act and look their age and are very spartan besides. Indeed, those considering a visit should understand that this is definitely not Canyon Ranch. The daily routine at the ashram is as follows: rise at 6 AM for the first of two daily two-hour satsang sessions, which consist of meditation, chanting, or kirtan (singing of God's name). Satsang is followed by the first of two daily two-hour asana (yoga physical exercises) and pranayama (yoga breathing techniques) sessions. These sessions are comparable to the hatha yoga offered in gyms and yoga centers throughout North America, though perhaps not quite as vigorous and with a greater emphasis on breathing and relaxation. A communal breakfast of rice, beans, salads, fruits and tea is beach is beautiful, the water is perfect, and you can easily get to downtown Nassau for a little Haagen-Dazs and a duty-free shopping jaunt. Or, you can wander over to the hideously grotesque Atlantis Hotel & Casino which looks like it has been dropped out of the sky, fa llen through a massive airborne strainer of fuchsia paint, and landed on the island with a sickening thud. While at Atlantis, you can casually observe the penned-in sting rays and reef sharks in the gawking saltwater tanks and ponds built underneath and around a faux-Mayan temple which doubles as a waterslide. Just like in Mayan times! While the irony in the juxtaposition of the ashram with a monstrosity like Atlantis is obvious and unavoidable, life at the ashram seems blissfully oblivious. And, yes, that is likely as good a metaphor for the wonder of the place as any other. Om shanti . Venturing further south stil l, Costa Rica is a paradise of rainforests, cloud forests, mountains, great beaches and surf-all in an area smaller than Kentucky. You've got the Pacific Ocean, Spanish influence and dry heat in the west; the Caribbean, reggae roots and a tropical cl imate in the east; and the largest active volcano in Latin America in the north. Wildlife-fi lled national parks exist in al l directions. Just about every town is known for something, like the sky treks-akin to performing Matrix-like stunts in 100-foot trees-in Monteverde, or the giant turtles of Tortuguero. In a ten-day span, you can travel along the Atlantic Ocean/Caribbean side, surf the Pacific Coast, cl imb Mount Arenal volcano and whitewater raft Rio Pacuare. If you take US$300 total, you'll still have money for the taxi ride home from the airport. It can be done. And it's a beautiful thing. On the other hand, you can find every facet of luxury adventure and eco-tourism in Costa Rica. You can have an amazing yoga experience just 20 minutes from San Jose airport at the Pura Vida Spa (800-944- 1001, puravida@eomega.com), located in the mountains. Reconnect with your inner self for a mere US$1,045 with healthy grub, yoga and meditation classes. If you prefer to be physically high, visit the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve where you can tiptoe in the treetops suspended on ly by pulleys and cables. Canopy Tours (US$45, 011-506-645-5243) will take you up with a guide and make sure you float safely back to earth . (f) W ...J ...J W :J: U >- w (f) 42

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