The most difficult part of attending Barcelona Yoga Conference is deciding which class to take. With over 25 diverse classes a day and an endless array of interesting and qualified teachers, deciding my schedule for the weekend was the most intensive effort of the day. So after about 20 minutes of debating and researching and trying to find the exact class to join, I just let go a little, looked at the schedule and thought the name of a particular class sounded pretty badass- Lucid Flow Yoga… seems trippy and mystical! I imagined my body warping through a flow with two feet on the ground while my head suspends in the clouds in lucid yoga flow bliss! Yea, that sounds like my vibe- sign me up.
Lucid Flow Yoga is a vinyasa style class that also incorporated a “Mandala” sequence. Mandala means “sacred circles” and mandala yoga guides your body to create a 360-degree rotation during the sun salutation and subsequent flow as if your body movements were painting a mandala onto the floor and the space around you. A main component for Mandala Yoga is the pulsating movement present in the asana, thus eliminating any static energy and encouraging your skeletal and muscular system to be in a steady rhythm of fluidity and flow. Its actually quite beautiful to imagine your limbs gliding through space and leaving an imprint, culminating into a imaginary self-created mandala circling your being.
Lucid Flow was taught by Daniela Garza and this was my first class with her so I went in with no expectations or preconceived notions. Daniela is tiny but fierce, focused yet fun. Honestly, she just has a cool vibe- this blend of playfulness yet discipline that I cherish in a yoga teacher. And once Marvin Gaye started seeping out of the speaker mid-way through the sun salutations, I knew I had found my yoga teacher spirit animal.
I grounded, I flowed, I laughed, I cried, I shook my booty up, down and allllll around. But above all, I felt fun, vibrant, open energy surrounding me the entirety of the class.
If you want to take a little piece of the Lucid Flow class home with you, the playlist can be found here on Spotify titled ¨Byc¨ by Daniela Garza Ríos. It combines modern electronic-infused influences like El Búho and St Germain with more traditional and soft meditational songs and brightens up with punches of just pure musical magic such as Sun Is Shining by Bob Marley and Got To Give It Up by Marvin Gaye.
It was a lovely surprise to be introduced to Lucid Flow and Mandala Yoga and even more of a blessing to connect with Daniela. It was the little spark of inspiration that set the tone for the remainder of my time at the Barcelona Yoga Conference. I hope you too can cross paths with her and experience the flowing, grooving, uplifting practice of Lucid Flow. So to learn more about Daniela and future classes and workshops, visit her website at danielamandala.com or on Instagram at DanielaMandala.