Give this girl a board, blow some wind in her hair and watch her come alive. Ambassador Carolyn Anne Budgell, has been an avid skateboarder, snowboarder and casual surfer since the young age of 15. Just imagine her delight when she discovered yoga and realized all the amazing ways her practice on the mat could also transform her life on her board.

from sun salutations to hanging ten

I didn’t think my board sports could get any better until I found yoga (cue the trumpets). Sparks flew in my life and athletic endeavors when I began practicing yoga regularly at 19 years old. Not only could I enjoy newfound peace amidst the turmoil of young adult angst, in my board sports I also noticed significant changes. Thanks to yoga, I developed muscle tone and balance, stiffness was reduced after hours on my board and gratitude towards the natural environment increased a thousand fold.

So when yoga/surf retreats started becoming really popular, I wasn’t all that surprised. Here is a closer look into how yoga and surfing naturally complement one another.

yoga for surf

Yoga helps you build a strong body. A strong body will get you up (and keep you there).

I’m going to say it: Surfing is not easy. Simple yoga poses target muscles that are engaged while you’re catching waves:

• Greet your surfing experience with a few Sun Salutations beforehand (and every day!) to lubricate and strengthen your joints, lengthen muscles and help fill your body with breath.

• Chaturanga builds strong arms for paddling and gets you ready to “pop up”.

• Cobra builds strength to keep the chest and head elevated off the board while you’re watching out for the perfect wave.

• Use a High Plank position to help you brace against gnarly oncoming waves as you’re paddling out. Hold yourself in High Plank so that the waves crash between you and the board rather than throwing you overboard.

• Warrior 2 cultivates balance and strength so you can ride your wave all the way to the shoreline.

Yoga frees up tightness in the body (duh).
You’ve prepped your body for the various positions and the general exertion of surfing and you had an epic day in the ocean, cheering on your buddies… and you want to do it all over again tomorrow. A post-surf yoga class can release muscular tension after hours riding the waves and also help shorten recovery time between surf sessions. Neck stretches and shoulder openers will help maintain full rotation of the joints and will help prevent a stiff neck and pectorals that us casual seasonal surfers are prone to.

Plus, who doesn’t love a good unwinding yoga practice outside on the beach gazing towards the serene waves – talk about bliss.

Can’t wait to catch waves and get Downdog? Join Carolyn on her surf and yoga retreat this November. 

describe yourself in 5 words

Tuned into something very big.

what are your 1-year, 5 year and 10 year goals?

One year goal: By January 2011 I have created and launched an inspiring Blissology Project lifestyle program that will set off a global love revolution!

Five year goal: By January 2016 I will have a centre where people can study yoga and blissology and experience the wonder of the ocean. The ripples will be felt around the world!

Ten year goal: Our baby (due in Feb. 2011), will be 10 by then, so by Jan 2021 I will do a daily triathlon of surf, yoga and hammock-chilling every day for a whole month with my wife Insiya and our family at our Sri Lankan bliss palace on the beach.

how did you come up with the term blissology?

Blissology is a word that I came up with in university. It's the art of finding sustainable happiness by getting in touch with a force that helps us feel more love, kindness, and connection.

what is the blissology project?

It's a global movement to create more love and positive thinking by committing to six "Big Easy Bliss Commitments": yoga, meditation, nature appreciation, food awareness, gratitude, and a wild card using both online and local communities.

People are participating in the project all around the world from L.A. to London to Sydney.

what's next for you?

Continuing to inspire others to live from the same place of love. I will be at lululemon stores in January talking about how to create a life mission, which is the perfect complement to goal setting. As a surfer, I always tell people, "why bob around in life, when you can surf?"

Read Eoin's lululemon ambassador profile >>
Learn more about the Blissology Project >>