I had Ashanti in mind for the site for a while now (as she is also a model) but once I found out she was also an avid yoga student, it became a national emergency that we get together for a shoot and a comprehensive interview. So I found myself at the En-Lighten Up Yoga Studio, in downtown San Ignacio a couple weeks ago and it was an amazing and enlightening experience (see what I did there :)).
So how old are you?
A.G: I’m 20 years old
What are you taking at Galen?
A.G: I’m a fourth year student majoring in Anthropology and doing a minor in archaeology.
What made you get into yoga?
A.G: Well I’ve always been interested in being fit, so from a very young age I was involved in numerous forms of dance like ballet, modern, and hip-hop; however, many of my teachers eventually stopped offering their classes for various reasons and pretty soon there was no one to turn to express my love for dance. So when I heard that a yoga studio was opening up in San Ignacio, I decided to give it a try and after my first class in February of 2010…I fell in love with it.
So you went from dancing to being calmer? Do you find that you can still express yourself artistically through yoga?
A.G: Yes, many of the poses in yoga can be performed through a flowing movement called Vinyasana.
So how often do you yoga?
A.G: Currently I do it once every other day but the ideal is to actually do it every day, because yoga is actually a life-style, it is not something that simply ends after taking an hour-and-a-half class.
Do you have a favourite pose?
A.G: Ha, naw I can’t pick just one, there are a few that I really love like Eka Hasta Bhujasana, also known as Elephant’s trunk pose.
Do you ever try to invent your own poses in your spare time?
A.G: Before, no, but recently yes.
lol
A.G: for example, while practicing different variations of headstands, I just ended up trying something that looked like scorpion pose in headstand
Wow okay sounds dangerous
A.G: Haha it’s not at all.
So what are some of the benefits you’ve found by doing yoga?
A.G: Wow, that’s a very long list
Give me 5
A.G: Basically, the benefits can be divided into three categories: spiritual, mental and physical benefits. Physical benefits include things like increased flexibility, strength, coordination, and balance. Mental benefit is increased or improved concentration. A spiritual benefit is feeling peace within yourself and that is why this practice is so satisfying because it does not only attend to the body, but also the mind and the soul: the three components of a person.
Awesome
A.G: You really don’t know until you give it a try.
So how does the average person, who is not flexible or has a background in dance, start yoga and receive the same kind of benefits?
A.G: One of the beautiful things about yoga is that anyone can try it because there are different levels for example, my instructor, Kate Devine, offers gentle yoga, intermediate yoga, and vigorous yoga so an ‘average’ person would likely take a gentle class.
A.G: And even if the individual cannot perform the poses, there are always variations which may be easier for him or her to perform, which allows the person to receive almost the same benefits as though he/she was doing the full pose.
Ok ,no handstands needed right?
A.G: Haha…definitely no handstands in a gentle class.
What role does yoga currently play in your life?
A.G: It plays a big role in my life…it is a practice I do to firstly overcome my current physical limitations because in the art of yoga, a weak body equals a weak spirit…so this disciplne strives to allow its students to master their bodies so that they can have strong minds and strong spirits.
Has anything in your life improved as a direct result of yoga?
A.G: Definitely like I mentioned before, my consistent practice in yoga has increased my flexibility, strength, coordination, and balance; it gives me energy and improves my concentration abilities.
Okay
A.G: Regular ujai breathing practice has increased my lung capacity.
So what are your future plans for yoga?
A.G: I am definitely highly interested in becoming certified because I am truly in love with it and aspire to share this art with others in Belize. I had also tried to bring yoga to Galen and it looked very promising in the beginning but many people dropped out due to becoming busy with their studies. Nonetheless, I am thinking of trying to start a yoga club next semester at Galen because I have seen that the interest is there.
Do you think the average Belizeans have a mental block against yoga which may make them hesitant to actually try it?
A.G: Oh yes! There are many ‘barriers’ known as misconceptions about yoga that prevents them from even wanting to try it.
What are some of these misconceptions?
A.G: Some of the biggest misconceptions is that many people think you have to be flexible to do yoga. That is so far from the truth, flexibility is not a pre-requisite. Other misconceptions is that some people think that yoga is only for women it is very wrong for men to feel that yoga is only for women, especially since this discipline was likely developed by men.
What is your dream for yoga at Galen?
A.G: My dream for yoga at Galen is to have a consistent yoga club. One that introduces what yoga is all about so that more interest can be stimulated…and misconceptions are corrected; one whereby I can invite professional teachers like my instructor Kate Devine, to give a class or two every so often because as Patanjali said, yoga is 99% practice and 1% theory.
So do you have ambitions to have your own studio one day or will you stick to only the practice and not the teaching?
A.G: At this point, I’m not so sure about having my own studio, but I am sure about becoming certified because I am interested in teaching – to share the joy that yoga brings to my life with others
I wish you the best on that
A.G: Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share my experience with yoga
Anytime
For more information about how you can start yoga at En-Lighten Up Yoga Studio in San Ignacio contact Kate (the instructor) at 665-1972 or find her on Facebook
TATTOOS
Even though tattoos are still looked at as being gang related and looked down upon by many individuals in the community, it is one of the oldest forms of self-expression artistically as well as culturally. It is common in many ancient cultures such as the Mayan, Aztec, Polynesian, Asian, Indian, as well as African and many others. In the modern culture tattooing is not necessarily a form of cultural identification as related to the ancient practices but rather more often a form of self-expression and self-identification. The art of tattooing, piercings, scarification and other such practices all seem to be misunderstood by the masses, in my opinion due to ignorance and a closed-mind attitude towards the art/act on the part of the larger society.
Arsenal Tattoo by Beto
THE ART OF TATTOOING AND BODY MODIFICATION IN BELIZE
In Belize there is not a large group of ‘professional’ tattoo artists, however the few that are available are widespread throughout the country and they each have their own speciality, style and outlook on tattoos and tattooing. I recently got the opportunity to sit and talk with one of the few artists and I must say that even though I was already intrigued by tattoos and tattooing, being that I have one myself, I found the conversation to be stimulating and it opened my mind about tattooing as well as other forms of body modification such as piercings and scarring.
Tattoo Shop: Red Dragon Studio
Location: Belmopan City (Upstairs Venus’ Complex)
Opening hours: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm Mon – Sat (also does at-home session as requested by client)
Services: Tattooing & piercing (tongue, eyebrow, lips, ears, belly-button, etc…)
Name of Artists: Alberto “Beto” Narvaez
Experience: 10+ years
Tattoing Style: Tribal, realistic, color work, traditional, black and gray (shadowing) etc…
Beto piece
Interview
LAUREN: “Why did you become interested in tattoos and tattooing?”
BETO: “From when I was a young boy I have been drawing. When I was about 15 I really became interested in tattoos and I went and got my first. After that I made a tattoo machine and began practicing.”
LAUREN: “When did you first start to work professionally as a tattoo artist?”
BETO: “I began tattooing first in Cayo about 7 years ago or so when I opened my first shop. But before that about two years or so after I started tattooing I got a professional tattoo machine and I was tattooing from at home in Corozal which is where I am from.”
LAUREN: ‘Have you always worked in Belmopan or have you worked in other districts in the country or even out of the country?”
BETO: “As I said I opened my first shop in Cayo where I stayed for a couple of years. After that I moved back to Corozal and opened another shop. When I was working in Corozal, Steve from Stinging Scorpion in Belize City came to see me and asked me to go and work with him. I said yes because I saw it as an opportunity to gain experience and work under a well established artist. I worked with Steve for about a year and now I have my own shop here in Belmopan which has been open for a month now. I’ve never worked out of the country but I plan to one day, as soon as I establish my shop and have someone who can work here when I am not. I love Belize and I plan to always work here, but the international exposure allows you as an artist to gain new experiences and see new styles of tattooing and body art.”
Beto working on a piece
LAUREN: “What have been your experience working in different areas of the country; is it the same everywhere or different?”
BETO: “I think that everyone that comes to me for either a tattoo or even a piercing is different. Every tattoo is different and everyone is different in how they react; why they want the tattoo and what type of tattoo they want. You would be surprised to see the different types of people that get tattoos; teachers, nurses, policemen, students. I did a lot of tattoos on tourists when I was working at Steve’s in Belize City; some from America, France, Spain, all over. I remember once when I did tattoos for a mother, her son and her daughter, and the daughter was only bout 10 or so at the time.”
LAUREN: “Have you always been tattooing from since you started?”
BETO: “No actually, for a couple of years I was not working, tattooing and having a shop due to personal problems. At one point when I got involved in tattooing I also got involved in a gang and so I started to hang out more and more. After that I started to work again and focus on improving my skills but the lifestyle that accompanies tattooing is sometimes distracting.”
Grim Reaper tattoo in the early stages
LAUREN: “What do you mean that it is sometimes distracting?”
BETO: “Well, at one point I was tattooing but I was also hanging out a lot with friends. After I finished working at the shop we would go out for a couple of drinks and the next thing I know is that I am broke, drunk and the next day is already here. Hahaha, this life is crazy. At one point I even got involved in heavy drug use but that’s behind me now and I am glad. Now I am more focused and I plan to keep it that way, I have to establish a line that separates my business from friends and hanging out.”
LAUREN: “What would you say was the most interesting or bizarre tattoo experience you’ve had so far?”
BETO: “Hmm, that’s a hard one. I’ve had so much that I can’t think of one that really sticks out. I can remember once when I was hanging out with a friend and she decided to have a party at her house. Well we invited a couple of people over and we got so wasted that after a while she said that everyone who was there had to get a piercing and they all agreed to do it. I was piercing people in all spots imaginable. This profession is a crazy one and you have too many crazy moments to have one single one that outshines all the rest.”
LAUREN: “What has the tattooing been like?”
BETO: “I like tattooing, from the moment that I saw someone getting a tattoo I wanted to become involved with it. I know that sometimes it can be rough or challenging, since you are dealing with a lot of different people, but I love it. As a tattoo artist I have to have a lot of patience to deal with the bullshit that some people come with. But hey it’s my job.”
Grim tat further along
LAUREN: “What has the tattooing been like?”
BETO: “I like tattooing, from the moment that I saw someone getting a tattoo I wanted to become involved with it. I know that sometimes it can be rough or challenging, since you are dealing with a lot of different people, but I love it. As a tattoo artist I have to have a lot of patience to deal with the bullshit that some people come with. But hey it’s my job.”
Lauren: “What has the tattooing been like?”
BETO: “I like tattooing, from the moment that I saw someone getting a tattoo I wanted to become involved with it. I know that sometimes it can be rough or challenging, since you are dealing with a lot of different people, but I love it. As a tattoo artist I have to have a lot of patience to deal with the bullshit that some people come with. But hey it’s my job.”
Contact Info: Cell: +501-668-4224 Email: reddragon_beto@hotamil.com
BZ Hype Meter - A Belizean blog for Belizean Music, Belizean Fashion, Belizean Sports, Belizean Art, and Belizean artisans and businesses, cool Belizean music, cool fashion in Belize, sports in Belize City, cool Businesses in Belize 
