Yoga master Sarah Elfvin’s conscious Mallorca walks introduce groups to the lesser-known and breathtakingly beautiful charms of the island.
Now, as the weather becomes too hot for hiking along Mallorca’s rugged shores and in her mountains, Sarah is guiding walkers to the cooler, shaded and culturally intriguing secret places of Mallorca.
Sarah’s conscious Mallorca walks are informed by a yogic philosophy of true generosity and acceptance that creates curiosity to explore new pathways, structures, and solutions relevant for our time.
She believes that what yogic philosophy, art and culture have in common is the perspective they offer on ourselves and our context. This helps us feel connected internally, in our lives and on our planet.
Sarah teaches and practices in the ISHTA lineage of yoga. ISHTA’s mission is to integrate science with hatha and tantra yoga and Ayurveda. It also means ‘that which resonates within the individual spirit’.
Originally from Sweden, Sarah has lived on Mallorca for many years. She lives off the grid in the countryside where, she says, ‘From my meditation spot, I have a wonderful view and can hear the sheep bells and the sounds of the donkeys. At night, I can see the stars free from light pollution. I can hear the sounds of the milanas reals, the Red Kites, and the breeze through the olive trees. At yet I’m still close enough to Palma for work or simply to pop into the city for a cortado or lunch.’
Her conscious walks enable her to share her love of the spectacular landscapes, architecture, rich history and culture of the Mallorcan people who offer abundant generosity to visitors to the island.
‘On this island, La Isla Bonita, you can experience so many different landscapes, variations and shifts in light, colours, and flora and fauna. And, in the towns and villages, you have the islanders with their integrity and generosity,’ Sarah says.
Sarah’s conscious Mallorca walks began in the months after lockdown on the island when people needed to reconnect with nature.
In the coming summer months, she plans to visit Fundacio Joan Miro in a quiet suburb of Palma. ‘Miro’s art has a lot in common with yoga philosophy,’ Sarah says. ‘We will find shade beneath the tree outside Miro’s studio and enjoy a meditation moment together.’
Another walk will be to the world fig sanctuary at finca Son Mut Nou, Llucmayor, which I had no idea existed.
Here, there are more than 3,000 fig trees and 1,324 varieties from 64 different countries including 260 varieties from the Balearic Islands, saved from disappearing by founder Montserrat Pons i Boscana, a former botanist in the pharmacy industry.
Whenever possible, Sarah integrates ‘mouna’ or silence into her conscious Mallorca walks.
‘In our day to day life we’re often just responding to the outside world and forgetting to listen to our own inner space and find the silence,’ she says. ‘Whether in nature, Palma or the smaller towns and villages, the walks I guide focus on on exploring the in-betweens, the “time folds” – pathways off the beaten track, art found in strange places, the tiny details we can miss.’
I’ve lived on Mallorca for many years and hiked many of the ancient pathways that lead along its shores and across its mountains. I’ve wandered Palma and other towns, turned a corner and walked into a street or square so tranquil it feels time stands still.
The prospect of being guided to places like the fig sanctuary at finca Son Mut Nou by someone who loves Mallorca at least as much as I do is enormously appealing.
If you’d like to join a walk, you can message Sarah on Facebook or Instagram. She also has a WhatsApp group.
She’s perfectly happy to arrange conscious walks for small groups of people.
Right now, these will be walks to cool, shaded, hidden places in Palma rather than hikes in the Tramuntana mountains. The longer, more challenging walks will begin again in the cooler months of autumn.
WhatsApp: +34 674 085 065
Insta: happysouls_newperspectives
All photos by Matthew Clark