Cultivating Everyday Awe? - Baxter Bell & Melina Meza

Cultivating Everyday Awe? – Baxter Bell & Melina Meza

One of the unexpected consequences of the recent COVID pandemic was walking around our neighborhood about 300% more than ever before, just to get out of the house, off of zoom and into some fresh air. And fortunately, nature was not that disturbed by our viral woes, and the flowers and birds and butterflies went right on with their rhythms. But, now, we were able to notice more, with more time and space to wander without hurrying, and what had been there all along now jumped into our awareness and the feeling of awe happened, and happened again, and then again. These daily walks felt like a balm to our spirit and mind, amidst the uncertainty, fear and seeming endless new other reality that daily NYT’s Covid report painted.

Cultivating Everyday Awe? - Baxter Bell & Melina MezaOf course, it’s even easier to experience moments of awe when we intentionally go to places where nature is unique, stunning and breathtaking…like the Feathered Pipe Ranch. It turns out that experiencing awe (defined as “a strong emotional response to encounters such as viewing dramatic landscapes, witnessing storms, observing inspiring architecture, listening to music, or having a religious experience“) has many of the health benefits that we often ascribe to a well-balanced, regular yoga practice. Things like improved immune function, better sleep and digestion, and better stress management and subtle benefits such as increased generosity, humility and improved critical thinking. So, the potential is great for combining daily yoga and time immersed in a place that more easily elicits the awe response in our bodies, such as the Ranch.

And the style of yoga that we share is grounded in a desire to promote healthy aging and vibrant living for students at all stages of life, making it both engaging, appropriately challenging and revitalizing, as to support our deeper values and goals in life. It’s a perfect match for the incredible beauty around as at Feathered Pipe, where awe is served up many times a day. Before, in-between and after yoga sessions each day, there is always time to wander the quiet paths of Feathered Pipe, explore the trails into the mountains and sit peacefully by the stream or lake and refresh your spirit through simple being and the awesomeness of nature.

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Join Baxter Bell and Melina Meza for a transformative retreat at the Feathered Pipe Ranch, where daily yoga and Ayurveda classes, outdoor adventures, creative exploration around the five senses, and community-building experiences combine to refresh your senses and uplift your spirit, July 5 – 12, 2025, “Yoga for the Seasons and Senses: A Yoga and Ayurveda Summer Retreat

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ABOUT BAXTER BELL, MD:

Baxter Bell - Yoga TherapyBaxter Bell, MD, C-IAYT, eRYT500, has been getting to know the power of nature at the Ranch since his first visit in August, 1999! He is the co-author of the book “Yoga for Healthy Aging” and co-founder of the blog of same name, started in 2012, and is a great guide for all yoga practices to support your healthy aging!

Baxter fell in love with yoga in 1993 while working full-time as a family physician. His appreciation for the potential of yoga for fostering health, healing, and equanimity was so great, he soon stepped away from his medical practice and trained to become a yoga teacher. Now he focuses on teaching yoga full time to ordinary students of all ages and physical conditions as well as the next generation of yoga teachers. He also sees students privately, helping them use yoga to help heal from and/or cope with a wide range of medical conditions.

Baxter teaches classes, workshops, and retreats internationally. He has presented at Yoga Journal Conferences and the International Association of Yoga Therapy’s Sytar Conference, and teaches online courses and classes at YogaUOnline. He has written articles for Yoga Journal and the Journal of the International Association of Yoga Therapy and is often quoted as an expert on yoga and health by major national news outlets such as the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal.

Learn more about Baxter: baxterbell.com

ABOUT MELINA MEZA:

Melina Meza - AyurvedaMelina Meza, eRYT500, is an avid hiker, mountain biker and nature photographer, and has discovered many magical places around the Ranch since her first visit in 2013. She also is attuned to the 5 elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether, which she weaves into her rich Ayurvedic teachings.

Melina Meza is a pioneer in the field of yoga, nutrition, and Ayurvedic Health, sharing her knowledge with yogis around the world for more than 20 years. She is the creator of Seasonal Vinyasa Yoga, a holistic practice that features lifestyle, diet, and yoga practices tailored to the rhythms of the four seasons to help people stay healthy as they age. Her passion for Nature, the five elements, beauty, and humor forge the foundation of her unique approach to well-being.

In addition to working with individual clients, Melina facilitates year-round yoga and Ayurveda workshops, leading retreats in extraordinary sanctuaries around the world. She is the author of Seasonal Health and Wellness and the Art of Sequencing books as well as the creator of the Yoga for the Seasons – Fall Vinyasa DVD. Her unique teachings can also be found on the Yoga AnytimeYogaUonline, or at Gaiamtv.

Learn more about Melina: melinameza.com

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