Terri McDermott Yoga of Svastha Wellness & Peaceful Poses स्वस्थ

04/23/2026

04/23/2026

Finally landing back on Earth after a week that felt like Heaven ✨

Last month at Anamaya Resort, I found myself surrounded by the most incredible group—new faces who quickly became family. Together, we learned to let go a little more, to settle into connection, and to carry home a deeper sense of peace and ease.

There’s truly nothing like the experience there. The environment is breathtaking, the wisdom shared goes beyond words, and the openness of every heart creates something you can’t quite describe—you just have to feel it.

I’m home now, and my heart is so full.

Next journey is https://anamaya.com/retreat/protect-your-peace-retreat-terri-mcdermott/ August 22 - 29, 2026.

Until next time… 💛

04/07/2026

What does Meditation mean to you? Read thoroughly to see what is truly means.

Meditation is NOT relaxation!

Meditation is often misunderstood as a simple technique for relaxation. While a sense of calm may arise as a by-product, to reduce meditation to mere relaxation is to miss its profound transformative potential. In truth, meditation—dhyana in the yogic tradition—is a powerful process that reorganizes the very way our mind functions.

Modern neuroscience offers us a fascinating lens into this transformation. Regular meditative practice has been shown to induce neuroplastic changes in the brain. The prefrontal cortex, associated with higher-order thinking, attention, and self-regulation, becomes more robust. At the same time, there is improved regulation of the default mode network—the system often responsible for mind-wandering and self-referential thinking. This leads to a quieter, less distracted inner landscape.

Equally significant is the reduced reactivity of the amygdala, the brain’s emotional alarm center. As its grip loosens, we find ourselves less driven by fear, anxiety, and impulsive reactions. What emerges instead is a more coherent and harmonious functioning of neural networks, allowing for clarity, stability, and balanced responsiveness.

From the yogic perspective, these changes are not surprising. The ancient sages described meditation as a means to transcend the citta vrittis—the fluctuations of the mind-stuff that create inner turbulence. Through sustained and disciplined practice, one cultivates a state of awareness that is steady, non-reactive, and deeply attentive. This is not suppression, but refinement—a re-education of the mind.

In this light, meditation is not about escaping life, but about engaging with it more consciously. It is a training of attention, a purification of perception, and ultimately, a return to our innate state of inner harmony.

- Guruji Rishiputra Balayogi Dr Anandaji

03/31/2026

Just spent the most amazing week with these beautiful souls teaching, learning, holding sacred space for others, nourishing my spirit and filling my heart. ❤

03/18/2026

Beautiful words about growth from one of my teachers 💕

Growth is rarely a straight line; it is a spiral, a deepening, a returning to the center of who we are. While the world measures our progress by what we gather, the soul measures it by what we are brave enough to release.

To grow as a human being is to recognize that we are more than our titles, our triumphs, or our shadows. True evolution begins in the quiet spaces—the moments where we stop doing and start being.

Rooting in the Unseen: Just as the tallest trees require the deepest roots, our outward reach is only as strong as our internal foundation.

The Alchemy of Stillness: Spirituality isn't an escape from the world; it is the light we bring into it. It turns our challenges into lessons and our breath into a prayer of gratitude.

Expanding the Heart: When we align with the spirit, our perspective shifts from "me" to "we." We begin to see the sacred thread that connects every living thing.

We are not just building a life; we are cultivating a presence.

Yogacharini Anandhi Mary Cecil
ICYER at Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry
Sannidhi Yoga
Gitananda Integrative Therapies Academy
Indian Yoga Association
Yoga Alliance
International Association of Yoga Therapists

03/17/2026

Feeling incredibly grateful today and I am without words!
Our Costa Rica retreat at Anamaya next week is officially SOLD OUT. Every time I return to this beautiful space I’m reminded of how special it is to gather with people who are ready to slow down, reconnect, and nourish themselves. To gather with people who know when it's time!!!! If you are reading this, it's time and Anamaya is calling out to you, as am I.

Thank you to everyone who said yes to this experience, I feel so blessed and humbled to share this journey with you.

If your heart feels called to experience Anamaya with me and you've missed this amazing opportunity, I’ll be returning August 22nd - 29th, 2026 for another beautiful week together in the jungle and by the ocean. It is time to learn to Protect Your Peace! Join me?

https://anamaya.com/retreat/protect-your-peace-retreat-terri-mcdermott/

02/01/2026

Happy to be headed back to Costa Rica in August of 2026! If this is a better time for you to travel than March, I'd love to see you. This will be an important time for us to learn to protect our peace in a world full of chaos!
August 22 - 29th, 2026
✨Explore the breath as a bridge to balance, awareness, and inner transformation.
✨Learn to protect your peace, nourish your energy centers, and embody the process of self-empowerment.
✨Step boldly into the next chapter, carrying with you only what truly serves your highest self.

https://anamaya.com/retreat/protect-your-peace-retreat-terri-mcdermott/

12/19/2025

Anamaya, Chloé and I are calling you! It's time to slow down.