Morgan W.

Washington DC 

Reviewed February 23, 2020.

Review sent by email

I went to Tulum for three days alone in Jan 2020 to focus on yoga, rejuvenate, and celebrate turning 50 last year.  I took Victor's class at the resort and was so impressed with his attention to the details of positions, and amazing breathing techniques (which were surprisingly hard!).  He embodies an especially effective combination of serious skills with a relaxed attitude - providing an opportunity for my as a client/pupil to take on the challenge of improving my practice, but with the push of motivation and inspiration, not stress.  Just as the best yoga should be.  I hope i get another opportunity to take his classes and benefit further from his yoga guidance and friendship.  Thanks Victor! 

​

Marelene Holland
Princeton, NJ
Reviewed July 24, 2017.
Review at her FB profile

A year ago I began a journey toward my 500 hour yoga teacher training. Like the rest of my life, it was a demonstration of my favorite expression from John Lennon which is "Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans". I don't think I ever chose yoga, but it chose me and I am grateful beyond words. My yoga training far exceeded the demands of my pharmacy education. I cried, bitched, acted out, and grew more than I could have dreamed of while I was supported mentally and physically as you can see in the picture by Maria Parrella Turco along with Cathy Madeo, Monica D, Caroline Fowler, and of course our fearless guru Victor Varana. I chose this photo because it's not perfect, nor am I and because I was being assisted by Maria and I was in the moment with joy. I have always tried too hard at my own expense when what I really needed to do was to accept my imperfections and ask others to assist me. I will continue to work on the areas of myself that I need to improve and hopefully remember I'm not alone in this journey. Victor, thank you sincerely for hanging in with me as I challenged myself and you! You gave me the space to be the real me, including my shadows. You taught me so much beyond yoga asanas, sequencing, and release valves! My heart opens a little bit more each moment, as I learn to accept myself and embrace others with gentle kindness. As much as I had strong desire to just be done with it, it was the life changing journey that was most important and which I miss already!!!! As the quote from the Bhagavad Gita on the wall behind me states so well, "Set the heart upon the work, but never the reward". My work continues....

​

Monica D'Antonio
Princeton, NJ
Reviewed July 23, 2017.
Review at her FB profile

1 year and 300 hours of teacher training later. I can't believe how much I've changed as a teacher and grown as a yogi. There's always more to work on, always space to grow into but at the same time so many reasons why the present moment is already perfect. Thank you Victor Varana and Caroline Fowler for an incredible training. Thanks to Maria Parrella Turco, Cathy Madeo and Marlene Holland for being amazing and inspiring... in retrospect I should have done pencil pose in this photo.

​

Tizia Sertimer
NYC
Reviewed June 28, 2016.
Review at the YogaMultimedia Yoga School profile page in yogaalliance.org

Victor is a wonderful yoga teacher who shares his knowledge and experiences in the field of Yoga with a lot of emphasis on meditation and pranayama. Victor will put you in challenging asanas to push out the best in you. He has a background in martial arts, Qi gong and Tai Chi which he mixes in his own created Kalam-Balam sequence that will make you feel like the dragon warrior in Kung Fu Panda.

​

Matilde Juliette
Denver, Colorado
Reviewed October 21, 2014.
Article at her blog

Victor Varana taught Kalam-Balam— The Path of the Snake and the Jaguar tying the ancient knowledge both to the practice in our minds as well as for our bodies. Combining methods from two of his passions, yoga and Aikido, he moved us through honestly the most unique sequence I’ve probably ever experienced.

​

Frank Utchi
Valencia, España
Reviewed August 29, 2014.
Maya Tulum Trip Advisor reviews page

Las clases de Yoga son en general de alta calidad. Nos gustó especialmente el profesor de Yoga Victor Varana que nos ha dado unas clases increíbles y es una verdadera mina de conocimientos y variedades de Yoga.

​

Tanushka16
Denver, Colorado
Reviewed April 4, 2014.
Las Ranitas Eco-boutique Hotel Trip Advisor reviews page

I recommend you try the yoga at this place too. I know there are many hotels that offer yoga, but the guy who teaches here is excellent - perhaps one of the best yoga classes I've ever taken. It's $15 per class, and there are daily classes at 10:30 am

 

RunCatchKiss
Winnipeg, Manitoba 
Reviewed August 22, 2013.
Maya Tulum Trip Advisor reviews page
Yoga class with Victor was fabulous. Just the right amount of challenge, direction, and relaxation.

​

Judith Labrozzi
Georgia, US 
Reviewed March 12, 2013 facebook

I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to do yoga three times a week with Victor. He knows how to make yoga not only challenging, but fun too. He is always such a happy person that it wears off on others around him. To know him is to love him.

 

Eva Kaczor
Creator of Psychedelic Breath
Berlin, Germany
Reviewed March 12, 2013 Facebook

Kundalini Yoga Praxis und um uns herum die alten Mayas. Danke Viktor, du großartiger Lehrer

​

Lynn Stewart Stevenson
BC, Canada
Reviewed March 12, 2013 Facebook

Victor is an amazing Yoga instructor that is able to modify his yoga moves to meet all age groups and personal limitations. I have been very fortunate to work with Victor. In the past six weeks and three sessions a week, he has never duplicated any of the moves. He encourages us to reach our fullest potential even with our personal imitations. Thank you Victor for being such a dedicated, caring and experienced instructor. I look forward to every class.

​

Eva-Maria Hahler 
Montreal QC 
Reviewed February 5, 2013. 
email

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou

The fact that I am writing this testimonial over a year after I have been on a Yoga retreat with Victor in Tulum is a testimonial in and of itself. The fact that I am taking the time in a very busy moment in my life is an additional testimonial to Victor's awesomeness. Would I write this testimonial two years after the retreat, it would still be as enthusiastic as I felt leaving Tulum two summers ago. Tulum has changed my life before, but somehow Victor always seems to play a role in it. I can feel his heart smile while I am sitting here writing about his retreat, in a far away country, way after our last encounter. His open heart and creative mind together have led to the creation of the most wonderful and inspiring Yoga retreat I have ever been on- with ripple effects until today and for a long time to come. Victor's first ever retreat incorporated a mix of spirituality, creativity and power. Ingredients: a knowledgeable, kind and compassionate master, wonderful participants, nurtured and nourished by Victor's overflowing love, a beautiful beach setting, some Aztec healers and a Temazcal, to name just a few. Every day was a surprise. You know when you open a Kinder chocolate and you don't know what to expect. This was Victor's retreat. Obviously I cannot tell you what to expect, as I don't want to spoil any surprises, but I can say as much: every day was more awesome than the previous one and at the end of it all, we were all beaming of pure joy and happiness. Victor helped us peel away all those layers around our true selves- those beautiful selves that were there all along. Peeling away doubts and worries, transforming us into warriors, lovely powerful warriors, who knew that anything was possible. Just knew and still know. I for one wrote my doctoral thesis in the months after the retreat and Victor's magic worked its way all the way, giving me the courage to fight right through this arduous journey. The same happens to this date. At times when I doubt, even in moments of deep exhaustion, I remember one of the many activities and I find strength within- I remember how I felt when we practiced together. I felt powerful, playful, joyful. I felt loved. I felt One. Victor, I am forever grateful for your warm heart that plants seeds and patiently encourages a blossom to search for the light. I will never forget how you made me feel, Victor, and I am looking forward to the next time we meet and practice, play and pray, laugh and joke. You are the best and I truly miss you. Thank you, brother, In Lak'ech.

​

Elissa Heyman
Psychic
Santa Fe, NM
Reviewed Nov 8, 2012. 
facebook

“Victor created a wonderful week for our group that I’ll always remember: a week in paradise with a true teacher. Being in Victor’s classes with his level of commitment made me understand more about spiritual development and what it entailed. We went on really fun and fascinating excursions, ate great food, and swam in the Caribbean while still living a beautiful life of practicing yoga, and learning Mayan and Eastern spiritual traditions.”

 

Aviva S. Bernat MD, 
Holistic Physician, Acupuncturist, Healer
LA, CA
Reviewed August 7, 2012  e-mail

I gave myself this workshop and week at Maya Tulum as a 45th birthday present and it was one of the best weeks of my life. It was deeply relaxing, wonderfully joyful, and physically, emotionally and spiritually nourishing and enlivening. The workshop that Victor created was amazing. He put so much heart and creative thought into every detail. He planned the journey on which he lead us with such care and insight. He wove physically challenging and deeply restorative yoga into each day and integrated the yoga with the energetic and natural world. I tried things I never thought I could possibly do and ended up loving them and feeling very empowered. He also incorporated ceremony and ritual into the week and it was a transformative opportunity to participate in the Mayan Temezcal ritual. He also introduced his unique style of Alquimia yoga, which was a blast! Victor is also so multitalented and brought those gifts of chanting/kirtan, photography, multimedia to each of us. I was so inspired and impressed, I asked him to design my professional website. Victor’s wisdom and playful spirit was evident in all that we did. He chose meaningful and fun excursions that were also connected to our journey for the week. He introduced different styles of yoga and challenged us to push ourselves in a really gentle and supportive way. He taught by example, which inspired me. His breadth of knowledge and commitment to this work was evident. The gifts of that week continue to emerge in my life. I have such gratitude for Victor, my fellow participants and the exquisite Maya Tulum.
Thank you , thank you , thank you !!!

​

Janet Goldman. 
St Louis, MO
Reviewed August 7, 2012 e-mail

"Spending a week on a Yoga Retreat with Victor Verano is amazing, empowering and fun! Each day was different and presented a new challenge for me. What a powerful and exhilarating feeling it was for me to do postures that I "thought" I was unable to do. I really got out of my head and into my body. My batteries were totally charged to go back into the world in a more loving and peaceful way.

The Kirtan session led by Victor the last night was strong and transformative. I would highly recommend this Yoga retreat and I am looking forward to his next one."

 

Sassysandyg
Washington DC, District of Columbia
Reviewed July 20, 2012.
Maya Tulum Trip Advisor reviews page
I came here after researching remote beach resorts and seeing that they offered yoga, healthy food an no TV or Internet. I was in desperate need to relax and recharge. Maya Tulum exceeded all of my expectations. Tulum is spectacularly beautiful and there is an indescribably strong and peaceful energy here. The yoga is challenging and the teacher really passionate. Tania and Victor are standout instructors who are excellent at both the yoga and meditation. The food is amazing. Not a single bad meal. Fish tacos, veg sandwich, guajillo fish and granola are my favs but honestly it's all so good, fresh an filling. Dont Let the vegetarian thing fool you the food is so satisfying.

If you're looking to restore yourself and feel healthier in body, spirit and mind this is the place.

 

julieabice68
Minneapolis, MN
Reviewed April 26, 2012.
Maya Tulum Trip Advisor reviews page
We attended eight classes in our five days (every one that was available while we were there). Our instructors were Maria, Victor, Joanne and Adrianna. We were happy with all of them. Victor was the most unique and his class was a bit more of an “experience.” The yoga in general was not much different than what you would find in the US. We averaged about eight students per class. Each class was 75 minutes long.

 

Rosanna Ventrone
San Francisco, CA
Reviewed April 20, 2012. 
facebook

The sunrises in Tulum were breath-taking. Morning meditations every day - a little slice of heaven! ...... And if you get a chance take Maya Tulum's Warrior Yoga class with Victor Varana. It inspired my practice!

​

Jill Weisberg 
New York 
Reviewed April 5, 2012. 
facebook

My dear friend and amazing teacher VICTOR is leading two very special retreats in Tulum this year! His guided meditations and yoga classes have literally changed (saved) my life... He is a wise, compassionate, attentive and fun guide to self transformation

​

Laura Cruz Navarro
Playa del Carmen, Mx. 
Reviewed February 4, 2012. 
email

La primera clase de Yoga que tuve fue con el maestro Victor, no tenía idea de lo que se trataba, solo me di a la tarea de ir asistiendo; fue gracias a la paciencia y dedicación que recibí, que poco a poco fui avanzando en las posturas.
Fui experimentando el Yoga través de la práctica sin teoría alguna, guiada solo con las indicaciones de mi profesor, hoy en día cuando hago Yoga escucho sus recomendaciones: “hombros separados del cuello, todo tu cuerpo está activo, la rodilla nunca debe sobre pasar el pie, etc, etc.”.
He escuchado muchas versiones del significado de Yoga para mí el es entrar en un estado de meditación, viviendo el aquí el ahora basándose en la auto contemplación que te lleva a la comunión de mente, cuerpo y espíritu.
Deseche el viejo paradigma de ejercicios extenuantes basados frases tales como: “si no hay dolor, no hay ganancia”; el Yoga me ha enseñado a escuchar mi cuerpo y de esta manera respetarlo y a valorarlo.
Victor con entrega y amor me abrió las puertas para recorrer el camino del Yoga, hoy recorro este camino que tiene maravillosos paisajes, ya sea que me deleite con uno solo o continúe avanzando para luego regresar al anterior o continúe caminando, el Yoga es un camino sin fin.
Gracias Victor por mostrarme este camino al Ser.

Eva-Maria Hahler 
Montreal QC 
Reviewed November 27, 2011. 
email

True awesomeness: where kicks turn into joy.

A short story would be: Victor’s classes are simply the best. Given however that they are the best, they definitely deserve a long story. First off, from the moment you set foot in Victor’s classes, you will be mesmerized by his smile, this highly authentic smile, a little whimsical and full of wisdom. He usually starts you off with a guided meditation and if the smile did not have any effect yet, the centering will. Victor’s calm and steady voice walks you through your breathing and slowly guides you to focus inwards, leaving you at peace and ease with yourself. Some exercises to warm you up, and make you realize that there is indeed a physical part to your body. Then, it’s time to play. There it is again, the smile, challenging and encouraging all at once. And when Victor says, “let’s play”, he means it. Alchemic Yoga, the combination of Martial arts with Yoga, was a real discovery for me. Victor’s unique interpretation of this style, Warrior Arts Vinyasa, was genuinely the most powerful Yoga I have practiced in my life. In practice, Victor teaches you an integrated series of sequences, flowing between a variety of Yoga postures and Martial arts movements. The enjoyable aspect about Victor’s sequences is that they have a clear beginning, middle and end, and you get to do them over and over, which gives you the opportunity to go deeper each time. There is plenty of room to kick, laugh, fall and grow. A perfect fusion and joyful balance. The result is a very dynamic class, during which you have no time to think, since you are so busy playing. Perhaps that is the beauty of it all. You forget about the mind, which you already tamed in the beginning of the class. Energy simply flows. Victor has this exceptional talent of connecting with any student, be it you are beginner, intermediate or a long time practitioner, such as myself. Victor is listening and seeing. He has an on and off the mat beautiful and extremely inspiring personality, and at the end of the day, this is what I value in a teacher. I therefore hope the long story helped you appreciate the true awesomeness of Victor’s classes. It surely comprises the full range from depth to play, all that you need to be left feeling joy and happiness within your own being. I for one am incredibly grateful for a wonderful encounter with Victor and am very much looking forward to more practice, play and growing under his wings. Muchas gracias por todo, Victor. Namaste!  

 

Geneviève Lapierre
Montreal, Canada
Reviewed Nov 10, 2011.
email 
J'ai eu le plaisir de faire quelques classes avec Victor, et c'était une expérience en soi! Ses classes sont créatives, énergisantes et inspirantes! À essayer...

​

Rose Czyrny
Certified holistic practitioner & yoga therapist.
Wales, NY.
Reviewed October 7, 2011.
facebook

I did Kundalini with Victor! Loved it! Great Instructor ♥ Rose.

 

A. Farley
Las Vegas, Nevada
Reviewed July 14, 2011
trip advisor : Maya Tulum 

I went to three a.m. yoga classes (2 with Maria, one with Victor). The yoga studio is beautiful. One large room, lots of windows, ceiling fans, and well-stocked with mats, blankets, small towels, blocks, antiseptic spray, and drinking water. In fact, I've never been to a nicer studio. The practice was really nice, very professional, and restful and challenging at the same time. Neither Maria nor Victor take themselves too seriously - they were light hearted and calm and made me feel very comfortable. They both spent time checking postures and assisting students with their poses. I wish I could transport them and the studio here to Las Vegas!

GaBy
Mexico, D.F.
Reviewed May 22, 2011 
facebook

Después de un intensivo entrenamiento bajo las enseñanzas de Víctor, tome la fortaleza que requería para dejar de fumar, y volver a valorar el equilibrio entre la mente, y el cuerpo! Está de más puntualizar cada elemento que transformó, pero invito a todos a dejarse influir, y sorprender por lo que ésta practica puede hacer por ustedes.

​

Christy
New York 
January 28, 2010 
Maya Tulum guest comments

Loved Victor unique style, focus on breath, his incorporation of martial arts and long warm up and athletic combinations.

 

Natal152
New York
Reviewed February 15, 2010
trip advisor : Maya Tulum

I chose this resort because of the Yoga options and wish that a few more advanced classes were offered even if there was an extra charge. I appreciate the efforts three of the teachers, Victor, Elise, and Sem Yazem, made to accommodate the abilities of their students.

 

Angela Schuster
L.A.
Reviewed Dec 6, 2009
Sign in the Registration Sheet at Jardin de Shangrila

I practiced several times in this lovely space and returned to several of your delightfully challenging poses - my hips thank you, my heart thanks you. Such a lovely connection.
Feliz navidad. Feliz año nuevo.

​

ColoradoHoundog
Colorado
Reviewed October 22, 2009
trip advisor : Maya Tulum

The yoga classes were wonderful, especially Victor and the spa services were fantastic.

​

​