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[This article on Taraka Yoga originally appeared in our summer print issue. You can view the PDF of our summer print issue here.]
Taraka Yoga is located across from the famous Barrio Bistro and has been gaining a huge following since opening on January 11, 2023.
Owned by Mark Hanuman, the studio exudes an infectious optimism and positivity. As the sun filtered into the spacious studio, we met with Mark to learn more about his incredible life journey, his vision for the studio, and the options it offers to suit anyone looking to incorporate the benefits of yoga into their life.
Mark is originally from Baltimore but has been living in Mexico since 2012. He discovered yoga after a life-changing, almost life-ending, event.
Shortly after graduating from college, in June 2004, he was visiting his brother in Hawaii. There, while climbing a cliff, he fell 30 feet and broke his neck and back. He was paralyzed and in pain for three months. He discovered yoga as a way to heal himself, and used it as a powerful tool in his physical rehabilitation.
After his recovery, Mark went back to school to get a master’s degree in translation and then worked in musical theater for several years before joining the Peace Corps and living on the mountaintops of the northern Andes in Peru.
In 2012, he moved to Querétaro, a city north of Mexico City, looking for a change, where he opened a yoga studio that thrived until the pandemic hit in 2020.
After closing his studio in Queretaro, he moved to a Pacific coast beach town better known as San Pancho, and after spending two years vacationing there, Mark decided to move to Puerto Vallarta.
“Why PV?” I asked, and he smiled and replied, “Beaches, mountains and jungles.”
Luckily, Marc decided to open a yoga/wellness studio as soon as he settled in Versailles: his dream was to create a nurturing community of supportive, like-minded people interested in exploring their spirituality more deeply.
As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Mark feels strongly that spirituality doesn’t necessarily conflict with being a valued member of that community.
“If it’s an inclusive, safe and diverse space, the two can coexist very naturally,” Mark said.
His motto is “unity in diversity,” meaning that while there are many paths to finding acceptance, love and peace, the goal is the same. “No matter the belief system, there should be no tension,” he said.
Working on postures, meditation, breathing and chanting can help us experience these positive emotions. Mark emphasized that he wanted his students to understand the importance of the spiritual foundation behind the physical practice. “The real goal is peace of mind, not just putting your feet behind your head,” he said with a smile, adding, “You get stronger physically, but that’s an added benefit, not the end goal.”
Mark teaches two different styles of yoga: Sivananda, which is slow-paced and introspective, and Rocket, which, as the name suggests, is much more physically challenging than Sivananda.
Mark is also assisted by five other instructors who teach styles such as Dharma, Vinissasa and Yin Yang.
Free chanting classes are held every Wednesday at 7:30pm, including guided meditation, chanting, conversation, philosophy and more.
Mark has a clothing line called “Omen Yoga Wear” that is sold at the studio. The brand’s slogan is “The World Is My Mat,” representing the reality that yoga can be practiced anywhere, anytime and your mat can go with you.
As the afternoon progressed, Mark had one final point to share: “Takara Yoga is an inclusive community space where people from the national, foreign and tourist communities can all come together and relax,” he said with a smile in his eyes. “No one has ever left a yoga class thinking it was not good.”
Taraka Yoga
C. Espana 312-1, Versalles, 48310
Monday to Friday 7am to 12:30pm, 6pm to 8:30pm Saturday 9am to 11am
Phone: 52 322 171 1294
Follow Taraka Yoga on Facebook and Instagram
