Costa Rica Yoga Teacher Training

Let’s take it back a little bit…

In a matter of a few months, I was soon to be done with undergrad. Like any college student, I had an idea of where I wanted to be within the next year. However, filled with uncertainty I began to question everything.

If there is one thing that I knew for sure is that I needed to slow things down. After constantly working and studying full-time/interning I was stretching myself out too thin. Overworking and constantly filling my schedule by the hour. In the back of my mind sat this idea of traveling to another country and doing my yoga teacher training there.

Being the indecisive person that I am, I hesitated to decide on a program. I searched around for the best option until I finally found Caribe Yoga Academy. I was so thrilled to have found this place. Reached out to the director, Avani… once I exchanged a few emails with her, any doubt that was going through my mind was put to rest.

This was happening, it finally felt like I was doing something for myself. Yoga has been in my life since 2012. It quickly grew a place in my heart when I noticed how it started making me feel on and off the mat.

Fast forward a few months…

I made it Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. Completely fell in love. La gente, la comida, la cultura, y la playa. .

Yoga teacher training groups are usually made up of all people. There are those people that you expect to see, who live and breathe yoga. Then others who are less expected, corporate types who either left or are considering leaving their high-stress work environment.

My training consisted of about 24 beautiful females, from all across the world. Arriving to the training we all understood the amount of yoga and study we would be doing. Yet, one thing we weren’t expecting is all the self study/growth that we would be doing. Safe to say this brought us all even closer.

The month that we were in Puerto Viejo was packed with mornings asanas, mythology, history of yoga, anatomy, so much more and how we can all incorporate this into our teachings, and lives. Being able to completely immerse yourself into the teachings is what truly makes this program so special.

In the jungle of Costa Rica you wake up to the howling of the howler monkeys, chirping of birds, it is nearly impossible not to take it all in and be able to connect with nature on another level.

I quickly realized that when I headed back home, all this energy, all the teachings, self-growth, might be all forgotten if I continued my life the way it was. Fast forward to today I’ve made a lot of changes but ultimately happy with where I am today.

In everyday life we have such a sense of urgency when doing simple things, eating, talking to someone, etc. We live this fast-paced life which doesn’t allow us to enjoy the little things and slow things down. Simple meditations can help you come to stillness, connect with your breath and get out of your head (what we call monkey mind).

Down below I have a little meditation that you can do to help bring awareness into the moment and your breath…

prana meditation with the breath:

1. Wherever you are come to a comfortable position. Whatever this means for you. Maybe you have access to your mat, maybe you are laying down or simply sitting at the office. Begin inhaling and exhaling deeply. Inhale through your nose, exhale through your nose. Making a wave-like sound with this ujjayi breath. Taking this moment to set aside your busy-ness and tune into being present, right here, right now. Spend a few minutes connecting with you breath. Allow your breath to be as it is – allow your mind to relax by focusing gently on your breath. 
2. Now bring to mind what pure energy might look like, making it completely your own. Being unique to you. View this energy in your mind, and hold it in your mind’s eye. This is your prana.
3. Now with each breath, visualize the prana moving throughout your body. Send it to different parts of your body, your throat, to your shoulders, down throughout your arms, leading it down to your fingertips. Go slowly. Remember this is your prana. Your very own life force, pure energy so take your time. Direct the prana to any area that needs extra attention.
4. When you feel complete with this meditation, bring the prana back to your mind. Hold it with you for one for breath. Then on your exhale release it gently, knowing you can bring it back whenever you want.
5. Return your awareness to you breathing, if your eyes are closed, open them slowly, maybe reaching both arms up above your head, palms facing one another. Then lowering your hands to heart center, and thanking yourself for setting this time apart to show some self love.

– Namaste

 

Hope you enjoyed this read, and the meditation. ❤