Just about three months ago, I was preparing for an adventure as part of Rina Yoga’s 200-Hour Teacher Training and Immersion in Costa Rica. My simplistic packing list looked something like this:
- Textbooks – check
- Yoga mat – check
- Tropical survival gear (aka bug spray, sunscreen) – check
Arguably more important than my list of things to bring was the list of things to leave behind:
- Ego – laterrrr
- Attachments – peace out
- Assumptions, expectations, prejudice – nope, nope, nope
A practicing yogi for about eight years, I said yes to this adventure to deepen my yoga practice and begin my journey as a teacher in training. Unbeknownst to me, I had also said an enthusiastic “YES!” to diving headfirst into self-discovery and awareness.
A few at a time, we 13 Rina Yoga trainees arrived at the humbly beautiful Encantada Ocean Cottages situated on Playa Esterillos Este. Excited anticipation permeated the salty air, we gathered as 13 strangers soon to become the closest of friends. Together, we deconstructed asana, piecing it back together with a fresh perspective on even the most basic of poses. We also took a good hard look at the yogi in the mirror – how can we expect others to find truth through yoga if we don’t truly know ourselves? Together we laughed, cried, screamed from atop a waterfall, shouted our affirmations to the Pacific Ocean.
Had I known from the beginning what I would both give and receive at Rina Yoga’s training, my answer would be yes, yes, a thousand times over YES. Yes to change, yes to stepping outside my comfort zone, yes to new friends and new experiences. Yes to diving deep (and taking a leap!) to be a better yogi and human.
Namaste ya’ll ??
Check back for updates as Rina’s Costa Rica trainees progress through the mentorship and internship phases of becoming a Rina Yoga certified yoga teacher.
