Caroline | Bali 200hr YTT Testimonial
Inka, my teacher, told our group that there is a before YTT and an after YTT. I couldn’t agree more. Looking back, it feels like those three weeks divided my life into two chapters. There are so many aspects of my life that yoga teacher training has inspired me to change, and I know that many of these changes will stay with me long after I leave Bali.
First and foremost, I am going to treat my body with much more kindness and respect. Waking up at 5:30 every morning for a 30-minute meditation followed by a two-hour yoga practice sounded intimidating before I arrived. On top of that, we ate a predominantly vegan diet, eliminated caffeine, consumed only natural sugars, avoided gluten, and spent hours each day reflecting on our emotions, beliefs, and habits. Physically and emotionally, it was one of the most demanding experiences I have ever put myself through. There were days when I felt exhausted, emotional, and challenged in every possible way. Yet somehow, despite all of that, I left each day with more energy, clarity, and purpose than I ever expected.
It showed me how much our daily habits affect our mental and physical well-being. I have never treated my body and mind this intentionally before, and the difference was undeniable. I slept better, felt more present, and experienced a sense of peace that I had rarely felt in my normal routine. When I return home, I know it will be impossible to replicate every aspect of our schedule, but I want to carry those lessons with me by making movement, nourishing food, meditation, and rest a priority rather than an afterthought.
Inka also mentioned that it is impossible to truly explain this experience to someone who has never gone through it themselves. I understand exactly what she meant now. I underestimated both the emotional toll and the depth of the relationships that would form. During those three weeks, we laughed together, cried together, celebrated one another, and supported each other through moments of vulnerability that most people never share. By the end of the training, it felt like I had known everyone in my group for years instead of only a few weeks.
There was something so special about sharing every meal, every practice, every breakthrough, and every challenge together. I have never experienced that type of closeness with a group of people in such a short amount of time. It reminded me that genuine human connection doesn’t always require years—it requires authenticity, openness, and shared experiences. I truly believe I have made some of the deepest friendships of my life through this experience, and I hope those relationships continue long after we have all returned to different parts of the world.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the entire experience was how much it changed my perspective on spirituality. Prior to YTT, I had no real spiritual or religious grounding. I signed up for yoga teacher training because I wanted to deepen my yoga practice, become a teacher, and spend three weeks in a beautiful place. If someone had told me beforehand that I would leave feeling spiritually transformed, I would have laughed. Yet somewhere during those three weeks, something shifted. I feel like, for the first time in my life, something bigger than myself is watching over me. Whether I call it the universe, energy, or simply a deeper connection to life, I now feel grounded in something that I didn’t have before.
This shift wasn’t sudden; it happened gradually through meditation, philosophy lectures, quiet moments in nature, and conversations with both my teachers and classmates. I found myself paying more attention to synchronicities, signs, and moments of gratitude that I may have overlooked before. I became more open-minded and curious rather than skeptical. On the day I left YTT, I bought my first crystals because they resonated with the goals and intentions I want to bring into this next chapter of my life. I am also looking for my first tarot deck, not because I suddenly have all the answers, but because I am excited to continue exploring this new part of myself. More than anything, I developed a deeper connection to humanity and to Mother Nature. I realized how healing it is to slow down, listen, and simply exist without constantly thinking about what comes next. It was a sense of connection that I had been yearning for without even realizing it.
Another part of this experience that I will always treasure was being immersed in Balinese culture. We weren’t simply visiting Bali as tourists—we were invited to learn from the people who call this island home. Throughout the training, we participated in traditional offerings, experienced a beautiful water purification ceremony, and ate meals prepared with love using traditional Balinese recipes. The staff at Bumi Cinta welcomed us with incredible warmth and generosity, and they took the time to teach us about their customs, ceremonies, and the philosophy of dharma that guides many aspects of their daily lives. Their kindness, humility, and gratitude were inspiring.
Watching the way they honored nature, their families, and their community made me reflect on my own priorities and the pace of life back home. There is a simplicity and intentionality in Balinese culture that I deeply admire. Saying goodbye to the staff was far more emotional than I expected. Most of us cried because they had become so much more than the people who cooked our meals or maintained the property—they became teachers, friends, and an integral part of our experience. I will always be grateful for the lessons they shared with us, both intentionally and simply through the way they live their lives.
As I reflect on these three weeks, I realize that yoga teacher training gave me so much more than a certification to teach yoga. It taught me how to care for myself more intentionally, how to embrace vulnerability, how meaningful genuine human connection can be, and how much beauty exists in slowing down enough to appreciate the world around me. It introduced me to a spirituality I never expected to find and immersed me in a culture that I will always hold close to my heart. While I came to Bali hoping to become a yoga teacher, I left feeling like I had become a more grounded, open-minded, and compassionate version of myself. There truly is a before YTT and an after YTT, and I know I will spend the rest of my life carrying pieces of this experience with me.
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