Eleni | Costa Rica 200hr YTT Testimonial
My name is Eleni, and I recently completed my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training with School Yoga Institute in Costa Rica. My journey with yoga began three years ago when I attended my first class. Slowly but surely, my practice became more and more consistent until it became an irreplaceable part of my life. This is when I felt called to become a certified instructor. I think what initially hooked me was the feeling I experienced after class, during savasana. It was as if the whole world had melted away and all of my anxieties disappeared. This was when I realized that yoga goes far beyond the mat; it is a way of life.
Through this training, I hoped to deepen my personal practice while acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary to become a certified yoga teacher. School Yoga Institute provided me with this and so much more. From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed into a caring, supportive and nurturing environment. The facilitators’ knowledge, passion, and love for yoga were evident from the start. Jed, Bea, and Nikki each brought their own unique expertise to the program, which allowed us to learn from a variety of perspectives and gain a well-rounded experience.
The staff at Aves Resort & Hotel was absolutely fabulous. Prior to my arrival in Costa Rica, they helped me organize my transportation from San Jose to their location in Montezuma. Upon arrival, the staff was incredibly attentive, dedicated, and professional. They truly went above and beyond to ensure that we had an amazing experience. Additionally, on our days off, they did a wonderful job helping us plan our excursions. From arranging taxis to private boat tours and nighttime bioluminescence tours, the staff was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful.
The 21-day program was thoughtfully structured into four cycles, which I really enjoyed. It felt purposeful and intentional. We followed the Peruvian Yoga Medicine Wheel which guided us through the four cycles of healing. The first cycle was the Wind of the South, the Great Serpent. These four days were about shedding the past. The second cycle was the Wind of the West, the Jaguar. During this time, we moved past our fears. The third cycle was the Wind of the North, the Hummingbird. These four days were about connecting with our passions. Finally, the fourth cycle was the Wind of the East, the Eagle. This is when we learned to see the bigger picture.
Throughout our journey, we were guided on a spiritually awakening path that encouraged moments of introspection, self-discovery and personal growth. One of my favorite moments was when we explored intuitive dancing. This beautiful experience gave us the opportunity to foster our mind-body connection. As the music played, we were invited to let go of all expectations and move in a way that felt natural. Once I was able to fully let go, it became one of the most freeing experiences I’ve ever had. I think a big part of that was being surrounded by such extraordinary and inspiring women. Throughout the entire process, we held a safe space to express ourselves. It was beautiful to experience women from different walks of life come together to bond over a shared love. I feel infinitely grateful for all the lifelong friendships I created along the way. From laughing to crying to celebrating, we created an unbreakable bond. At the end of the three weeks, the hardest part was saying goodbye. Or rather, as one of our instructors taught us, there’s no goodbye, only “see you later”.
During the retreat, we cultivated new, healthy habits. At first I was a bit skeptical about the prolonged periods of silence. From the end of our evening satsangs until our morning spiritual lessons, we were encouraged to remain in silence. This was a foreign concept to me. However, as time went on I grew to love it because these were moments where I could just be with myself. This combined with waking up early, felt refreshing and calming. During those early hours, it felt like the world was still. It gave me a profound feeling of solitude.
On another occasion we did a gift-sharing ceremony. This is when we were each given a few minutes to teach or present a passion of ours. When we were first presented with this task, I was apprehensive because public speaking has always made me nervous. I quickly realized that this was an internalized fear, as everyone was only watching and participating with loving eyes. We were there to support and uplift each other. It was truly an honor and privilege to experience everyone’s offering and I’m so grateful that I got to learn a line-dancing sequence and the sign language alphabet!
I would highly recommend this experience to anyone who has ever dreamed of becoming a yoga teacher, especially at School Yoga Institute’s Costa Rica location. I felt completely at peace being surrounded by nature. As someone born and raised in Montreal, it was incredible to experience the wildlife up close. From monkeys to dolphins to sea turtles, I saw such beautiful creatures. Overall, they did an amazing job balancing all of the different layers of yoga, from the physical aspect, to the mental and spiritual aspects. It was incredible to see the transformation that we all underwent and I’m infinitely grateful to School Yoga Institute for making my dream come true!
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