Cabuya200HR Yoga Teacher Training
Over 200 hours and three weeks later, I'm officially a Registered Yoga teacher! Yoga Anyone?
I set out on my adventure to The Sanctuary at Two Rivers in Cabuya, Costa Rica. I was totally off the grid and fully immersed in the jungle for three weeks. After flying into San Jose, I walked through a secluded parking lot to Sansa Air. The airport was a small waiting room and a guy holding a clipboard with our names on it! Let’s just say we were up close and personal with the pilots and the only safety overview was to "Buckle Up"!
After landing, I got picked up in a cab for a very turbulent ride to Cabuya. Then I was dropped off at base camp and after a 30 minute hike through rivers and jungle terrain, I MADE IT.
The eco-friendly tree house was simple, modern and you were exposed to all the wonders of nature. I got over my fear of bugs on the first night after seeing a headless cockroach on the ground--it’s head was bitten off by a lizard and a trail of happy ants came to eat the rest of the body. Circle of life at it’s finest!
I would also recommend not bringing your own snacks. My almonds were in a plastic bag, inside a tupperware box--and the ants still won. It took me a few days to remember not to flush the toilet paper down the drain (that's a no-no in Costa Rica). It sometimes resulted in me grabbing sticks from outside and using them as chopsticks to get the paper out. EEESSSHHH. Anything for nature.
There were many starfruit trees (known to be a natural bug repellent) near the hammock gardens. It was beautiful to lay there, bug free, and stare at the sky (instead of a cellphone).
Look at these cuties: Crabs, monkeys, dogs, lizards, and near extinct red river turtles. The howler monkeys would wake me up at 5AM, when the jungle transformed from the night. Trust me, you do not need an alarm!
Each morning we started at 6AM in this open air pagoda for a full day of Yoga, Philosophy, Sanskrit, Ayurveda and Asana Lab--it was challenging, fun, and self transformative.
I thought I was going to go hungry--and I think I gained weight. When it was time to eat--they called us with a conch. All this amazing food was cooked with fresh, local ingredients and made by the kitchen angels--would you guess it is all vegetarian and vegan desserts?? The Sanctuary at Two Rivers should be releasing a cookbook soon, so stay tuned!
Monkey see monkey do. I tried engaging in a few animated conversations with monkeys, which basically lead to me jumping up and down, looking all silly.
I graduated! Giving the amazing Liz Lindh, our fabulous Yoga teacher a giant hug after she handed me my certificate! If you are thinking about attending a YTT, look no further! Being in the jungle for three weeks allowed me to focus and transform into the best version of myself. The staff is so knowledgable and all the people I met were so inspiring. I could go on and on...but check out my awesome yogi mates below :)
Every single person (and dog) was so supportive, motivating and inspiring. I am so fortunate our paths led us here and that we could be on this part of our yoga journey together! Our infamous lions breath and vishnu mudra will always have a special meaning to me, and of course, our favorite chant--Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu...May all beings everywhere be happy and free.
Santa Teresa
We only had one day off a week and during week one, we ventured to the surf town of Santa Teresa! It was such a relaxing day of beach bumming and exploring.
The waves were so rough, so I could not go very far into the water without aggressively being pulled in.
Montezuma
Amazing little artsy, hippie, beach town. Everyone is so approachable and down to earth, it is hard not to fall in love with this place. The street is lined with hand crafted art, jewelry and local eats.
Tortuga Island
Words cannot describe how truly beautiful Tortuga Island is. Butterflies flooded the blue sky which apparently is very common in June and July.
Tortuga is just a 45 minute boat ride from Montezuma on Zuma Tours. They give you drinks, fresh fruit and play music on board. You also get to snorkel and they grill you lunch on the beach. Best $50 I've ever spent.
Paulie want a cracker? The exotic birds were not so friendly, but oh so gorgeous.
They will like you more if you feed them coconut chunks and mangoes.
I was just trying to eat my lunch when I looked down to see this adorable little pig. He was so cute!
Whelp, goodbye for now, Costa Rica! Yes this is the airport. No security at all, but they will weigh you and your bag before you hop aboard the 10 person propeller plane. Everyone lives on tico time--so don't be surprised if the flight is late. Relax,
Pura Vida!
Takeaways
You say Pura Vida, not Hello, to anyone and everyone
Eco Friendly
Nature, nature, nature, no technology to distract you--it’s cleansing and will reset you
Amazing, welcoming people
Hipster, yoga, artist, musician and surfer heaven
Healthy, locally sourced vegetarian foods
Fresh coconut water-YUM
Don't leave food out, even for a second
Don't flush the toilet paper, put it in the trash
You will learn to love bugs--and lizards, birds, monkeys, scorpions, ants, and cockroaches
You won't want to leave--but before you do--maybe take a piece home with you and get a tattoo in Santa Teresa? JK or a T-shirt at ST/CR
I am a Registerd Yoga Teacher!!