We understand, you’re excited! You’ve decided to embark on the journey of a 200-hour yoga teacher training in Costa Rica. But surely you’ve also got some apprehensions about the trip. After all, this is probably unlike anything you’ve ever done before, in a place you may have never been. You’ll meet new people and be in a totally strange place for two whole weeks!
But, have no fear, we’ve put together some tips to help you survive 14 days with us in the jungle. Get ready for a breathtaking, challenging, and rewarding ride!
14 Tips to Surviving 14 Days of Yoga Teacher Training In Costa Rica
14. Use Your Resources
Study ahead of time by doing some relevant reading like Yogi Aaron’s book Stop Stretching! A New Yogic Approach To Master Your Body And Live Pain Free. Use your teachers and your peers as sources of knowledge and support. And don’t forget your most important resource . . . your intuition. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and to trust your gut, here’s a list of some frequently asked questions to get you started.
This is an amazing opportunity to get in touch with your true self and to learn the confidence and power that comes with fully embodying that self. If you do decide to do your Yoga Teacher Training at Blue Osa, we provide our students with a list of resources three months prior to your teacher training so you can come prepared!
13. Get Ready to Sweat!
No matter what time of year it is in southern Costa Rica, you’ll enjoy warm weather. In our neck of the rainforest, it’s usually humid and lush with nice, warm gusts off the ocean. While it’s very pleasant and our personal favorite climate to live in, it also means that most of the yoga you do here will be hot yoga!
Since we don’t use air conditioning for energy conservation reasons, our open-air studio is equipped with plenty of ceiling fans and is complimented by that ever-present sea breeze, but sweat is definitely inevitable. Embrace it and make sure you follow our next tip . . .
12. Hydrate!
You will definitely need to drink more water than you’re used to during your 200-hour yoga teacher training in Costa Rica. You’ll be doing more sweating and more yoga than you’re used to. Plus, it’s always a good idea to up your H2O intake while traveling. Bring your own bottle, and we’ll do the rest – we provide fresh, delicious drinking water to all our guests!
11. Prepare to be Low Maintenance
As we mentioned above, we try to be as eco-conscious as possible, which means no air conditioning and we ask our guests not to use hair dryers and similar items to save electricity. Since we live so closely with our surroundings and its inhabitants, we are hyper-aware of our impact on the natural beauty we are blessed with.
Bringing just the basics will contribute to the simplicity of, and integration with, your environment so you can fully and truly immerse yourself into your practice and the teachings you’ll be receiving. Also, hair frizzes and makeup melts right off in the jungle, so remember that less is more, and that appearances don’t matter. Let your true beauty shine through!
10. Pack Light
. . . Speaking of being low maintenance, you’ll be surprised with what you don’t need for 14 days in the jungle. One pair of pants (something flowy and breathable works best) for buggy nights is plenty, the majority of your clothing should be swimsuits and yoga clothes. Socks are usually unnecessary, and you’ll need fewer undergarments than you think. Check out Our Ultimate Yoga Teacher Training Packing List for more suggestions, and remember – the less you bring with you, the more space you’ll have to bring things back, both literally and metaphorically!
9. Leave Behind Your Heebie-Jeebies
We are definitely not trying to scare you off here, but since we do live in the jungle and we are very off-grid, our companions both fuzzy and crawly are bound to pay us a visit from time to time. Our toads are frequent friends and have a penchant for hopping into our paths at night. And we do have lizards (pretty cute ones to be honest!), snakes, insects and spiders that are larger than you’re probably used to. Just remember that it’s true what they say: they are likely way more scared of you than you are of them. Though they may surprise you and give you a fright, they aren’t looking for a fight. We live in their habitat, so we learn to be gentle with our animal kingdom cronies, laugh off our fears to cohabitate in harmony and live by the mantra I am one with life and all of life is one with me.
Being surrounded by the amazing wildlife that lives here with us and all around us at Blue Osa is part of the experience! To learn more about the amazing wildlife you can expect to see during your stay click here.
8. Add Some Adventure
I’m willing to bet that you want to do your yoga teacher training internationally because you’re also trying to satisfy your wanderlust. And if you have wanderlust, that means you also love adventure.
Costa Rica is the perfect place to kill three birds with one stone. Not only does Blue Osa deliver quality yoga teacher training in an exotic location, but we also offer many eco tours to add further adventure to your time here.
You can make your trip even more unforgettable with boating and snorkeling, waterfall rappelling, kayaking, spending time exploring the local indigenous culture and so much more. The best part is, you can book your adventures right at the resort and you don’t have to travel far from home base to get there.
7. Treat Yourself
If relaxing during your free time is more aligned with your vision, our spa treatments can be the perfect compliment to the hard work you’ll be doing during your yoga teacher training in Costa Rica. Imagine enjoying a massage (next to our chemical-free lap pool) in between classes, taking a stroll alone with your thoughts for miles along our infinite beach or dipping in the ocean to wash away all that no longer serves you. There are an abundance of rejuvenating ways to unwind and refresh so you can blissfully continue on your yogic path of transformation.
6. Be Fully Present
As much as you can, we encourage you to leave distractions at the door. Since you chose to do your yoga teacher training in Costa Rica, this is the perfect opportunity to leave behind the stress, frustration and distractions of home where they belong . . . back at home. You deserve to be fully present for this important time of learning and goal-setting. You’ll absorb more and have a more rewarding time if you gift yourself the opportunity to focus on you and your evolution by giving this experience your full attention. To support you in being present along this journey we liberate you from the constant urge to be on your phone by limiting wifi to specific times of the day. If you truly want to immerse yourself in your transformation, we encourage you to try a full digital detox while you’re here. Can you imagine how you will feel or who you will become after two weeks of just focusing on you?
5. Be Gentle With Yourself
Your 200-hour yoga teacher training in Costa Rica is going to be challenging: emotionally, physically and mentally. So leave all judgments of yourself and others at home. This is a time of rapid growth and learning so sensitive, raw bits of yourself will be bared.
Just remember, this is a safe space full of loving, supportive people. Who cares if you do a little crying on your mat? Healing and releasing is not only expected but encouraged! Who cares if you come up against a pose that gives you trouble? That’s why you’re here, to meet and push past your edges! It’s all part of the experience and you will become a stronger, more compassionate person and a better teacher for it.
4. Trust the Process
Your yoga teacher training in Costa Rica, while being a wonderful, magical experience, is also going to be challenging and hard. Your patience will be tested, as will your willpower. Setting the intention to trust the process and fully surrender to the ups and downs of the journey ahead of time will allow you to more easily flow with all the highs and lows of your two weeks here. Just stick with it, you will not regret it. Nothing truly worth doing is ever easy, and you will come out the other side of this experience with confidence, direction and inspiration! Hear what some yoga teachers who have completed Yogi Aaron’s yoga teacher training at Blue Osa have to say about their experience becoming a yoga teacher and what to expect at a Blue Osa Yoga Teacher Training.
3. Embrace the Sunrise, and the Silence
At Blue Osa, mornings are sacred. During your 200-hour yoga teacher training in Costa Rica, you’ll wake before the sun for morning meditation and observe silence until 7:30 am. We feel this is the most supportive way to start the day with intention and ruminate on how we’d like the day to go. After all, there is no better way to watch the sunrise than over the ocean and sharing silent space with other like-minded individuals in paradise! You may just adopt this life-altering ritual at home.
2. Release Your Expectations
Although you can prepare yourself for a 200-hour yoga teacher training by strengthening your personal practice and doing some relevant reading, you can not fully prepare yourself for what will happen or how you’ll feel during such a life-changing experience. When you decide to commit to this path, remember that all you need to do is show up and do your best.
This experience will be the most rewarding if you can stay in the moment and show up with an open heart. You will learn so much about yourself and your practice while making lifelong connections with your fellow yogis. It’s a challenging journey, but one well worth embarking on!
1. Prepare to Be Transformed!
They say that the best way to learn a new language is to immerse yourself in the culture, right? The same is true for your 200-hour yoga teacher training in Costa Rica. Wholly dedicating your time and focus to your practice and studies for two solid weeks is an excellent way to make a powerful connection to your practice and to thoroughly learn the skills you need to be the powerful teacher you know you came here to be.
Blue Osa provides a tranquil, beautiful space for you to truly transform your lifestyle and your relationship with yoga and to solidify your goals for your practice. A yoga teacher training in Costa Rica really does change your life and an immersion does so even more intensely. Because of the consistent daily routine and calm, centering environment, you will develop habits that will last you a lifetime!
Whether your goal with this training is to bring the gift of yoga to your future students and community or to simply expand your own connection with yoga and meditation, Costa Rica is the perfect paradise. Take this time to make your practice and your teaching style part of who you are. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need more guidance on how to survive your training and check out our upcoming training dates to find out when will be the perfect time for your yoga teacher training in Costa Rica! It will be our honor to be a part of your yoga journey.
