In January of 2023, I traveled from Los Angeles to Goa to attend a Yoga Teacher Training retreat. I made my decision to travel to India almost 10 months prior to departure. I realized that the longer I practice yoga and the longer I teach yoga that there are only a limited the number of yoga teachers that I would like to practice with. Since I live in Long Beach, I usually just end up practicing at home or joining a zoom yoga class by a Northern California-based teacher name Annie Carpenter. One of the few positive things to come out of the pandemic is that I can now practice yoga with teachers from all over the world. When I saw that Joan Hyman was leading an Advanced Yoga Teacher Training course in Goa through her School of Yoga, I could not get the image of going to India out of my head. 

As many of you may know, being a full-time yoga teacher is not a lucrative profession. That was one of the main reasons why I have never attended a yoga retreat before. I am quite well-traveled, but whenever I see the cost of a yoga retreat, I can’t help but think: “I can travel to that same location for half the price…”! There were three reasons that made this Advanced Training in Goa attractive to me:

1. It was being held in India, the part of the world where yoga was born. I am not interested in fancy all-inclusive resort-like yoga retreats held in typical retreat destinations around the world.
   
2. It was an “Advanced 150 hours of teacher training” course, instead of a “Yoga Retreat”. Led and taught by a teacher that I like, respect, and want to learn from.
   
3. The cherry on top: she offered a separate price option for those who could find their own accommodations outside the retreat center.

So, of course, being who I am, I looked up nearby accommodations and found an affordable apartment to rent for a month and then I booked the course. I was able to find a cheap flight through Turkish Airlines--the reason for the low price was due to the 20-hour layover in Istanbul on my way home. So I thought, why not spend a day in Istanbul and explore a new city? I had never been there and I had always been curious about exploring the Middle East. Then I discovered that Turkish Airlines would provide a free hotel for those with layovers beyond 12 hours,--so I even had a free hotel!

My first two weeks in Goa were occupied with intensive training. The schedule for the 150 hours of advanced yoga training looked something like this:

1. 6:30 am Wake up
2. 7 am Eat quick small snacks
3. 7:30 am - 10:30 am: Yoga Asana Practice
4. 11 am - 12:30 pm Brunch & Break
5. 12:30 pm - 5:30 pm Lectures & Workshops
6. 6 pm Watch the sunset
7. 7 pm - 8:30 pm Dinner
8. Go back to my room, shower, and read the homework
9. 10 pm Go to bed
   

I LOVED it. Rather than signing up for a relaxing yoga retreat I truly enjoyed living and breathing yoga every day. Anyone who really knows me understands my passion for continuing my yoga education. This training was exactly what I needed. We would be talking about yoga amongst ourselves even during breaks. We were completely immersed in a yoga bubble for two weeks. Not only did I gain an exponential increase in my knowledge about yoga, but I also attained a much deeper understanding about myself.

Here are my top 4 takeaways from my time in Goa:

1. Self-discovery

To become an expert yoga teacher you not only have to have a consicous Asana practice (the physical practice of yoga) and refined teaching skills, but you also need to do a lot of work on yourself by going deep within and reflecting on your own patterns and habits. This training gave me the opportunity to do just that.,

During the second week of the training the teacher plumbed the depths of the Chakra system. Even though I already teach a Chakra & Endocrine System online course every year, I still obtained new insights about the Chakra System. I perceived something entirely new about myself by going over the Chakra system during this training in Goa. I had multiple “Ah-Hah!” moments about my patterns and habits. I think I will be reflecting on these deeper levels for some time to come, and I am excited to incorporate this additional knowledge into my next Chakra course :)

2. The importance of slowing down

While living my day-to-day life in Long Beach, California, I feel as though I am too busy to slow down and quiet my mind. The longer I live my busy life in California the more I noticed that I’m having a difficult time calming my mind for meditation. Goa’s limited wifi and phone service forced me off the grid into a digital fast. Also, taking a break from my busy teaching schedule has given me time to enjoy the slower pace of life. It has allowed me to find contentment in the present moment, no matter how simple or unexciting that present moment might be. I am hoping to bring this energy and renewed focus back to my life in California. Less screen time, less multi-tasking, more peace and contentment with WHAT IS-- Being in the NOW!

3. The importance of in-person practice with a teacher

Wow, the power of in-person practice is incredible. Since the pandemic, I have missed practicing one-on-one with great teachers. It was amazing to receive hands-on assistance again. It is very special to be SEEN by a teacher: to receive personalized cues and/or assistance. This is the magic of yoga that cannot be replicated with an online yoga class. By watching my instructor teach these incredible classes for two weeks straight, I felt inspired and rejuvenated, so that I can now go back and teach again with renewed vigor.

4. Community

Being SEEN by the teacher in-person was incredible, and being in the same room with a group of fellow yoga practitioners was amazing. There is magic happening when you are in a room with a group, breathing and moving together. The energy of the room is beyond description, and can only be felt. If you know, then you KNOW!

In Conclusion

I can imagine myself slowly being dragged back to my old way of life in California, becoming busier and busier, my mind and attention scattering, chasing after productivity and so-called “success”. But I hope I can embody what I learned in Goa and do my best to allow that to become a greater and greater part of my very being, and not just fade away, to become just an ephemeral experience I once had. One can only hope...