Yoga Teacher Training Costa Rica

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Guanacaste province is located in the northwest of Costa Rica. This province is the warmest in the country and between November and April there is hardly any rain (dry season), resulting in dry forests and a desert like climate.

During one of these hot months is when I decided it was a good time to do a Yoga Teacher Training. It happened to be located just outside of Tamarindo, which is basically as far as you can go from Puerto Viejo (southeastern corner of the country). And it was indeed hot, even I used air-condition! And, occasionally, I really missed the green jungle and all its sounds, movements, rain and humidity. I was surprised, however, that the howler monkeys woke us up around 5 am still, and they were close! Strolling around the surrounding areas showed me the many mango trees and it started to make sense why heaps of monkey families were hanging around in the desert.

Sunset Playa Negra, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

We started late in the mornings (6:45), when the sun was already up, making the sun heat the shala to a boiling temperature by the end of practice (9:30).  Everyday we also practiced teaching, had philosophy class, anatomy class and Yin Yoga. In total, we did more or less five to six hours of physical practice everyday. I truly enjoy that kind of intensity every now and again. The regularity takes my practice to new levels and the wisdom from the physical asanas (postures) grows deeper inside me. For anyone wanting to experience profound transformation, I recommend trying longer retreats (no matter what level you’re at on your path). And of course, I recommend joining me and Yoga By Magie for any workshops, classes and retreats :)

Reversed Prayer. Sunset Jaco Beach, Puntarenas province, Costa Rica

Every seventh day we had a day off. If you’re a yoga junkie, it’s hard not to do any practice at all, even though the body really needs some rest to process what it’s learning. I kept my morning meditations, in addition to going with some of the girls to Playa Negra to try Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga for the first time! We went to an empty beach where the ocean was quiet enough to not knock us of balance. Doing yoga outside can be challenging, but if you’re used to it and have a good drishti (focus) you will enjoy SUP yoga. My favorite part was lying in Savasana (on my back), hands touching the water, looking up to Father Sky and Grandmother Moon, noticing the shore with its trees in the distance while the sun was setting over the west coast of Costa Rica. Big hug to Naturalbeautyyoga who showed us this place!

I am grateful for having met such a beautiful group of strong, independent and open-minded women. Already a couple days in, I asked to experiment with them by guiding them through a drum meditation and ended up doing another one the week after. Thank you all for being so receptive and for everything you shared during these weeks!

Me and two of the girls drove down to Jaco for a couple of nights to get a different scenery and some beach. While they headed back home to Canada, I went visiting another yogini in San Jose and together we bussed down to Puerto Viejo to watch the craziness of the last Easter days. That is to say, I am now back in the buzzing jungle doing yoga, writing on the porch, doing sweat lodges and work at the wellness center.

Sabeena, Megan, Magie at Jaco Beach, Costa Rica

What did you do for Easter?

 

Pura Vida

 

Famous sunset Jaco Beach, Costa RIca. Foto: Magdalena Larsson

Famous sunset Jaco Beach, Costa RIca. Foto: Magdalena Larsson


Nicaragua

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I arrived with a tiny propeller plane in San Jose yesterday, after having spent some two weeks in Nicaragua. Already after 24 hours here, more has happened than during my whole time in the neighbouring country.

After a somewhat confusing and messy border crossing, me, Mariella and Sarah got to San Juan del sur. This is said to be a laid-back surfer town, i.e. the place to be for a nice groove, good swell and relaxing atmosphere. Honestly, yet a surfer town wasn’t what I was up for but if there is surf, there is yoga. However, this touristy little town didn’t impress much. The hostel was invaded by Swedes (besides that the town was more or less empty) and the surf was only on the nearby beaches, a shuttle ride away. The yoga and shala were beautiful though. Days past by and we didn’t achieve much: yoga, gym, two different beaches and food. Yes, this is a touristy place, but after adding the tax (which is obligatory but still not included in the price) nothing seemed as cheap as word on the street tells you.

San Juan del Sur

surfers

surfing arvo

We happened to find two Norwegians (or they found us, that argument can go on for ever) who spiced up the entertainment of our stay. We kept them and spent the following days in Granada together.

What first strikes you when entering Granada is the beauty of all its colonial buildings. In addition, the city has a fair amount of fancy cafés and restaurants, enough to keep you busy (eating) for a week. Taking a closer look, however, the city and its atmosphere are hard to grasp. Various tours are offered without any greater enthusiasm nor actual containment, spas are in every corner and the mandatory souvenirs can be purchased every here and there. Despite this, Granada is a complete ghost town: there is hardly anyone out and I never understood why. Maybe because of that weird feeling that kept crawling up my spine but was never really determined. Walking around alone was sketchy even at daytime. A man grabbed my hair one day, another whispered puta when I walked by and yet another followed my sister so that she had to go straight back to the hostel instead of buying food. We weren’t supposed to be there. Tourists are supposed to be hiding in the spas that are set up for them. There they can feed the dictatorship with their money and use blinders to ignore the kids working on the streets.

photo credit: Magie

empty streets

Maybe I don’t know enough or understand the city’s and country’s history, but to me Granada put up an effortless show for the tourists. It’s a charade going on and they are sick of it. Needless to say, we spent too many days hanging around doing nothing. Finally, Monday morning, I got a cab to the airport, jumped on the tiny airplane and almost cried of relief when I sat my feet on Costa Rican land. Sarah had left for León and Mariella and the Norwegians went to climb a volcano while I was looking forward to meet up with my friends.

On my way to the hostel I started talking with the driver, who apparently has two sons living in Sweden. One of them is here now and I’m going to meet him later today. I met Cydney in San Pedro where we met up with Alan who took us drinking at a bar with beer on tap. I had a shower without getting sandy after. I wore jeans. I had good beer and I was at a bar where no one tried to hit on me. It was good. I felt normal. Today, I’ve been offered a job in a rum commercial and had drinks with a former wall streeter. As I said, crazy things happen in Costa Rica. Tomorrow I’ll leave for Puerto Viejo.

Pura Vida