Airport Musings

I’m sitting in the airport in San Jose with all too much time before the flight back to the U.S. Ironic enough, this is the first time that I have had consistent enough wifi to get on and start to write about this experience. I intended to write a few blog posts along the way, to share parts of the yoga teacher training experience as it unfolded, but it was not to be. Now, as I stare at this screen, I have very few words to express the last few weeks.

3 weeks of a Yoga Teacher Training immersion program tucked away in the jungle along the beaches of Montezuma. Where to start? Nothing changed and everything changed. Nothing was answered and everything was answered. Nothing is permanent, even our attachment to permanence.

What to do? I am so grateful for this experience and the friends I have re-connected with along the way. I like to believe that every trip you take, you uncover a bit more about yourself in the process. This certainly was a journey inward. It demanded digging deep and letting go. We were jokingly calling it a physical, emotional and spiritual bootcamp. It’s 100 % true. There were tears, laughter, sore muscles, fears, healing, accomplishments, aha moments, kindergarten moments, but most of all there was love. Love for the process, the experience, the journey we were all on together. It was far more challenging than any of us expected and far more rewarding than any of us would have hoped for. While we were posting photos of brilliant sunrises and tropical coastlines- it was funny to have friends at home asking how our vacation was! In some ways, I suppose it could be called a vacation… though calling it that when we were on our 3rd yoga class of the day falling out of arm balances and forgetting to breathe while our whole body was shaking which each chaturanga seemed far from the truth. While we were certainly in paradise, we were also soaking wet from effort such that jumping into the pool fully clothed seemed the only logical decision after classes. Which admittedly, was ridiculously fun- as jumping in pools fully clothed should be.

Mind bending yoga sutras, reminders to let go, eating 18 times a day, making up silly movements to remember sanskrit words, singing better in other languages than in English, and falling asleep before 8:30 pm daily… I am sure all of my yogi sisters are musing over the last few weeks and trying to integrate their personal shifts such as incorporating a mandatory 5:00 pm “snack time”.

Mmmmmm snack.

In addition to snack, one of my favorite memories is a combination of conversations. A dear friend (who lives in Costa Rica) and I were able to spend some amazing time together- drinking coffee, walking, and sharing impressions with each other. We were discussing that it was necessary to “speak your truth”. Whatever that may be for you, you must honor it, and be brave. She referenced that even the hardest things to say out out, last no more than 12 seconds. When you have fear about speaking your truth, remember it only last 12 seconds. Amazing how that puts our hesitation to speak our truth in perspective, isn’t it? Along the same lines, as our time at Anamaya was coming to a finish, Antoine (our yoga-yoda instructor) said something that made me smile. He said, “The entire journey is only 12 inches.” He points to his head, then points to his heart and followed with, “It’s from here to here. That’s the secret- only 12 inches.”

Immediately what Sandra said came to mind as well! I suppose that means, the entire journey is only 12 inches and the hardest part will only be 12 seconds; therefore, speak your truth and find your love. Sounds like a pretty amazing vacation, doesn’t it?

See you on the mat.