Returning to Practice: My Yoga Teacher Training in Costa Rica

There are moments when a practice stops being something you do and becomes something you live. My three-week yoga teacher training in Costa Rica was one of those moments—a time when movement, breath, philosophy, and self-inquiry wove together into something deeply personal and quietly transformative.

I didn’t go to Costa Rica seeking an escape or a credential. I went because I felt called to deepen my relationship with yoga—not just as a physical practice, but as a way of being. At this stage of my life, I wasn’t solely interested in accumulating more information or perfecting poses. I wanted to listen more closely, to slow down, and to reconnect with the parts of myself that feel most honest and true.

The training took place at Vida Asana, a beautiful, thoughtfully held space in Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica. Surrounded by the rhythms of nature… the ocean, the heat, the sounds of monkeys and macaws, the steady rise and fall of daylight…life naturally simplified. Days were highly structured, yet designed to move intentionally between discipline and reflection, allowing the depth of the work to land without being rushed. Everything felt intentional. The environment itself felt like a container, quietly encouraging presence and attentiveness.

Each day unfolded through asana, breathwork, meditation, and study of yogic philosophy. We explored the foundations of this ancient practice with care and reverence, learning not just how to teach yoga, but how to live it. The philosophies weren’t presented as abstract ideas; they were invitations to observe how we show up in our bodies, our thoughts, and our relationships. Again and again, I was reminded that yoga is less about what happens on the mat and more about how we meet ourselves—especially in moments of discomfort or uncertainty.

I was deeply grateful to study under teachers who embodied the practice with integrity and humility. Learning from Alejandra Torres in particular was a privilege. At this stage in my life, I don’t encounter many people I consider to be role models. She is an exception. Her teaching was grounded, thoughtful, and deeply respectful of yoga’s roots and traditions. She looks like a fitness model and talks like a scholar. She held space in a way that encouraged both discipline and self-trust, reminding us that teaching is not about performance, but about presence. The lineage and wisdom she shared felt like something to be received with care, not rushed or taken lightly.

As the days passed, something subtle but profound began to shift. I felt myself settling into a deeper sense of alignment. There was less internal noise, less striving. I felt more connected—to my body, my breath, and the quiet inner knowing that’s easy to overlook in everyday life. It wasn’t a dramatic awakening; it was a remembering. A return to something that had always been there, waiting for space and attention.

One of the most beautiful aspects of the training was the community that formed. Practicing, learning, and living alongside a group of thoughtful, open-hearted women created a sense of connection that felt both grounding and expansive. We witnessed one another through moments of challenge, clarity, vulnerability, self-doubt, and personal triumph, and all along we offered each other honest support without judgment. There is something powerful about being in a space where growth is shared and presence is valued. It reminded me that we are not meant to walk these paths alone. What a gift. These people will live in my heart forever.

By the end of the three weeks, I didn’t feel like a different person, but I did feel more fully myself. The experience reaffirmed what I already knew at a deeper level: that wellness is cultivated from within, through consistent practice, awareness, and self-honesty. Yoga, in its truest form, is not about achievement. It’s about relationship- how we relate to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us.

I returned home carrying the lessons of Costa Rica with me. The clarity, grounding, and sense of alignment I experienced continue to inform how I live, practice, and share this work. It’s a reminder that when we give ourselves the space to listen and the courage to slow down, we often find exactly what we need. As the days and weeks have passed since my return home, I have noticed the feelings deepening and expanding, and the integration will likely continue for quite some time.

Practice, after all, isn’t something we leave behind when we roll up the mat. It’s something we carry with us, shaping the way we move through our lives—one breath, one choice, one moment at a time.