In 2013 I attended my first yoga class. In 2023 I taught my first class.
For the past decade I’ve been on a soul-searching spiritual journey through different yoga, meditation, and transcendental experiences. Earlier this month I took the leap to become a yoga teacher, and completed a 200h yoga teacher training in Hatha/Vinyasa at La Casa Shambala in Monchique, Portugal.
It was an incredible experience that went well beyond learning asanas. It involved challenging my body, mind, and soul; going days in sweat and tears of joy and sorrow; connecting with nature and bonding with people from around the world.
For almost three weeks my daily schedule looked like this:
- 06:00-07:00 - Wake up, journal, neti pot
- 07:00-08:00 - Pranayama
- 08:00-09:30 - Hatha/Vinyasa yoga
- 09:30-10:30 - Breakfast
- 10:30-11:30 - Asana workshop
- 11:30-14:00 - Yoga theory/history/anatomy
- 14:00-15:00 - Lunch
- 15:00-16:00 - Self-study
- 16:00-16:30 - Yoga nidra
- 16:30-18:30 - Asana lab
- 18:30-20:00 - Yin yoga
- 20:00-21:00 - Dinner
- 21:00-22:00 - Journal, bedtime
We spent the time off the mat resting in/by the pool, hiking in silence, enjoying delicious vegan meals together (including a surprise apple pie for my birthday!), dancing to 90s songs, and exploring the town.
For the “exam” at the end of the training I had to create and teach a 50-minute yoga class to 10 peeps. I chose to do a Hatha class focused on balance, because that’s what resonated most with me during this time. This is still one of my favorite flows to both teach and practice by myself.
- Opening meditation
- Warm-up
- Child pose (Balasana)
- Cat-Cow (Marjariasana-Bitilasana) with lifted opposite arm-leg
- Revolved downward-facing dog (Parivritta Adho Mukha Shvanasana)
- Sun salutations
- Surya Namaskar A x2
- Surya Namaskar B x2
- Standing poses
- Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana B)
- Extended side angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana)
- Balancing poses
- Tree (Vrksasana)
- Extended hand to big toe (Utthita Hasta Pashangustasana)
- Warrior 3 (Virabhadrasana C)
- Half moon (Ardha Chandrasana)
- Dancer (Natarajasana)
- Eagle (Garudasana)
- Core & Arm balances
- Boat (Navasana)
- Garland (Malasana) / Crow (Bakasana)
- Upward plank (Purvottanasana)
- Side plank (Vasishthasana)
- Back bends
- Locust (Salabhasana) / Bow (Dhanurasana)
- Bridge (Setu Bandhasana) / Wheel (Urdhva Dhanurasana)
- Forward bends
- Butterfly (Baddhakonasana)
- Seated forward bend (Pascimottasana)
- Inversions
- Shoulder stand (Salamba Sarvangasana) / Plow (Halasana)
- Fish (Matsyasana)
- Cool-down
- Happy baby (Ananda Balasana)
- Supine spinal twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
- Corpse (Savasana)
- Closing meditation & Pranayama (Nadhi Shodana)
What’s next? Lots of things! For a start, I’m offering online yoga classes and continuing my teacher training with specialized courses.