There are a few moments that stand out when I think back to my time in Costa Rica.
Of course, the entire trip was incredible, but there are these moments that are like crystal clear pictures in my mind. The smell, the heat, the details of my surroundings.... are all so etched into my mind that I will probably never forget them.
The first was the afternoon we did a group exercise in the pool. We had to float with the support of our group members and try to find a meditative state. I was practicing on my own before and Karyn managed to snap this picture of me. I have never been so relaxed in my entire life.
The second was the night that we all became connected forever. We took part in a ceremony where we danced to Kirtan music for half an hour. We were told to dance without a care in the world or any feeling of self consciousness and we did just that. The dancing was followed by a half hour of meditation as the sun set on the Palapa. With our knees touching in one big circle, we sat in silence feeding off of each others energy. The last part of the evening was a string ceremony. A single piece of string was passed around the circle until we were all holding part of it. Then one by one, glass beads were strung along the string until each person had one. We cut the string one person at a time, tying the string with the bead on it around our wrists, tying us together as we go out into the world. It was incredible.
My next memorable moment was on the day that I had my emotional breakdown. Yoga teacher training brings a lot of things to the surface and this particular day I was forced to face a lot of my own personal struggles. I cried a lot that day and spent some time on my own in the small palapa hanging in a hammock. That reflective time, among the monkeys meant a lot to me.
Another of my favorite moments was the night that we went into Puerto Viejo to celebrate completing the course. The town had a serious island life vibe and beautiful little shops and restaurants. We ate, we shopped and we enjoyed our time.
