Learning the art of yoga in a sacred space surrounded by a community of inspiring souls was life-changing. Yoga and meditation have been an important part of my life for a long time now. Sitting on my yoga mat has kept me grounded during some of the most difficult times in my life. It has healed me physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Becoming a certified yoga instructor has always been a dream of mine. So in March of 2022, I completed my 200-hour yoga teacher certification on the beautiful big island of Hawaii. It was a magical experience that left me feeling healed and inspired.
In this blog, I share my experience for yogis who may be interested in going down a similar path or for anyone just curious about what this experience looked like.
Choosing a School
There are so many incredible yoga schools out there. They differ based on location, cost, dates, the pace of the course, teachers, experiences, and other factors. I completed my certification with Full Circle Yoga School because of its location in Hawaii. It was also within my price range, well reviewed, and offered a 100% plant-based meal plan.
My best advice for deciding on a school is to research and find one that aligns with you. Read reviews, look into the locations, and reach out to instructors with any questions. Also, make sure you book it through your school of choice instead of through a third-party website to avoid surcharges.
Flying Halfway Across the Globe
I packed a suitcase full of yoga clothes, books, and swimsuits, grabbed my yoga mat, and was ready to go. Read about what I pack in my carry-on here. I flew from Tampa to Hilo, totaling about 12 hours of flying. Although the long flights were one of the most difficult aspects of this experience, I made the best of it and romanticized every second. My flight flew out of LA during sunset, making the whole experience feel even more dreamy.
My flight landed in Hilo at 11 p.m. I still remember stepping off the plane into the open-air airport, and immediately feeling the intense humidity. Tropical frogs sang in the background, and a gentle breeze danced through the palm trees as I made my way to baggage claim. The air was warm and sweet. It felt surreal. I couldn’t stop smiling as I patiently waited for my bag. There’s not much like the thrill of solo travel. Stepping off the plane into a new place always feels electric to me.
I was picked up from the airport by one of my incredible teachers. It was dark out, so I couldn’t see much around me as we drove back to the yoga property. This only added to my anticipation. We made our way through winding jungle roads, and I could just barely make out the surrounding trees that weaved together in every direction. For the rest of the car ride, I remained in a sense of awe.
I was almost too excited to sleep that night, knowing I would wake up in a tropical paradise. I drifted to sleep to the sounds of the jungle- a sound that will forever be soothing to me after this experience.
Island Life
Every day on the island was magical. We ate nourishing, colorful meals, spent time in nature, had deep, insightful conversations, sang/danced, and learned about yoga. We stayed at a beautiful sanctuary called Ramashala, located in Pahoa. It was across the road from Kehenna beach. I had two instructors during my time here- both inspiring and enlightening beyond words.
A vegan chef was living on the property (check out her Instagram to see her stunning creations @thymelessvegan). We ate delicious, fresh, whole plant-based meals cooked from scratch every day.
An average breakfast consisted of coffee and turmeric lattes, along with a big breakfast bowl usually containing oatmeal or granola, chia pudding, fresh, tropical fruit, and nuts.
Around lunchtime, we’d have smoothies and some variations of veggie bowls. Every day was different, usually containing a protein like tofu, chickpeas, lentils, or edamame, along with veggies like cucumbers, purple sweet potatoes, lettuce, carrots, avocados, and more. It would include a grain like rice, barley, or quinoa, topped with a delicious homemade dressing like avocado basil, lemon garlic tahini, or peanut sauce.
For dinner, we had a variety of meals like buffalo cauliflower, veggie pizza, Mediterranean plate, vegan mac and cheese, and spaghetti. We had the most beautiful vegan creations for dessert like vegan tiramisu, raw brownies with goji berries, and bliss balls. I felt so vibrant and energized during my time here eating like this!
Learning the Art of Yoga
We followed a strict schedule every day. Yoga class began at 6 AM daily. We honored silence in the mornings, which meant no talking or texting while getting ready for the day. By 7:30, we ate breakfast, and after, we’d have morning class until 1. Usually, we’d review the course work (we had the option to do it before attending the yoga training), followed by learning yoga philosophy, asanas, and practicing teaching.
Then, we had an hour for lunch, and at 2:00, we returned for a 30 min meditation. From 2:30-6:00, we had afternoon class. At 6:00, we finished the day with an hour of yoga class before having dinner at 7:00. We had one full day off during this time which we spent as a group going to a national park, going out for brunch, and spending time at the local shops.
Full Moon Ceremony
During the first week of my stay in Hawaii, there was a big beautiful full moon, so we decided to do a ritual together to magnify its power. In one of the yoga shalas, we created a sacred space and brought together all of the elements. We meditated, said affirmations, and finally began a “letting go” ritual. On a piece of paper, we wrote a list of everything we wanted to release during this full moon. One by one, we burned it and placed the ashes on stones we’d found outside. Laying down in a circle, we shouted what we wanted to let go, followed by the group responding- “RELEASE IT!” Every time we did, I felt myself getting lighter and lighter. It was so freeing. I felt like I released so much during it.
As someone who has always done these rituals alone up to this point, the benefits seemed amplified when doing it with other high-vibe individuals. This ceremony has inspired me to host moon ceremonies in the future.
Visiting an Active Volcano
Visiting Hawaii Volcanos National Park is an experience I’ll never forget. The night before our day off, we hiked Devastation Trail. The sky began to glow an eerie red as we hiked closer to the volcanos. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before.
As we approached the volcano, you could feel Pele’s energy in every cell of your body (Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanos). Observing closed-off roads that had been cracked open by her fiery passion, alongside new land being shaped, her duality is astonishingly evident here. The Hawaiian deity is represented throughout the island because it’s known that she makes Halemaumau Crater in this national park her home.
It was impossible not to feel humbled yet inspired by her power. We visited on the first day of Aries season, which amplified this intense energy. When visiting the Big Island of Hawaii, visiting this sacred area is an absolute must, as well as taking the time to learn about Native Hawaiian culture.
Mala Bead Making
On one of the last days on the island, we created mala bead necklaces. We each chose different color tassels and beads. Sitting together at a table, we found ourselves in a meditative-like trance stringing the necklaces together. We had elevated conversations about all things spiritual, listened to high-vibe music, and snacked on organic popcorn. It was such a special experience, and I loved being able to create something I could keep forever.
Traditional Hindu mala beads are a string of 108 beads, used as a meditation tool by counting each bead and reciting a mantra. To learn more about mala beads, read this insightful Ram Dass article.
Sacred Cacao Ceremony
I had never drank cacao or experienced a cacao ceremony before this training. So when I saw “cacao ceremony” on the schedule, I didn’t know what to expect, but I was definitely intrigued.
Ceremonial cacao is from raw, high-quality cacao beans. It’s high in nutrients and minerals that may provide many benefits. But there’s so much more to these ceremonies than just drinking a superfood tonic.
Cacao ceremonies are centuries old and are referred to as the ultimate heart opener. These sacred ceremonies often include other spiritual elements such as sound healing, meditation, dance, breath work, and more.
I felt pure bliss during it, and at the end, while meditating, I had a vision of a dark cloud rising out of my chest and blowing away in the breeze. I’m so grateful to have attended my first cacao ceremony with such a special group of beings.
Graduation
Along with completing 200 hours of yoga teacher training, the graduation requirements also included passing a written test, safely and effectively teaching a 60 min yoga class, and guiding a 15-minute meditation. Our instructors thoroughly prepared us for it, both deeply invested in every one of our successes in the yoga space.
We had plenty of class time to study and work on our flows, with many opportunities outside class hours. Feeling deeply inspired by the overflow of divine feminine power from this experience, I decided to create a yoga flow dedicated to the beautiful women I had grown beside the past couple of weeks. It was an energizing vinyasa called Goddess Flow. I loved getting to experience everyone’s classes over the last couple of days.
Graduation was bittersweet. After working so hard for the past two and a half weeks, it felt so rewarding to finally earn our certification. I felt deeply aligned stepping into this new, sacred role of yoga teacher. There was a beautiful graduation ceremony overflowing with love. We talked about the experience and how it had changed us forever. The rest of the night we celebrated, and enjoyed a final meal together.
On my last day on the island, I had all day to explore before my flight left at 11 that night. The few of us on the later flight decided to get breakfast, explore some shops, and visit a garden. Before heading to the airport, we ate Indian food as our final meal together.
Experience of a Lifetime
I could never have imagined the immense impact becoming a certified yoga instructor would have on my life. To me, this experience felt like divine intervention. I fell into perfect flow with the universe, letting my intuition guide me every step of the way. It felt effortless and blissful. I’ll forever remember my 18 days spent on this beautiful island with beautiful people.
