But how did I go from practicing yoga three times a week in West Palm Beach, Florida to dedicating a month to yoga at Santosha Yoga Institute in Bali, Indonesia?

The internet.

No, seriously. The internet expanded my horizons of what a Yoga Teacher training is and helped me figure out which one is right for me. Training is going to look different for everyone, but these are traits I looked for in a school.

First and foremost, recommendations. They are critical in understanding the vibe of the studio from students who experienced it firsthand. Do you want a more traditional setting, something laid back, or maybe a certain type of teacher? Reading reviews will help you understand what you’re getting yourself into and to make sure it is the proper fit.

After that, accreditations were very important to me. I knew I wanted to attend a school registered with the Yoga Alliance so I knew it would meet a certain standard of training. Not to say studios who are not certified aren’t worth attending, it just helps to take the guesswork out when you’re flying around the world.

Then it’s time to ask yourself the hard question; do you want to train locally or somewhere far far away. For me, I knew sequestering myself away from home would allow me to better immerse in the mental and spiritual aspects of a yoga training. Being out of my element makes it easier for me to be in the moment. For others, training where you’re comfortable might be a better option; and to each his own!

Finally, the schedule of your training is important. I was extremely lucky to be able to carve out the time to spend a month to focus solely on my training. Not everyone has the luxury or wants to dedicate that much intensity at once, so luckily there are weekend warrior options spread out over a few months. Figure out what is right for your life and practice!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We are so lucky to have Elizabeth of The Flexible Yogi as our guest blogger for our Santosha Yoga Training! She will be sharing the process from packing to graduating – and everything in between. Thank you Elizabeth and we look forward to sharing this journey with you 🙂

If you feel the calling to begin your yoga teaching training journey with Santosha in paradise – visit our Level 1 RYT-200 Yoga Teacher training page and start the first step on your new path today.