Goa, India - The Debrief
The intention of this blog post is to give you a bit more insight into my personal experience completing my 200 hour YTT at Sampoorna Yoga in Goa, India to hopefully inspire you to perhaps take the plunge to either visit India or even head to Sampoorna to experience their incredible teacher training courses or drop-in classes if you’re just visiting!
Why India?
Probably around a year before I actually went to India I would find myself typing in to Google, “best yoga teacher training courses” and spend an increasing amount of time browsing courses local to me, in London, in Europe, in Costa Rica, in Mexico, in India, in Australia, before feeling overwhelmed and undecided so closing down Google. This pattern would be repeated many times with no actual action being taken. Although, it did enable me to have a good idea about what I actually wanted out of my 200hrs YTT because whilst many do share similarities, there are also lots of differences in the course structure, methods of teaching, time span of course, ratio of the type of lessons and of course quality of teaching.
Personally I was really interested in diving deeper into the philosophy behind yoga and understanding yoga as a lifestyle more than just a type of movement which, in the West, it has largely been marketed as. I think this is probably what led me to want to study in India. Being the birth place of yoga the courses I looked at in India seemed much richer in the study of philosophy and the amount of teaching in anatomy, pranayama, meditation, alignments and adjustments as well as our own opportunities to engage in student teaching and personal asana practice. With Sampoorna Yoga being the front runner due to the excellent testimonials from previous students, the amazing communication I had with members of their team prior to booking (which also was continued throughout my whole journey) and the course structure and content it felt like the hours of scrolling Google had finally paid off!
It was during my NLP Practitioner Training which I began in September 2023 that I finally developed the self-confidence and self-belief to book the course. Five months later I was on a plane from London Heathrow heading to Sampoorna Yoga in Goa, India.
Our Weekly Schedule
Our days were BUSY to say the least! But I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way as you truly feel immersed in such a yoga bubble that integrating the knowledge and wisdom shared by the incredible teachers becomes inevitable.
Every morning Monday - Saturday began with a 90 minute practice that varied between Ashtanga led, Ashtanga Mysore and a Vinyasa flow. Having never done the Ashtanga primary series before I didn’t really know what to expect (this element of surprise was probably a good thing!) Whilst being challenging it is also incredibly rewarding especially when you can feel progress in postures and breath connection as the days went by. It is also addictive and I am thoroughly enjoying integrating Ashtanga into my personal practice since being back in the UK. Similarly, everyday ended with a 60 minute Vinyasa practice as well as a couple of Yin Yoga classes which were much needed by the end of the day!
Our weekly classes included philosophy with Vishnu who also guided us through mediation and pranayama classes. His teachings were quite honestly awe inspiring, and has shifted my mindset and opened my perspective to many aspects of life through the teachings of yoga. Disha taught us alignment and adjustments which, partnered with Preet’s student teaching lessons, provided invaluable hands on experience that upon leaving Sampoorna has enabled me to feel confident and self assured in leading classes. Prianca taught us anatomy which is fundamental to being a good teacher!
On the weekend we had additional workshops that dived deeper into inversions and also on exploring peak poses too.
The quality of teaching at Sampoorna is exquisite. You truly feel that each teacher is passionate about passing the traditions and wisdoms of yoga on in an authentic and integral way. Additionally they are all so kind and supportive creating a safe space to ask any questions. They become your friends as well as your teachers. It is a incredibly unique and beautiful place that I would recommend to anyone looking to complete their 200h YTT whether it is for the intention of teaching yourself or even just deepening you own practice.
Friends
There is something particularly unique about a four week immersion where you are living and learning with people 24/7. Especially when what you are learning is so profound and can often effect you on a deeply personal level. You develop such strong friendships in such a short space of time. You laugh together, you cry together, you sing together. I am so grateful for the souls I met during my yoga teacher training. There are people from all of the world that embark on the journey of yoga at Sampoorna and everyone I met was kind, supportive, compassionate and caring. Thankfully one of the good parts about social media is that we can all stay connected no matter where we are in the world and I am certain we will remain in touch.
Food
The Sampoorna chefs were incredible! We were treated to delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner lovingly made with fresh ingredients full of flavour, colour and variety! All the food was vegetarian and vegan and the kitchen were incredibly accommodating to any other dietary requirements.
Agonda
Sampoorna Yoga is located in Agonda, South Goa and is quite literally a two minute walk from Agonda Beach which is a beautiful long stretch of sandy goodness that is the perfect place to watch the sensational sunsets.
I didn’t stray too far from Agonda mainly because I just used the Sunday we had off to rest, recharge, soak in all the knowledge from the previous week, and tan! But even in Agonda itself there are wonderful cafes, restaurants and shops. Palolem is a short tuk tuk journey away which I headed to a couple of times and is a bit bigger than Agonda if you fancied a trip. Friends also visited Chaudi too - the markets here were a hit for any shopping fans!
I could not mention Agonda without talking about Mandala Cafe which sort of becomes the second home of Sampoorna students. Just thinking about their coconut flat whites and smoothie bowls is making my mouth water. Rathore and the team that work there are super friendly and always made my day by remembering my coffee order and bringing it over without having to order! I really felt like a local!
The overall vibe of Agonda really compliments the Yoga teacher training as it is incredibly laid back, and calm even amidst the outward seeming chaos of scooters, tuk tuks, cows and dogs which takes a day of adjusting to but once you settle into the rhythm of Mother India there is an overwhelming sense of peace and gratitude (or there was for me anyway!)
Learnings and Reflections
Yoga is so much more than just the physical asana practice. It truly is a way of life. A belief system. A North star to orient yourself, to give your life direction and meaning. This is something I hope to dive deeper into in my own teaching in ways that can be easily understood and practically applied to help other people feel calmer and more connected to themselves.
Community and connection with real people in real life is vital for human wellbeing and something I feel we need more of in todays world. I hope to create a sense of community in With Grace where people feel safe, supported and cared for.
This is only just the beginning! It feels like I have only just scratched the surface beginning this journey in India and now coming home and bringing With Grace to life. My month at Sampoorna is the start of a lifetime of learning, growing, listening inwards, integrating knowledge and wisdom and of teaching! I feel so excited for the journey ahead and what the evolution and growth of With Grace! I look forward to seeing you on the mat very soon.
