An Inspiring Yoga Teacher Training in Bali: 6 Step Preparation Guide

by Guest Blogger, Samantha Smith (200 hour Yoga Teacher Trainee)

The Beginning

This blog is an excerpt from my journal as I was planning my journey and entry into Bali and Zuna Yoga life. Zuna Yoga Teacher Training in Bali has ultimately changed the way I live for the better. I cannot compare this training to others, however, there isn't a bone in my body that wishes I would have done things differently. This training was in the most beautiful location imaginable and I experienced the most transformative period of my entire life. In my opinion, this is the best yoga teacher training in Bali.

Please enjoy the authenticity of my emotions through which you are about the read. I hope that this 6 step preparation guide helps you to navigate your way through. The Zuna Yoga team is incredibly helpful in preparing you for your journey, so please don't hesitate to reach out.

Enjoy!

Photograph taken in Gili Meno

The past few months have been a very exciting and nerve-wracking time.

This trip to Bali for the Zuna Yoga Teacher Training in Bali follows some major life changes for me. I quit my job, gave up the lease on my condo, and decided to extend my trip beyond the three weeks of the training to see some more of the world. This is the first major trip I have researched and planned extensively; it's my first solo trip; and it's the furthest from home I will have ever traveled. 

Zuna Yogi's Paddle Boarding

In the past, I have been an indecisive person. However, planning this bold adventure has pushed me to recognize what I want for myself and to take the necessary steps to get me there on my own. Taking decisive action is still something I am not 100% comfortable with, but I am getting a taste for it. It has already been a huge learning experience, and the trip has not even begun!

“For those who have an intense urge for Spirit and wisdom, it sits near them, waiting.” - Patanjali

Why I Took The Leap Of Faith

decided to sign up for the Zuna Yoga Teacher Training in Bali after a long road of physical recovery. At the time, I had recently begun practicing yoga to help with rehabilitation after a third and final surgery to fix a leg/ankle injury. I fell in love with the peace, mindfulness, and ease yoga had already brought to my mind and body in the limited time I had been practicing.

I found myself eager to learn more, and felt the only way to truly experience it was to separate myself from my current lifestyle, which left little time for practice, and immerse myself in it completely.

“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.” - Patanjali

I enjoy the physical practices of Yoga and I am also drawn to the history and ideologies that I began reading about before deciding to take on this adventure.

Delicious, Vegan Food

When I signed up, I was nervous that I would not have the experience and knowledge of the other students in the training due to my limited exposure, but decided that if I was going to go across the world to practice, I wanted to throw myself into the experience.

As I continued to read about yoga and found myself attending more classes, I gained the confidence in myself and found reassurance in the fact that it is not a matter of how my experience and physical ability compares to others. It is a personal journey. I joined the training to learn more about yoga and myself, and to grow from where I am today. And I am okay with that. 

“Here is, in truth, the whole secret of Yoga, the science of the soul. The active turnings, the strident vibrations, of selfishness, lust and hate are to be stilled by meditation, by letting heart and mind dwell in spiritual life, by lifting up the heart to the strong, silent life above, which rests in the stillness of eternal love, and needs no harsh vibration to convince it of true being.” - Patanjali

A View of A Bali Beach  

As my departure date approaches, I am still feeling very excited and nervous. But now that my bags are packed, my nerves have calmed a bit.

I am not much looking forward to the 25 hours it will take to get there, but am quite looking forward to arriving and settling in for a few days before the teacher training in Bali begins, and hopefully meeting some of the other trainees. I have heard only good things about Bali and the training, and cannot wait to get started. 

Teacher Training in Bali Tips

• Apply for visas as soon as you can. The consulate temporarily misplaced my passport and application, a situation which could have ended badly had I not had the three extra weeks to get it sorted out.
• Read the books ahead of time. I enjoyed the first one because I read it at a leisurely pace. The one I am currently reading is sort of under a time restraint.
• Buy your books on Kindle or another app to save space and weight in your luggage. I bought the hard copies and then re-purchased them electronically.
• When booking hotels, I was able to avoid PayPal fees by sending an email transfer. This option is not listed on their websites or in their methods of payment, but available upon request.
• Pre-booking activities can give added discounts on already reduced online discounts – e.g. 10% off accommodation with purchase of scuba diving package, which is an additional 10% cheaper when booked before arrival.
• You can fit much more in your bags when rolling a set of clothes together than packing each piece separately.
• Book a driver through Cosmos, or the resort you're staying at, prior to arrival. He/She will take you to a quality money changer and a safe place to purchase a SIM card.

Balinese Culture Welcomes You

Traveller taking a bath in the holy spring water Tirta Empul Hindu temple, Bali Indonesia.

Summary

My indecisive nature has caused me to repack my belongings four times now. But I am anticipating a journey that will lead me into my higher, true self. I can not wait to see what Zuna Yoga has to offer.

References