点评:I was recommended Loka Yoka by a friend who had completed her YTT previously. Their newly built space & Shala is beautiful, spacious, overlooking the rice paddies, fully enclosed so no uninvited insects join you mid-meditation, and air-conditioned for when the heat kicks in. This really attracted me to Loka, as I have been in outdoor Shala’s in Bali before. Downstairs there's an air-con lounge with genuinely the comfiest sofas, plus plenty of table space if you want to socialise or just have some quiet downtime. The location is great too, a short walk to Laut for coffee, or down to the beach when you need a break.
But it's the training itself that made this month so special. Taryn and Yann have built a program where the philosophy, anatomy, and practical teaching all connect. You don't just learn poses, you learn why and how, and you leave able to actually apply it. The anatomy sessions were a real turning point for me: they're what led me to discover Yin as my favourite style, and understanding the effects on the body gave me the confidence to guide students in and out of poses safely. I ended up teaching a Yin class during the training, and it came so naturally to me, a genuine surprise, and one of my proudest moments of the whole course. Having Stella join for a workshop was another highlight; her sessions were brilliant and added a different perspective to everything we were learning.
The special extras woven into the training made it even richer. We had a Cacao Ceremony that was beautifully and sacredly delivered, a Kirtan, and an Ecstatic Dance session. I loved the dance especially, just moving my body however it wanted to move, with no judgement. Those moments added a whole other dimension beyond the physical practice.
The practicums deserve a special mention too. They pushed me in the best way real teaching practice with proper, supportive feedback to help me improve, and the chance to watch my classmates teach and pick up different styles along the way. I'm not sure every YTT dedicates this much time to actual teaching practice, and it made all the difference. I left feeling genuinely confident to teach, which I honestly wasn't expecting going in.
Physically, I surprised myself too. I'd never managed a headstand in my life, and with the right support and guidance, I finally did it. Small progressions added up over the month, like my feet slowly lowering to the floor in Plow. Those moments of "I actually did that" stuck with me.
What really carried the whole experience, though, was the group. We supported and encouraged each other through the inevitable tired, wobbly moments, and I've come away with real friendships and a community I know will last. The self-development work we did together helped me understand myself more fully, which I really valued. And it was inspiring to see how the training welcomed every age and ability, we had a 72-year-old in our group who transformed just as much as everyone else. It's a good reminder that yoga was never really about the pose; it's about embodying the philosophy and essence behind it, and Loka Yoga lives that fully.
翻译:一位之前完成过瑜伽教师培训的朋友向我推荐了Loka Yoka。他们新修建的练习空间和瑜伽馆非常漂亮且宽敞,可俯瞰稻田;整个空间完全封闭,这样在冥想时就不会有不速之客——昆虫闯入。此外,这里还装有空调,即便天气炎热也能保持凉爽。这一点深深吸引了我,因为我以前在巴厘岛也参加过户外瑜伽课。楼下还有一个带空调的休息室,里面的沙发简直舒适到了极致。这里还有足够的桌面空间,方便你与人交流或安静地休息。地理位置也相当不错,走一小段路就能到Laut喝咖啡,累了还能去海滩放松一下。
不过,真正让这个月变得特别的,还是培训本身。Taryn和Yann设计了一套课程,将理念、解剖学知识与实际教学巧妙地结合在一起。你不仅能学会各种体式,还能明白其原理与做法,最终真正做到学以致用。那些解剖学课程对我来说是一个真正的转折点:正是它们让我发现阴瑜伽是我最喜欢的瑜伽流派。了解阴瑜伽对身体的影响则让我有信心安全地引导学员完成各种体式。最终,我在培训期间还亲自教授了一节阴瑜伽课,这一切对我而言都显得极其自然,真是个意想不到的惊喜。那也是整个课程中我最引以为傲的时刻。能邀请斯特拉来主持工作坊简直是另一个亮点;她的讲解精彩绝伦,为我们所学的内容带来了全新的视角。
培训过程中穿插的各种特别环节更让整个体验丰富多彩。我们举行了以可可为主题的仪式,整个过程庄严而美好;还有唱诵环节以及狂喜舞会。我尤其喜欢那个舞蹈环节——可以随心所欲地舞动身体,无需任何顾忌。这些时刻为单纯的体能训练增添了全然不同的深层意义。实践课也值得特别一提。它们以最佳方式引导我进行实际教学练习,并提供了恰当且富有建设性的反馈来帮助我进步;同时我还得以观察同学们的授课过程,从中学到各种不同的教学风格。我不确定是否每所瑜伽教师培训课程都会为实际教学练习投入如此多的时间,但这一点确实起了决定性作用。课程结束后,我真切地感到自己有信心去教学了——说实话,刚开始时我并不抱这种期望。
在体能方面,我自己也感到了惊喜。我这辈子都没能成功做倒立,但在恰当的辅助与指导下,我终于做到了。整个月里,我一步步取得小进步——比如在做“犁式”动作时,我的双脚能慢慢落到地面上。那些“我真的做到了”的时刻让我记忆犹新。
不过,真正让整个体验变得有意义的还是这个团体。我们在那些疲惫又摇摇欲坠的时刻彼此支持、相互鼓励。这段经历让我结下了真挚的友谊,也让我拥有了一个值得信赖的社群,我知道这份情谊会长久延续下去。我们一起进行的自我成长练习帮我更全面地了解了自己,这一点让我十分珍视。更令我深受鼓舞的是,这个课程对各个年龄层和不同能力水平的人都持开放态度——我们小组中有一位72岁的成员,她的进步也和其他人一样显著。这让我深刻意识到:瑜伽其实从来都不只是关于体式,它真正的核心是领悟并践行其背后的哲学与精髓。而Loka Yoga恰恰完美体现了这一点。