The Traveling Yogi Dream: Making it Work in Real Life

My journey into yoga began 17 years ago in the wellness industry. I wasn’t teaching yet, but I was immersed in a lifestyle of wellness I loved. One that would take me to eight countries as part of a wellness and yoga career. But it wasn’t all without its challenges. So, if you’re ready to take your yoga practice on the road here are a few things for a life of travel, and exploration. 

When I started yoga, I practiced various asanas and pranayama techniques, exploring one type after another. I found the variety of Power Vinyasa to be my jam. Fulfilling my need to increase my fitness and break the sameness I’d dreaded in other styles. My yoga certification followed, and yoga philosophy was officially part of my life. My previous studies in business, hospitality, massage, and esthetics all became part of my travel yogi toolkit. 

I was recruited for a resort in Costa Rica at a perfect time of evolution in my life. I jumped at the opportunity to create a nomadic life before digital nomading was an insta—perfect hashtag. 

If you’re planning a travel yogi life, start by creating a far-reaching online community. These relationships can become friendships and opportunity. My first Costa Rica wellness sponsorship came from an online forum long before Facebook. There were a lot of emails and phone calls (these still work) so hitting up yoga trade sites, schools, hostels, races, festivals, other teachers, magazines, blogs and a list of your favorite resorts is a great start. Do your research, offer your services and don’t be afraid to present creative collaborations. Creating your yoga tribe and contacts can be time consuming and tedious but take it from me it pays off. 

Satisfying our wanderlust as a travel yogi can mean offering our experience and time for trade. This tends to be more of a norm in the industry than expected. This can put stress on travel plans and its where your “toolkit” comes in handy. If working for trade in a beautiful location will offer me experience, content and connections, I may use my other skills to bring in some green. Travel costs money, so for me having a background in business and marketing helps create online work and increases my options to keep traveling. 

I’ve since added to my skillset with an outdoor guide certification, CPR, water safety, and STCW (standards of training, certification and watchkeeping) that has increased my demand and yoga travel opportunity. Including contracts on expedition boats, yachts and resorts hosting yoga retreats in beautiful slivers of paradise. It all started by allowing myself to be uncomfortable and reach out for what was waiting. Becoming a travel yogi, and living a life doing what you love is both euphoric and terrifying. We start where we are, and the world meets us there. Breath to movement is a good analogy to life. So, stock your tool kit, take a deep breath and let your journey unfold. 

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