Magical Galapagos Yoga Teacher Training

I wanted to dive deeper into yoga and expand my connections with nature. So, when I found a yoga teacher training (YTT) in the Galapagos Islands, I signed up. It was perfectly timed after the holidays that we spent with family in Quito, Ecuador, which included a beautiful church wedding for Derek and Maria Gracia. YTT ended up being harder than I ever imagined, yet very rewarding too. 

(Note, this blog is written in present and past tense. Present tenses are italicized.)

Arrival

Tuesday, January 6, 2026. Wow! What a wild trip to get here. I rode with a hired driver from Cumbaya to the Quito airport where I went through the extra security checks and paid the “transit control card” fee required to enter the Galapagos Islands. The plane ride from Quito to Baltra Island was two hours and good, though a little choppy. As we landed, Baltra Island looked like dry grasses on flat ground. We deplaned on a staircase and walked to the small terminal. Land iguanas greeted us along the way. There were signs detailing plants too. I went through check-in to the island and paid my $200 national park entrance fee (in cash). Then, I guess I was so excited to be there that I completely forgot about my checked suitcase. I exited the secure area and then remembered, so I asked several people what to do (in my broken, poor Spanish). I had a slight panic meltdown, but then just went back in through the exit door and got my bag. What a relief. 

I made my way to the bus stop, bought a $5.00 bus ticket, and immediately boarded a bus. The ride across Baltra Island was flat with some lava rock outcroppings. The plants were mostly cacti. Bright yellow land iguanas sat on the road. It was a short bus ride to a water channel where I boarded a small boat with about 10 other people. They loaded our luggage and we paid them the $1.00 water taxi fee. The boat ride across to Santa Cruz Island was short. I got my bag and soon saw my taxi driver Fausto with my name on a sign. He put my suitcase in the back of his truck taxi and we were off. He drove the one road across the island, very fast. Along the way he pointed out where the giant tortoises were. They were large and grazed in the fields of the island’s highlands, sometimes with cows and horses. Turtle crossing signs were along the road. It was about 30 minutes to the town of Puerto Ayora – a typical Ecuador town. My driver took me directly to the docks and put me on another water taxi. I was the only passenger. There were many boats in the harbor, including a huge sailboat and a big National Geographic boat. The waves from other boats rocked us, but I was quite comfortable on the water. It was about a 10-minute ride across the bright blue Galapagos waters to the small bay where I stayed on an island in an island.

Figure 1. Arriving at the channel between Baltra and Santa Cruz Galapagos Islands.

At the Yoga Revista dock, our teacher Julianna met me with a hug. She took me inside and showed me the yoga room (shala) and dining area. A cook (Susie, Fausto’s wife) was fixing lunch in the kitchen. My small room was just off the dining room. At first, I was disappointed because it was so small and seemed primitive. Yet, over time I grew to like it very much. I was the only guest with a private bathroom, which was very nice. I didn’t have a view of the ocean like the other guests, but that forced me to go sit outside more. My room was just big enough for a full-size bed, two end tables, and a lamp. A corner shelf on one side and a tall wall shelf on the other side held my clothes and other items. There were sprigs of plants in water all around the room. My bathroom shower was screens that were partially open to the outside and did not close for privacy. The screens were dark so I don’t think anyone could see in while I showered, and very few people walked out there anyway. My bedroom had a small window, but it didn’t let in much air, so my room was overly warm most of the time. After a day, Juliana gave me a fan to use at night. 

Figure 2. My room at Yoga Revista.

Our cohort had three students, one from Ecuador (Samantha), another from Austria (Katherine), and me. Occasionally local guests or residents joined us for a practice or class. There were also two male volunteers that helped with cooking and maintenance, one from Ecuador (Jose) and the other from France (Marin). After everyone arrived, we had lunch, then did an orientation session where Juliana gave us our manuals and told us the typically daily routine. 

• 6:30 a.m. - Morning yoga practice
• 8:00 a.m. - Breakfast outside
• 10:00 a.m. to noon - Class
• 12:30 p.m. - Lunch
• 3:00 to 5:00 pm – Class
• 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. – Evening yoga practice
• 6:30 p.m. – Dinner

The shala was decorated beautifully for our orientation. Marin created a mandala with flowers, dry beans, and a candle that was gorgeous and welcoming. Incense burned from the locally indigenous Palo Santo  (Bursera graveolens) tree. Julianna told us that the islands have magic, and we would find it while there. I looked forward to that. 

Figure 3. Yoga Shala decorated for our first orientation and practice.

And so began my 21-day immersion into hatha yoga and the Galapagos Islands. 

Yoga Practices and Music

My 200-hour multi-style yoga teacher training with Yoga Revista focused on the historical basics of Hatha Yoga, though we learned other styles too. Most days we had two yoga practices. Before the first day’s morning practice we learned how to clean our nostrils using a neti pot. It is one of the shatkarma cleansing techniques used to cleanse the body and prepare for deeper yoga. While doing our first yoga in the shala a sea lion came to the door and laid down. It seemed to like Juliana’s voice and her singing bowls during shavasana. I often heard the ocean waves, songbirds, and rustling plants during yoga. At the end of my first day I wrote, It feels like I’ve been here a week instead of just one day. I’m tired and think I should be sore, but not really. It is hard to do so much yoga all day long. 

Figure 4. Sea lions often slept by the house. We named these Coral and Reef. 

All of Juliana’s practices ended in shavasana while she played music using the gong, singing bowls, hand pan, or shruti box. They were relaxing, not only calming our body and mind but also connecting us to nature and each other. During the shavasana after our snorkeling excursion to Las Grietas I heard the ocean waves during her music. I felt like the ocean waves washed gently over me, cleansing me of fear and negativity. I felt renewed and content. I felt privileged and happy to be in Galapagos. The water, sun, ocean breeze, and earth connected me to the place and the greater universe. We were all one in the world. The animals seemed lazy and at ease, peaceful to live in paradise. Galapagos magic was starting to come through into my soul. 

Figure 5. The powerful gong vibrations seemed to pull toxins from my surfaces, leaving me drained.

One Sunday Juliana hosted a sound bath after our evening yoga practice. A young man brought a sitar instrument. I don’t think I’d ever seen one in person. It is an interesting looking and sounding instrument. Juliana played her usual instruments while he strummed. It took a long time for all the guests to arrive, and we patiently waited until they were all in place. They kept saying they were on “Ecuador time” though I think it was more “Galapagos time.” We were supposed to start at 6 p.m. but ended up beginning at 6:45 p.m. At first the sound bath was nice, then a few people started to snore loudly, and the mat was very hard and uncomfortable for me after doing asana poses all day. Still the music was powerful and washed us into a peaceful trance. 

Figure 6. Sound bath with Sitar.

Juliana taught most classes until Nelson, and his son Leo, arrived. Leo came the second weekend and Nelson the third. They all had slightly different teaching styles and all were easy to follow. Leo worked us hard at times but always ended with an easy, relaxing shavasana to music. After our morning practice on Sunday, 1-19-26, I wrote, Yoga with Leo was hard this morning. I think my body is fatigued and I just want a break. But I pushed through and did it.

Nelson’s morning classes were fun and included a form of dance. I’m not good at the salsa moves but it was fun to move around. One morning he had us move to the music sideways on the mat, then added various quick yoga poses. After a while we held each pose longer. 

The last afternoon Nelson led us in a meditation ceremony. We started walking very slowly in a rectangle around our mats, then we sat for 15 minutes meditating, walked again, and ended with a final 15-minute meditation. It was lovely. 

Yoga Classes

Our morning and afternoon classes covered various aspects of hatha yoga that we needed to know. Most were done in the shala, though we also did some training on excursions. 

Yoga philosophy. We began on the first day with philosophy of yoga. It was noisy at our place due to neighboring construction work, so we had class at the German beach (Playa de Alemanene). We walked a short five-minute path to the beach from our house and sat under a shrub in the shade. The view of the ocean bay was gorgeous. It was low tide so there were water plants visible before the open water. Many mangrove trees grew around the bay. We sat and talked yoga philosophy. Yoga is unity and freedom and so much more than just asana exercise poses. Many birds visited us. A little white-cheeked pintail duck and finch were quite cute and kept walking onto our blanket. 

Figure 7. Learning yoga philosophy at the German Beach.

Pranayama. Most classes were taught in person by Juliana, Leo, or Nelson. A few instructors taught via the internet. Before Nelson came to the islands, he taught us a pranayama class from Quito. It was very interesting. He said I shouldn’t do a few of the breathing methods due to my high blood pressure, even if I’m on medication. I still did them to learn the techniques, but I do plan to be more careful in the future. Some techniques, though, are good for high blood pressure. I need to research that more. All three instructors taught us the various pranayama methods in person during morning or evening practices. 

Asana Biomechanics. We spent many days going through asana poses in detail. This was the hardest part of the training for me. It was also the most useful and rewarding. It was very challenging and difficult at times, and I had a few emotional meltdowns. The first happened after doing bow pose during a morning practice. It hurt my thighs and lower back. I got through the practice before breaking down but left as soon as I could. Maybe I was homesick or tired or frustrated. I decided I was trying too hard and my body simply couldn’t do it all. I relaxed, remembered that I was a strong woman, and to respect my limits and protect myself. Soon, I felt better. 

Figure 8. Practicing a yoga pose during biomechanics class. (Photo by Juliana)

That lasted one day. The next day during asana class I got teary again in the morning but got through it. I called Mark and he told me to push through and that I could do it. He reminded me how hard it was when I first started teaching at the University of Illinois, then after a while – a few years – it came easy and I enjoyed it. This was all new, a completely different genre of material and style of teaching. So, it was another frustrating day, but looking back it was part of the learning process. 

The next day I was even worse. I wrote in my journal. Not sure how to continue. I couldn’t do tree pose properly and I started to choke up again. I came to my room in the middle of class and wonder if I am having a nervous breakdown. Tree pose is integral to my vision of combining yoga and plants. I want to keep going, yet I want to stop. Overall, I am enjoying the course and love it here in the Galapagos. I will try harder to focus on the positives, spending more time with nature and less time working so hard on yoga. 

After lunch I talked to Juliana. Her hugs helped the most, as did her kind words. She said this was normal at this stage of training. As we go deeper into the physical poses, it can bring up stored memories and emotions. Let it flow. It’s part of the yoga cleansing and journey. She says if I feel emotions, it is good. It means I’m pushing past my comfort zones and releasing past traumas and emotions. It will be freeing. It is a difficult stage, but it will be beautiful on the other side. There is no good or bad, no right or wrong. Each person does what they need. I felt such release after talking to her and to Mark later. I also played the guitar and sang as relief. I didn’t care who saw or heard me. It felt good to sing out and it helped release throat chakra tension.

Anatomy. Our anatomy classes were also taught over the internet from somewhere in south Ecuador. Vanessa is a doctor and very passionate about anatomy. I liked her very much and learned a lot. I watched her on the camera explain hip movement, and immediately I knew how to fix my tree pose. I want to learn even more about anatomy and how to better care for my body. 

Inversions. Leo taught some of our practices and classes and all the inversion poses (poses where the head is below the heart). I was really worried about doing the inversions, but he did a great job teaching them. He explained everything very well and helped us use modifications. He started introducing some poses during the morning yoga practice, then continued during two morning classes. They were very difficult, but I persevered and, in the end, did okay. The funny thing is that the first pose he taught in class is the one I got most worked up about. A neighbor girl joined our class that day and she was my partner when we paired up to practice the poses. As I tried to do crow pose, she assured me that she had me and wouldn’t let me fall. Still, I got scared and had to stop and step out for a break. Leo said inversions sometimes bring up fear and memories. I had fallen hard on my head doing crow pose alone at home once, turning my neck so hard that it scared me. 

Figure 9. Crow Pose! (Photo by Juliana)

Soon though I settled in and did my best with each pose. I volunteered to have Leo demonstrate the headstand with me using a chair to lift my legs. We also did headstand using two chairs with our heads between the chairs. That felt good. The neighbor helped me into forearm stand but I fell to my head with weak arms. They all helped as I did the handstand against a wall with a chair. So, in the end I did them all, not well, but I gave it my best. Each one made me feel like I was toppling over backwards. I wonder if that fear stems partly from when I was a young girl and had the wind knocked out of me in gymnastics. In the end, I was proud of my accomplishments. The neighbor girl said she was impressed with my abilities and ambition at my age. Another said I was an inspiration to them. That felt good. 

Figure 10. Leo teaching me headstand pose. (Photo by Juliana)

We spent many hours in classes going through asana poses in detail, holding them for long periods of time. A whole day of yoga poses with full yoga practices at either end was a lot. It was difficult, though I formed the poses the best that I could. My body and brain were learning to automatically do the internal cues to keep my spine straight and hips in alignment when needed. It got easier with time and by the end, I felt strong and proud of my yoga journey’s progress. 

Mantras. I got frustrated again during the morning class on mantras, which are a form of musical chants. She had us say various sounds and feel the vibrations in our body, which was very interesting. Then she had us recite long difficult mantras and wanted us to feel the effects. They were too complicated for me to recite so there was no way for me to feel it. I was grumpy tired. I enjoy the short, simple mantras, but the long ones were too much for me. After lunch I took an hour nap and slept very soundly. I was exhausted and that probably contributed to the class frustration. I never nap, so I must have been tired. 

Mudras, Bandhas, and Vayus. Nelson taught our class on mudras, which are various body positions (often hand gestures) used to redirect our energy. It is interesting and makes some sense. He did a demonstration. We each wrote our age and three random numbers on four pieces of paper. Samantha laid on her back, and he pulled her arms back and forth, hovering his hand over her belly occasionally to move her energy. Once he could “read” her, Leo placed pieces of paper with numbers on her belly, and he said the body would tell him yes or no. He picked her age. He could read Katherine but didn’t pick her age. He couldn’t read my energies at all. I think it is all the scars I have from c-sections and surgeries that broke my connections. 

The next day he taught us more mantras, adding bandhas and vayus. Some of them were weird, but he did a good job explaining them in a sensible way. The bandhas are good for women to strengthen our pelvic floor and are like exercises I learned with my pelvic floor therapist. 

Figure 11. Learning poses with Leo. (Photo by Juliana)

Learning to Teach Poses. During sequencing class, Juliana had us do a flow with six poses. I did okay but they said I didn’t hold the poses long enough and I didn’t have six asana poses. I thought a couple transitions were poses so had to be more careful with that. The class helped me deepen my personal practice and I look forward to creating my own flows. I feel it will be freeing, powerful, and reflective to do my own, at my own pace, without an instructor guiding me to their pace and poses. I’d like to create several sequences that include all aspects of yoga, at various lengths, for different purposes I need. 

Another day Juliana had us work together to create a yoga sequence with 10 poses each. It was so overwhelming at first. But again, I pushed through and the girls were great. I taught 10 poses and I think I did better. 

Later we each had to teach a yoga flow with 12 poses and a pranayama. I was happy with mine and we all were improving. I still had a long ways to go to feel like a yoga teacher but at least I could now create some sequences for me. 

Restorative (Therapeutic) Yoga. Nelson taught restorative yoga one morning, explaining poses and stretches for various body ailments. When I asked about the unbalanced muscles in my back, he examined my spine and said that I clearly have scoliosis in my lower back. He showed it to the other students. It causes my back muscles to be uneven. The right one feels stronger but is shorter and contracted. The left side is elongated and weak. I need to try to open the tight right side and tighten the left side. I have some exercises to try. Why hasn’t anyone else noticed this? I get severe pain in my mid left back when doing many different tasks, including gardening and housework. 

The Unique Flora and Fauna of Galapagos 

Two black marine iguanas hung out on our patio area next to the ocean. Sea lions played in the water and laid by our house. Crabs scrambled everywhere along the lava rock shores and sea walls. Frigate and other birds circled constantly over the ocean. I sat outside every day in the shade of an old boat bar where there was always something new to see. Sitting outside, I journaled, studied yoga, read books, and did counted cross-stitch: but mostly, I soaked in the beauty of Galapagos all around me. Here are a few of my journal entries describing what I saw. 

Figure 12. Marine iguanas on our seaside patio looking out over the bay.

Saturday, 1-10-26. I sat outside today in the shade by the old boat bar and read my books, studied and reviewed yoga, watching the nature around me. Sea turtles popped up their heads every now and then. A group of small sharks (2’ long) swam around a buoy. Small fish were among the rocks by the shore. A great blue heron landed on top the mast of the dry-docked ship where it stretched and squawked. Sea iguanas sit, bob their heads, and spit salt water. Red and black crabs walk and crawl up the sea walls, some bright red with intense yellow markings. Frigate birds constantly glide overhead. Today a sea lion came inside the house through an open door and Juliana had to shoo it back out. 

Figure 13. Brightly colored crab.

Tonight’s sunset was cloudy, but the lighting was perfect for observing plants. I walked out our gate and down the path toward Las Grietas. Several small yellow birds (warblers) flew around the mangroves and other shrubs and trees. A small blue heron bird (lava heron) fed in the shallow waters beneath a wooded bridge. I am so amazed by the tree opuntia. I touch their smooth red bark to feel their energy. Do they connect to their relatives in my back yard through the Earth? I pause to marvel at the salt marsh and the large salt deposits around the pools (later I saw men harvesting the salt in large bags). 

Figure 14. Lava heron along the path to Las Grietas.

The plants here are mostly green and gray. A few have more color. Masses of mangroves line the coasts and shores. A yellow flowering cordia (Corida lutea) is by my window. It is also called the glue tree due to its sticky fruit. Yellow and orange flowers mass the delicate double pinnately compound leaves of the Pride of Barbados tree (Delonix regia). Along the salt marsh a passionflower (Passiflora suberosa) vine grows. In the shallow waters beneath the bridges, I saw a Galapagos purslane (Portulaca howellii), though it wasn’t flowering yet. 

Figure 15. Evening view of walkway to Las Grietas.

Sunday, 1-11-26. I really do feel calm and at ease here. I try to sit and observe the birds, ocean waves, far away island silhouettes, plants, sky, and animals, and to not constantly take pictures. Sitting still to watch and connect with nature around me is soothing. I’ve seen many beautiful places on our travels. This one, like many others, is unique and has its own charm. I want to burn the views and sounds and feelings into my mind, holding the good memories in my hips for lasting relief. A frigate bird just flew close over my head to dive after something in the ocean. The sound was like a zipper – a fast swoosh over my head. Wow, this is living in the moment more. I know I am here for 21 days and can relax into the time and place. I don’t worry about the future or past, other people, or drama on social media (I am not using those). I only think about what is happening here and now in paradise. 

 

Figure 16. Opuntia trees outside my bedroom window.

Tuesday, 1-13-26. As I sit here in the shade of the old boat bar the sun sparkles like diamonds on the ocean beyond the bay. Another small island is visible in the distance. It rises like a black mountain of volcanic rock out of the sea. It looks a bit like a sleeping dragon with its head at one end. Nearer are masses of mangroves surrounding the bay. I like the few taller ones that rise above and I try to use them as drishti points during yoga. The white egrets (probably cattle egrets) like the mangrove trees and fly over and around them, perching in their branches. Their bright white feathers stand out among the vibrant green mangrove leaves. Occasionally, a larger bird soars over, then dives fast into the water. It is the blue footed boobie. 

Wednesday 1-14-26. Another sunny hot day. There are large fluffy white clouds in the bright blue sky. A frigate bird slowly soars above the water. On the patio area here by the water a very large, black sea iguana suns itself. The large spines on its back and huge claws give it a menacing look, but they are never aggressive. It slowly walks towards a Galapagos lava heron next to it, bobbing its head in a sort of warning. The bird simply hops past it without care. There are always two geckos in my room. They hang out on the walls and play together and chirp loudly. They are bright yellow-green and almost look like small rubber toys, until they move. They started to get in my open suitcase, so I shut it up. Most of the time they are hiding. 

Figure 17. Marine iguana.

Sunday 1-18-26. The sunrise this morning was gorgeous. A thin layer of clouds slightly blocked the bright yellow sun, creating layers of soft purple, gray, and yellow in the sky. These were mirrored more gently on the water as a pale-yellow patch softly moving with ripples of dark gray. Peacefully white egrets flew overhead while iguanas sat still on the docks. The magic of Galapagos is strong at this hour. Two hours later, I still feel the magic though clouds now cover the sky. I sit in quiet as the plants, animals, and humans all gently breathed in and out, sharing our air as we blend as one. It is a privilege to share this space with them. 

Figure 18. Sunrise over Yoga Bay.

Wednesday 1-21-26. I got up an hour early for our Tortuga Bay excursion. As I was getting ready, I saw movement on the wall and thought it was a gecko, but it was a giant spider (4” across). The Galapagos giant huntsman is the primary large spider on the islands. It scurried to my clothes shelf and hid in my shorts. Later when I picked them up to wear, I was careful and shook them. It was a beautiful creative with a stout hairy body and long hairy legs, but it still freaked me out a bit. I never saw it again.

Figure 19. Spider in my room.

During supper tonight a giant centipede came in on the wall by the door. They said it is highly poisonous. It quickly moved under our feet and to the fireplace. We all ran. Marin stood on his chair. Leo tried to get it with a broom, which made it chaotically move more. Finally, Marin caught it with a big plastic container and lid and threw it outside. I really was glad since it seemed too close to my sleeping room. 

Friday, 1-23-26. Sitting by the water on my last free morning. A sea turtle is by a rope nearby and I wonder if it is caught. The water has soft ripples and looks like soft glass, smooth yet wavy. The sun is behind dark clouds, but filters through, creating a bright streak of light spreading wide at the horizon and narrowing as it reaches the shore. It’s quiet at this hour. It rained overnight and all seems fresh and new, ready to begin a new day. I hear the crashing waves, smell the salty sea air, and see a few birds far away. Later, I got my Canon camera and walked out to the turtle. It is not caught. It’s feeding on algae off the rope. It moves slow and gracefully, twisting and turning for a better feeding angle. Occasionally its head pops up, and it takes a deep breath. The ocean breeze feels wonderful this morning on my face as it gently moves my hair. I am calm and content. I am peaceful and at ease. I love this slow pace. 

Figure 20. Sea turtle eating algae off a rope.

Sunday 1-25-26. The sky is a gorgeous robin egg blue today with sparsely spaced fluffy clouds. A closer cloud slowly floats northwest as a frigate bird flies past it the other direction. Everything has the easy, slow Galapagos pace, even the clouds. Going slow seems to give me more opportunity to connect to the Earth’s vibrations. Matching my heartbeats frequency to the pulse of the Earth, I blend into the magic that is Galapagos. 

Excursions

Las Grietas (Thursday, 1-8-26). I did it! I was scared but I faced my fears and snorkeled in Las Grietas. We got up an hour early at 5:30 a.m. and walked in the dark from our house a short distance to the swimming hole. Our house is one of the last ones before the National Park begins. There are salt marshes beyond our gate. They are pink with thick white salty edges. The rocky path has a few wooden bridges, but is mostly rough, uneven lava. We walked through giant opuntia (prickly pear) cactus groves. A sign said that they grow very slow and remind us to have patience to believe that processes happen at the right time. Juliana led us to the end of the steps at the first pool. We did nodi shodhana pranayama (a breathing technique) and a short meditation sitting there in a circle. 

The water is cold in Las Grietas. It is calm and very deep. Las Grietas is a volcanic crack in the landscape that creates a narrow channel of water with tall rock walls on either side. The girls all got into the water, but I hesitated. I was uncomfortable, cold, and unsure about the snorkel, not to mention what might lurk beneath and within the dark rocks below. Yet, I knew I had to do it, so finally I went in. It was shockingly cold at first, but I soon adjusted. I dog paddled to the edge and held on. Juliana stayed with me until I was more comfortable. It took a while to get used to breathing with the snorkel, but soon I relaxed and put my head down. It was hard to see without my glasses. The water was very buoyant and I floated without effort. I slowly moved my hands to maneuver toward the others. The pool was long and narrow and ended at a rock cropping that opened to another small pool. Another large pool was beyond that. I sat there a bit then we went back. This time I relaxed enough to float easily and see large parrot fish. I glided through the clear, calm water with my arms. Afterwards, I was excited that I did it. Juliana high-fived me.  

Figure 21. Getting ready to snorkel at Las Grietas.

Kayaking Yoga Bay. Saturday, 1-10-26. After lunch one day I decided to take out one of the kayaks. They are quite heavy, so the guys helped me. I wore my bikini but put my Columbia shirt across my back since I was still red from my day in town on Friday. It was a two-person, sit on top kayak and worked well. I paddled all the way across our bay to the right. There were tall lava cliffs there with a few cactus trees on top and lots of bird crap white stains. There was an area with lava boulders out a ways, making a channel next to the cliff wall. As soon as I approached, I saw two bigger birds perched up high on a ledge. With my iPhone zoom I saw they were blue footed boobies (the iconic symbol of Galapagos). I was so excited. It is the one birds/animal I really wanted to see. I kayaked down the channel. Crabs in various types and colors scrambled across or hung to the rocks. Other birds flew overhead. Several medium sized black birds were very upset I was there. They were a type of tern – the brown noddy. I went as far as I could, then turned around and went back out and around the bay shoreline towards home. 

Figure 22. Blue Footed Boobie.

On Thursday, 1-15-26, Samantha, Marin, Julianna and I kayaked for our afternoon meditation class. We went out across the bay, first to the left, over shallow lava rocks, into a cutout in the mangroves. There were many birds in there, including a great blue heron, cattle egrets, and small herons. From there we went across the bay to the tall cliffs and saw another blue footed boobie. We floated at either end of the water inlets by the cliffs and silently meditated as our kayaks bobbled on the water. I closed my eyes and heard the birds, crabs scurrying, water gurgling in the shoreline lava rocks, boats, and waves. It was very peaceful and beautiful. We kayaked further and tied to a buoy where the other three entered the water to snorkel. I didn’t want to. I sat on the kayak, watched the birds, and marveled at the plants above the cliffs. A small flock of white birds with long forked tails kept flying overhead and making a fuss. The red-billed tropic bird is considered one of the most amazing birds of the Galapagos. 

Figure 23. Kayak meditation near the bay cliffs.

Free Day at Darwin Center. Friday were free-days and we had three during our training. On each one I walked to town, which included a 5-minute walk to the German Beach and another 5 minutes to a water taxi stop that costs $1 per person. The water taxi took us to Puerto Aroyo. The first day I walked along Darwin Avenue and stopped at a cafe for breakfast to have French toast and coffee (my first coffee in Galapagos). It was very good. I sat outside with a view of the bay through some trees. It was fun to watch city life pass by, including taxis, motorbikes, garbagemen, students all dressed alike that waved at me, tourists, buses, and more. I found life was slow and easy there. There was no hurry to do anything, which was nice. It also felt very safe in town and at home. We didn’t lock the house at all, just the gate to the outside so tourists wouldn’t wander in. 

After breakfast I walked 10-15 minutes to the Charles Darwin Research Center. At the entrance a lady had me pay $10.00 for the tour, which required a guide. The visitor center was free, but the only way to see the turtles was with a guide. As I waited for my tour to start, I walked across the street to a little beach with iguanas, crabs, and brown pelicans. Along the route was a gorgeous tile wall with mosaics of various pictures. 

Our guide was Grace and I really liked her. She gave the tour bilingually and was quite knowledgeable. She walked with us about seven minutes to the Darwin Center, past the first house/hotel on the island and to the Galapagos Conservatory stop. A lady explained the conservatory’s mission and work to protect the islands. They do applied research and work with local schools to teach sustainability. From there we walked to a poison apple tree (Hippomane mancinella). It is very poisonous and called the tree of death. Every tree I saw on the island had a warning sign. It’s a beautifully shaped and deeply shade producing tree. However, the sap causes blisters and eating it is deadly. The Guiness Book of World Records says it’s the most dangerous tree in the world. Beyond it was a native garden with plants such as the giant opuntia (the only tree prickly pear in the world). It evolved into a tree to avoid the saddleback turtles that are tall with a long neck and feed on trees. The tortoises love opuntia. Another indigenous and unique island tree is the giant daisy tree (Scalesia divisa), which is endangered. The conservatory is working to rewild it. It is the only tree daisy (aster) in the world. 

The Darwin Center is rewilding the tortoises too. Grace showed us the taxidermy Lonesome George – a now extinct species. He was in a glass case alone in a temperature-controlled room. We had to all go into a pre-room for two minutes to stabilize temperatures before viewing him. He was from Pinta Island and was over 100 years old when he died. They tried to mate him and prevent the species from extinction, but he was unable to reproduce. His park ranger still lives in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. 

Figure 24. Lonesome George.

We walked through the turtle nursery with tortoises of various ages and sizes. It was feeding day, so the mature males and smaller females were eating elephant ear and opuntia leaves. Baby turtles were in pens with security cameras to prevent poaching. They were marked with colored numbers representing their species (specific to individual islands) and hatch number. They continue to grow bigger until they are 40 years old and begin reproducing at 25 years. They are released back into the wild at 4-5 years old. 

Figure 25. Saddleback tortoise at the Darwin Center.

Grace showed us tortoises about to be released that were offsprings of the famous Super Diego. He was captured on Espanola Island in the 1930s and lived in the San Diego Zoo until 1972 when he went back to Galapagos. Since then, he has had 1700 offspring, and we saw his last brood to be released. He now lives free on Espanola Island at 100-130 years old, saving a threatened species! 

I always choose a book to read while doing a yoga retreat, so for this YTT I chose “Rewilding” by Micah Mortali. It calls us to return to our essential nature. Just like the Galapagos Conversancy is rewilding the tortoises and tree daisies, I was rewilding too – getting back to my true self, connected to this amazing Earth and its magical wonders.

Tortuga Bay 1. Monday, 1-12-26. At Tortuga Bay sitting under a shade tree at the last beach. There are no waves at this location. Soft white sand is very clean and cool. The water is bright aqua blue. This bay is surrounded by plants, though a boat is leaving so there must be an inlet. 

Figure 26. Marine iguana at Tortuga Bay.

The walk to the beach was very long. We walked from our house to the water taxi, then through town to the National Park entrance. From there, the path to the beach was all paved and quite nice. Palo Santo trees, opuntia, and poison apple were abundant in the park. It was about three miles from our house to the farthest beach. It was the most beautiful beach I’d ever seen, pristine with few people. This really was paradise with its water, sand, sun, and sky. I waded into the first surfing beach with its big waves and dangerous riptides. The water was warm and refreshing. Occasionally the waves almost knocked me over. There was a red flag warning to not go too far out into the ocean. The next pool was calmer, but cooler. This area was only deep enough during high tide. Little fish swam around our legs. A great blue heron stood still as it waited to catch its prey. Sea iguanas roamed the lava rocks around and in the mangroves at the shore. I touched the mangroves and peered out to sea. Their view was amazing. I wanted to feel their vibrations. 

Figure 27. Tree pose at Tortuga Bay. (Photo by Juliana)

Juliana had us stand in a circle and do some yoga poses in the sand. We each led the group in three poses, which was our first time teaching. I did mountain pose, forward fold, half-way lift, and root-to-rise. Marin joined us. She had us come in close and hold each other as we moved our feet and legs, then swayed in a bigger circle holding onto each other. At the end we came in close and closed our eyes as she started to swirl us gently, connected to each other and to the tree above us, the water, wind, and sun. We were all one in the Galapagos. 

Figure 28. Swimming at Tortuga Bay.

The walk back home was very long and hot. My left middle back hurt a lot. I wore my Keen water shoes and wondered if those and the cloth backpack were contributors. I put some pressure on the pain in my back with my left hand and that helped a little. I covered up with my beach sarong and shawl to prevent more sunburn. The sun was gorgeous that day, but it also is very strong in Galapagos, closer to the equator. 

Free Day #2 & 3. Friday, 1-16-26. It was a great second free day. I got up about the same time but with no time commitments, which was nice. I had a breakfast of granola, peach and leftover carrot cake that they saved me from the night before. I made some green tea. As I was looking for tea a huge spider ran along my arm and I swiped it to the floor. It freaked me out a bit, but they are very interesting. I first sat outside along the rail by the big, dry-docked sailboat. I must have been on an iguana morning path because two big ones came up towards me. One diverted and I moved for the other one. I finished reading the training manual. Marin gave me a cacao hot drink and it made me slightly loopy. At 9 a.m. Marin taught Samantha and me a Tantra yoga class. It was two hours long and quite a beautiful, slow practice. He did some hard poses, but I modified. He did help me with bow pose by using a strap, which was very helpful. That practice went into shavasana many times. I felt grounded and at ease afterwards. 

I dressed and walked to town, catching the water taxi like a pro. I went in several stores and bought me a blue footed boobie hat. I love it. Juliana suggested that I eat lunch at 1835 Restaurant and Coffee Shop. I sat inside where it was cooler on a comfortable chair. There were large tree trunks growing up through the roof. The food was amazing! I had a salad of rice and quinoa with coconut bacon, a green smoothie, and as a surprise they brought me a small crème Brule for dessert. Wow! I was in heaven. I went to the grocery store and bought crackers. It was a great store with many items. The water taxi ride back was very busy. He dropped off tour passengers at various tour boats before taking me to the German Beach dock. I got hot walking so laid on my bed with my fan for a bit when I returned. 

Figure 29. Lunch at the 1835 Restaurant and Coffee Shop.

Friday 1-23-26. Another great free day. I headed to town about 9 am and shopped for gifts. I stopped for a café Americano (black coffee) and sipped it slowly as I watched the town bustle by. The plants along Darwin Avenue were pruned into geometric shapes like lollipop trees and square shrubs. It seemed wrong for the plants yet was picturesque as a streetscape. The roads in town were mostly one way, with a concrete curb, then another wider (2-way) bicycle lane. There were many scooters and motorcycles. All the taxis were white pickup trucks. I looked in many stores and finally settled on a few small items for my family. I also got a chocolate bar to celebrate after my final exam class. I had a margarite pizza and ginger lemonade for lunch. Wow! That pizza tasted wonderful. I ate three quarters of it and saved the rest for my supper. After a short rest at home, I set up in the shala room to practice my final class since I was there all alone. I put it all in PowerPoint to see and advance sections easier. I used my computer’s speaker, timer, and recorded a time lapse video with my iPhone. It was exactly one hour. I think I did well. I was nervous, but ready. I did some laundry then sat outside the rest of the afternoon, enjoying the cool ocean breeze and free schedule. Later Samantha brought us chocolate bread from town. I had mine with tea. 

Las Grietas 2. We met at 5:30 a.m. to walk to Las Grietas on Tuesday, 1-20-26. It rained overnight so some rocks on the trail were slippery. I took my time and lagged behind the others. This time we took the left trail to the other part. At the top was an amazing view of the bay and the sunrise. We did a pranayama and short meditation as the sun rose slowly over the ocean. First there were layers of purple and gray and peach. It was hard to tell where the next island was or if it was clouds. As the sun broke through, it sent its powerful energy across the water and island. Birds sang sweetly and the landscape shown in morning brilliance, excited to begin a new day. A new day, fresh and clear and full of potential. Another opportunity for me to share the universe with the amazing and unique plants, animals, rocks, and waters of Galapagos. 

Figure 30. Sunrise at Las Grietas.

We walked down the long twisting staircase to the water pool. I sat on the dock and held everyone’s cell phones as they one by one entered the water with their snorkels and gear. I photographed them as they adjusted to the cold water and floated away. Leo and Juliana free dove to the bottom and back up. While they swam, I soaked in the Galapagos magic around me. The rocks felt alive with soft, gently energy. Above the towering cliffs were plants, happy to have songbirds play in their branches. Below me in the water, fish swam including a large school of bigger fish and many individual small ones. The white dots and streaks on the rocky walls were almost pictograph-like, yet I think they are lichens or maybe bird crap. 

Figure 31. Leo snorkeling at Las Grietas.

Figure 32. Stairway down to the Las Grietas pool.

As we walked back out there was a Galapagos mockingbird singing atop a tree. It belted out many different songs, singly loudly and proudly for all to hear. The plants were also proud, standing tall along the rocky path. White barked, leafless Palo Santo trees released their famous odors. Bright orange bark of the Opuntia cracked into vertical fissures on older trees that had released groups of spines along their trunk. Younger plants had trunks covered in spines. They were fluffy looking, yet ready to poke any naïve touchers. I never tired of admiring the giant opuntia. It was so regal with its giant pads, bright and cheery sunshine yellow flowers, burnt orange and sepia-brown bark, and small hairy white spines here and there. Wow, I love that plant!

Figure 33. Optunia and Palo Santo trees along trail at Las Grietas.

As we reached our house gate a lady scolded us for not paying a fee and using a guide. We said “Gracias” and walked on. They charge every tourists $10 each and require a guide to visit the pools during the day. Locals go early and late without a fee or guide. 

Tortuga Bay 2. Wednesday 1-21-26. We spent the morning at Tortuga Bay’s Playa Mansa. We left the house about 5:30 a.m., walked to the water taxi, then the long trail to Tortuga Bay. It was a silent morning. We’d been silent since supper the night before. I enjoyed the silence. I walked the trail past many different plants as birds flew here and there. It was amazing how the trees grew out of the large lava boulders. Where was their soil? How did they get nutrients? The poison apple tree nicely arched the trail as if kindly inviting guests into its deadly trap. 

Figure 34. Poison apple tree overarching path to Tortuga Bay.

As we arrived, we saw pelicans, oyster catchers, plovers, herons, and ibis on the shore. We did a pranayama and meditation then went for a swim. I had picked a red hibiscus flower for behind my ear in town. I floated it in the sea, presenting it as an offering to the spirt of Galapagos, then I went into the water. Plant growth dotted the sea floor, and I stepped gingerly between them. Small fish circled around me, spotted fat “puffer” fish, little clear white ones, medium silver with black tipped fins, and farther out Juliana pointed out hammerhead sharks. 

Figure 35. Rhonda at Tortuga Bay. (Photo by Samantha)

We had a picnic breakfast on the beach. We were mostly alone and loved it. Little finch and warblers kept trying to steal our food. Then a tour or something arrived. Hordes of people, talking, playing music (in spite of the signs not to), and filling the shady spaces beneath the trees around us. Our peaceful beach was gone, yet it wasn’t. It was still there, sending us its energy. 

Figure 36. Picnic breakfast at Tortuga Bay.

We had a class about koshas, nadis, and chakras on the beach. I had a hard time sitting on the sand. At least in the shala I had props to sit on, but even then, I sometimes got “stoved up.” I ended up standing at the beach. 

Figure 37. Galapagos gnatcatcher at Tortuga Bay.

We stayed there longer than I wanted and headed back about 11:30 am, just as the noon sun scorched us on our walk. It was grueling. I covered with my sarong, which of course was hot. I was glad I had my better backpack that was more comfortable and my Salomon tennis shoes, but it was still a tough walk back to the entrance and home. I was hot and my back hurt. I tried to walk straighter and it helped a little. The long walk from the beach to the park’s entrance was about all I could take. At the entrance building I threw off my backpack and laid on the ground with my legs up the wall. The girls teased me that I needed to adjust my “pose” and I said, “No way, no more asana biomechanics!” We laughed. It did help some to lay down. When I got up my sweat left an imprint of my back on the concrete. We walked more, to the Laguna Restaurant where we had lunch of beans, rice, salad, and tamarind juice. It was a welcome respite to sit in the shade by an oscillating fan. I was hungry and needed a break. 

After lunch we walked to get ice cream, though I didn’t get any. The water taxi ride was easy after that, but the walk to our house was even more grueling and painful. I actually moaned a few times. At the house I took a shower, laid on my bed in front of the fan, took two Advil, and drank a hydration water. 

Figure 38. Water taxi ride to Tortuga Bay. (Photo by Samantha’s phone)

Kayaking to the Point. Thursday, 1-22-26. I got up at 5:00 a.m. to go kayaking to the point of the bay. As we headed out, we could hear the waves crashing to the shores beyond the bay, but the bay waters were calm and clear. Samantha and I used one kayak and Leo the paddleboard. At the right hand point we tied to a buoy. It’s illegal to go to the shores out there. The tide was so high that most of the rocky outcroppings were covered with water, making the area look completely different. 

Samantha and Leo snorkeled while I stayed in the kayak. We went out to see the sunrise, but it was too cloudy. Birds flew all around me. Frigates landed on the cliffs. Boobies swept close to the water and to the cliffs. Brown noddys came close then swooped close to the water to get what looked like small sticks, unless they were fish. Pelicans sat on shore and flew in groups low over my head. Herons walked along the lava rocks. I saw a fin in the water and knew a sea lion was close. Suddenly, its head popped up next to the paddleboard tied next to me. It put its nose on top, looking around and at me. I was a little nervous it would hop on top too near me, but it swam away. I rocked on the kayak to the waves of the Galapagos sea, amazed that I was there and knowing it was likely my last paddle. Samantha and Leo were gone a long time. A fishing boat came and started putting out nets. Finally, they returned and we paddled back. The kayak is so heavy it took all my strength to drag it out of the water. I tried to lean it against a rail, and it slipped onto the top of my feet, smashing them for too long. I finally got it off but ended up with cuts and bruises on my feet. 

Figure 39. Kayaking Yoga Bay.

Everyday Galapagos Life

It was very hot and sunny in Galapagos. My first day to town I wished I’d worn sunscreen. I had on a tank top and my shoulders and neck got very red, though they tanned later. I thought about buying sunscreen in town, but it cost $22 for a small bottle, and I had some in my room. Everything was expensive in the Galapagos since it must be shipped or flown in. I paid $7.00 for a bag of trail mix, even though the bag said $3.50. A small jar of JIF peanut butter cost $17.00. They use the U.S. dollar here so there wasn’t an exchange rate difference. 

Fresh water is a valuable resource there. There is no source for fresh water on the islands, so it all had to be desalinated and filtered. All our water was brought in 5-gallon carafes by boat from the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. We had two water dispensers and went through many gallons of water each day for drinking and cooking. We washed dishes and bathed with the ground, tap water. My showers felt slightly brackish. 

We had three full meals every day. Meals were vegetarian and included some fresh eggs and occasionally a slice of cheese. I ate many new foods that I wasn’t familiar with but tried them anyway. I like most foods but couldn’t bring myself to eat bananas or runny eggs. We had different tea mixtures for breakfast and supper and various juices for lunch. My favorite was the fresh lemon grass that our cook Susie brought from her farm in the highlands. She steeped big bunches of it with lemon, ginger, or various fruits. For breakfast we sometimes have Guayusa tea. It is from an Amazonian holly plant (Ilex guayusa) and has caffeine content like coffee, but the effect is gentler, yet still energetic. On many evenings, Marin made dessert, but kindly kept banana out of mine. We all ate meals together, except on our free days. As the weeks progressed and we got to know each other better, our dinner conversations grew and we blended into a family unit. 

Figure 40. Breakfast outside.

One night Samantha knocked on my door and invited me outside to see the stars. We all sat on the concrete by the bay and looked up. It was beautiful. Marin played soft music and it was a magical moment. I could hear the surf beyond the bay and saw lights come on and off in the ocean. 

My iPhone, iWatch, iPad, and Mac computer kept changing time zones and confusing me. They all matched, but for a while all my devices would be in the Quito time zone (EST) and then they would switch back to the Galapagos time zone (CST). I few times I thought we were about to do something, then realized I had an hour to myself. Morning alarms were challenging, since I never knew how to set it. I wished I had an old-time manual alarm clock. One morning I got up an hour too early. Another night I hardly slept, but somehow got up on time at 5:00 a.m. I kept waking up and changing my alarm when my phone’s clock changed time zones. I decided that maybe it was a sign that time is irrelevant and to stop depending on it so much. In the end, I changed to using the timer, like baking a cake, I timed how long I should sleep. 

I did a little laundry every day in my bathroom sink. I had three hangers and hung them in my shower or behind my bed where the fan blew at night. The clothes weren’t perfectly laundered but at least I didn’t have to send them out or wait at a laundromat in town.

One day I watched four men unload a boat full of concrete blocks onto our dock. They threw them to each other and the final guy stacked them on the shore. It was impressive to watch. There was a lot of construction around us. Behind us was a small restaurant that was expanding their kitchen. The neighboring property belonged to the Ecuador President’s wife, and she was completely redoing her family home. They couldn’t bring in bulldozers or big contracting equipment, so it all had to be done by hand or with hand tools. Sometimes the noise impacted our classes, but most of the time we heard only the sounds of nature around us. 

Tour boats come into our bay throughout each day. They usually brought large groups of tourists to a dock across from us where they unloaded to walk to Las Grietas. The boat then went to the center of the bay to wait until they were done. While waiting they often swam off the boat or played music loudly. Other boats came into the bay and stayed in the middle for their passengers to snorkel around their boats. Another popular spot was where we kayaked at the point of our bay. Boats disembarked their passengers onto a wooden bridge and a guide walked with them to the top of the cliff to look down on a small pool where sharks clustered. We were not allowed to go there without a paid guide, so I didn’t see the shark pool.

Final Exam

We had to create an hour-long yoga class to teach the others as part of our final exam. About Monday, 1-12-26, I started to get nervous about it. Juliana told us to think about a theme. I told her I wanted to create a flow that connected us to the plants. I was worried about the language barrier since I was the only one with English as my first language. I decided to pause, meditate, and think about how to find a way. Five days later, an idea poured out of me into my laptop, and I had a Lotus Yoga Flow. I decided to focus on the sacred lotus flower and take students through each growth stage using the four elements. At the end, I added a chant song. I learned it on the guitar but in the end sang it a cappella. 

Sunday 1-25-26. I did it! I taught my first yoga class. It was exactly one hour long. The group followed along well, except a couple small parts. I hope that the lotus imagery worked for everyone. I dressed in a pink yoga top for the pink sacred lotus flower. I put houseplants and a bouquet of Pride of Barbados flowers by the mat. I wore a yellow cordia flower spray in my hair. I played a soft playlist, read a poem, and sang the lotus mantra song. I really thought it was complete and I liked it very much. I think I could have did more difficult poses and got up to walk around a bit to help the students, but I watched them and they seemed good. I feel great relief that it is done. I was only nervous singing the mantra. 

Figure 41. Teaching a yoga class for my final exam. (Photo by Samantha)

The comments from teachers and fellow students were mostly good. They liked it overall and enjoyed the flower’s “story.” Juliana thought I spent too much time on the plant and not enough time explaining poses, so I need to think that through. I don’t see me teaching this in person but maybe taping it for YouTube or including it in a book. Leo said I repeated the same transition words too much and didn’t really need them, and he was right. Overall, it was a positive review. 

On the last day, we had a written final exam in Google docs before lunch and then had a final celebration in the evening. We sat in a circle, each said a few words, then we drank cacao and danced. At first, I had trouble dancing. I was homesick. I wasn’t familiar with the music or beats. My knee slightly hurt. Then Juliana had me pick out a song and I chose CCR’s Green River. Immediately I was in my usual hopping dance mode, jumping all around the shala. That was fun. Afterwards, we had a long supper and talked. I gave Juliana a doily I crocheted. Katherine gave us all a small charm. I chose a blue turtle to remind me of the turtles swimming in the aqua blue Galapagos waters. I went to bed and Juliaana called me back out to give us our certificates, in my pajamas. We took lots of pictures. I worked hard for that certificate! 

Figure 42. Graduation certificates with the entire group! (Photo by Marin)

Final Takeaways

YTT in Galapagos at Yoga Revista was much harder and more challenging physically and emotionally than I ever imagined. I learned a lot about yoga and myself and now feel a deeper connection to my yoga practice. I wanted to connect with nature and I did that too. I did good socially, though I often felt out of place. I am very, very proud of my efforts and accomplishments. I did it all! I wanted to quit many times, but I never did. I am relieved it is over. I am happy I experienced the real Galapagos, not just the touristy stops. 

I will miss Galapagos and my new family. I’ll miss the sunrises, cloudy island view afar, white birds, ugly iguanas, rattling palm fronds, and especially the orange and yellow Pride of Barbados flowers. Although I missed Mark and home life terribly, it was an amazing place. After 21 days I felt connected and part of the unique ecosystem. In some small way I feel like I am taking pieces of paradise home with me. Atoms and molecules from the plants and animals, water and air, earth and sunlight, soil and grit now reside within me. I can draw on their strength and peace whenever needed. This was one of the hardest and most challenging things I’ve ever done, yet it was also fulfilling and life changing. I know once again, at another level, that I can do hard things. Age is not a limit. With age comes knowledge and experience to spread my wings and fly bigger, broader, to new dimensions within and outside myself. I’ve cried with frustration, laughed with new friends, pushed my limits, yet respected my boundaries and capabilities. I experienced Galapagos’ earth, the smell of her sea, her people, her unique plants and animals, and her slow and easy Galapagos time. I found her magic and it was wonderful! 

Figure 43. Pride of Barbados flowering tree.

(Pictures by Rhonda Ferree, unless notes otherwise)