Are you thinking of doing a yoga teacher training and can't wait to learn more about yoga? So was I, but it never occured to me how much I would learn about myself too. I was so excited to deepen my practice and teach it to others, but a 200ytt is so much more. Doing a yoga teacher training is an incredible experience, but the biggest shock wasn't the 5am meditations, it was uncovering what lay underneath the armour I didn't even know I wore
Here's what I learned, without realising it at the time
I learned to release expectations
I expected to be great at meditation, I expected to learn advanced poses, I expected to feel ready to teach yoga, I expected a lot! But nothing went the way I thought it would. Instead I learned to soften my grip on the outcomes, and to embrace the practice, not the performance.
"let go of what should be, and accept what is, because what is, is enough"
I learned the hard way to listen to my body, not the ego
One of the teachers was assisting a few students in standing compass, and I wanted to try too, even though I knew there was no way my hamstrings could cope (yes I wanted a pic for the gram). And sure enough, I tore my hamstring attachment and that was the end of my asana practice for the rest of the yoga teacher training. I still had 10 days to go. Injuring myself because I didn't listen to my body taught me to always honour yourself where you are, and not compare yourself to others in the room
I learned that teaching itself is a practice, not a performance
My default mode when I'm nervous is to entertain, and being made to teach savasana and meditations helped me to tap into the calmer, wiser, more grounded part of me. The part of me that I love to share in class now, along with my entertainer personality. Stepping into discomfort helped me find my authentic voice and not hide behind what I already knew
So fresh faced! Still with Bali surfer hair, front row third from right
I learned how to apply the lessons from the studio to real life
The resilience, the empathy, the discipline, all these were needed to move countries and start a new life, with a new career, in a new relationship, and not speaking the language! But learning so much about myself through the lens of a 200ytt, gave me the tools I still need and use in life today. Without my yoga teacher training, I would never have found the strength, patience, and compassion needed to not just survive but thrive in life
What life lessons will you learn if you do a yoga teacher training? I am running a 200ytt as a hybrid model (online classes and an in-person intensive), to help you uncover your authentic self and teach you advanced alignment, sequencing from the heart and mind, meditation and pranayama, finding your voice as a teacher and so much more. Sign up for the waitlist for more info - this could be the experience you've been searching for