It is always with huge excitement when we get to send off yet another graduation certificate to one of our Yoga Teacher Trainees! We now have certified Yoga Teachers through the School of MerryBody all over the world, which really just blows our minds a little bit.
It’s time to get to know our graduate, the amazing Lauren (Lozzy) Barnao, who has now already taught Yoga at Retreats, online and has plans to create an online program designed for those who have never tried Yoga before.
Before any of our Trainees step into our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training, we ask them to set themselves an intention for the journey ahead. We ask them 2 important questions: what would you like to get out of this training? And how would you like this training experience to feel?
Lozzy’s intention was both personal and professional. She told us…
“My intention with this Yoga Teacher Training is connection with my mind and body (physically and spiritually) and stepping into my feminine. I am so excited to dive into the mechanics of yoga, breathwork and meditation as I want to share this magic with the world as part of my business. I have had so much change in my life recently but I always seem to come back to Yoga, as for that 10-75mins on the mat, the world gets quiet. I am also so excited to connect with like-minded women on this journey as I love to hear different perspectives and insights into such powerful and timeless concepts. Overall I want to feel strong in my body and mind and Yoga has always been that place for me. So much gratitude for this opportunity to be presented to me!”
After reading Lozzy’s intention, we were so excited for her to get started, as the program itself is designed to deepen your personal practice yet also give you the practical knowledge and know-how to teach and lead Yoga classes.
The program is 16 weeks. Every week, a new block of classes are unlocked for our Trainees. At the end of each week, we then meet for a live call (these are also recorded) to deep dive and recap the week that was. Lozzy said…
“The program covered way more than I thought it would, was entertaining and I loved the live calls! The community was amazing!”
In fact, some of our most favourite feedback revolves around the fact that this training is completely online, yet doesn’t feel online at all. This is because as your trainers, we’re there with you, every week, checking in, answering questions and diving deep into the same lessons you are! We asked Lozzy what she loved about how the program was run. She mentioned the flexibility of being able to take your time through the lessons, although it’s a 16 week program, you have a full 12 months to complete the classes and required assessments. This means it’s a training that fits in with your life and your schedule. Lozzy said…
“Self paced, works way better for me, I love being able to learn at my own pace and to rewatch things = gold!” Hear more from Lozzy here…
As a community, we’re on a journey together, although we may be far apart by kilometres, we’re connected by the lessons and the big AHA! moments that are happening left, right and centre!
You see, a Yoga Teacher Training doesn’t just teach you to teach Yoga… it uncovers, recovers and allows you to discover all that you are. When we asked Lozzy what her biggest takeaway from our 200 Hour Online Yoga Teacher Training she shared…
“It wasn’t until I really looked back at where my life was in May 2023 compared to now (January 2024) that I realised how far I have come. We often get so caught up in the now struggles or the future, we don’t stop to appreciate and be proud of what we have achieved. I promise to do this more. My biggest takeaway? I feel like I use the phrase it is what it is, as it is from our philosophy teacher Andrew, on the daily now, as a reminder to myself that I can’t control everything. I can only stay in my lane. Santosha, acceptance. It releases some of the pressure and overwhelm I feel and I am grateful that the smallest phrase has that effect on me.”
Now that Lozzy is fully certified as a Yoga Teacher she plans on continuing her mission to help others feel better about themselves and to lead healthier lives. She plans on creating her very own Online Program that will help Yoga newbies navigate their first few classes! She explained…
“I know how daunting it can be to go into a new Yoga studio, or think you aren’t good enough or flexible enough or strong enough. I would love to create a course to build confidence in people to get to a Yoga studio. I want to get people inspired, answer questions, educate on language and Asanas (postures), show modifications and have some basic flows using the demonstrated moves so that it takes the hesitation out of trying Yoga. It is a big task and a big change from what I have been doing but it feels exciting and like an aligned purpose for me. I want to keep educating, inspiring and helping people see the magic of Yoga.”
This makes us feel SO excited Lozzy and we could not be more proud of you. We cannot wait to see you bring this, very much needed, program to life for your community!
Finally, we asked Lozzy to score the School of MerryBody 200 Hour Online Yoga Teacher Training Program out of 10… and she gave us a 9 (but wait for it)… she said…
“The only reason I didn’t put 10/10 is because I’d LOVE subtitles for the videos! I learn better reading along rather than listening, especially when there are accents or new/sciencey words.”
We are so grateful for the feedback from our Trainees and Graduates and we really do listen! Now that we are running our second cohort, Lozzy, you’d be glad to know that the lecture style classes now have english subtitles! Perfect for our more visual learners, as well as our Trainees who have english as a second language.
If you’d like to learn more about our upcoming cohort for Yoga Teacher Training, head on over and join the waitlist. This is the best place to be to find out about upcoming dates, early bird specials and further information about our Yoga Alliance certified training. If you feel the inkling, it’s time to get curious!
Always merrymaking,
Emma + Carla