If there is one reoccurring theme that seems to be happening for our Yoga Teacher Training Graduates, it’s that they start the training with an idea of what they might gain… and finish the training with so much more than they could have imagined.
I remember my very first Yoga Teacher Training (it’s Carla here) and I had the exact same experience. It was this very same life changing experience that inspired us to create our own training. We wanted more people to be able to learn and acquire the profound teachings of Yoga. We wanted lives to be transformed because of the lessons that are intertwined within Yogic philosophy.
Here’s where I introduce you to one of our amazing graduates, Preeti. Like many do, Preeti started her Yoga Teacher Training journey with an intention to strengthen her physical Yoga practice (Asana). But even in the first week, Preeti knew there was more to discover. When we asked Preeti to set an intention for the 16 week program, she told us…
“My intention for MBTT is to welcome fearlessness. To NOT be in fear of what might happen, or what others might say. And in order to do that I imagine I will have to rid myself of self-doubt and be open to different ideas.”
Overcoming self-doubt and building inner-confidence is something we focus on within our Yoga Teacher Training. And yes, sometimes it is explicitly discussed but mostly this is created implicitly, through the actions undertaken within the program.
You will build self-confidence from completing your multiple 2 minute presentations on Yogic philosophy. You will overcome self-doubt when you teach your first Sun Salutation in week 6, again when you teach your first Guided Meditation in week 8 and AGAIN when you teach your first full length class in week 12. You can learn the theory of ridding yourself of self-doubt and building self-confidence but really, this all happens when you take action, when you step outside of your comfort zone, just like Preeti did!
I tell all incoming Trainees that, of course, your Yoga Asana (the physical postures) will improve and progress during the program. You will be doing a lot more Asana than you’re used to! And this is a wonderful intention to welcome in when embarking on your Yoga Teacher Training. But it’s also important to note that the Asana is all but a drop in the vast ocean of the practice of Yoga. Within the first 3 weeks of our training you will quickly realise this!
I say this because it’s important to note that to complete a Yoga Teacher Training you don’t have to be ‘good’ at Asana. This was a fear I had before I started my first training. I couldn’t (still can’t) do the splits or handstands and I thought, that for this reason, I would fail at my training! Oh how wrong I was! There is no pre-requisite or certain level of Yoga Asana required before you’re ‘allowed’ to jump into a Yoga Teacher Training. The only pre-requisite I believe in, is a curiosity, an inkling to know more.
When Preeti first started, she knew she wanted to progress in her Asana practice but she also knew there might be some deeper lessons behind it all…
“In terms of my practice I would like to be able to progress in the Asanas and be able to do poses that I have not been able to do so far. But then again that comes with being able to let go of certain emotions that are holding me back. There is probably going to be a big element of letting go.”
How right Preeti was! The act of letting go and surrendering is a big practice within Yoga. This practice and teaching helps you throughout life, it especially helps to reduce stress and anxiety around expectations you might have for yourself and your life.
Preeti’s final intention for the training was to welcome in peace, serenity and fearlessness!
“I would like to feel the peace and serenity that Yoga brings and to be able to tap into it on a daily basis. To have it as a tool when the stresses of life, rather the stresses of the mind start muddling things in life. To sum it up my intention for MBTT is that of fearlessness so I am open and accepting to the transformation that it can bring in my life.”
During the 16 week program we watched in awe as Preeti blossomed. I remember Preeti asking me at about week 6, “how will I ever remember how to teach all the poses and to speak for an entire hour?!” I said to trust the process, I promise it will all come… and it DID! Preeti’s final class was amazingly sequenced, designed and taught.
Now that Preeti is a certified Yoga Teacher, we asked her what her biggest take away from the training was and you can watch her response here:
It’s amazing to watch our trainees walk in one version of themselves and complete their training with new life lessons, tools and desires for their lives. As Preeti mentioned to us…
“I embarked on the MBTT in all honesty to strengthen my practice of Asana but I have come out with many other epiphanies and tools to help with my daily life. I make a promise to myself to not let go of these lessons and keep going back to these moments of wisdom that we now have within us.”
Now that Preeti has experienced what comes when you follow your curiosity and follow those inklings, she’s going to make this a bigger part of how she lives her life (now THAT is inspiring!).
“I promise to not wait in fear. I will follow those inklings. I will trust the process and wait for things to unfold.”
Plus, Preeti’s entire approach to her Yoga practice has transformed…
“I will continue my daily practice and be kind to myself when the best might not be what I think it should be but rather be grateful for just showing up.”
The thing is, every 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training is different. This is because every Lead Trainer infuses their program with a certain style or core theme. For our Teacher Training, self-acceptance and self-compassion is the backbone of all we do. This means our Trainees are practising self-acceptance and self-compassion every single week, they finish this training with a solidified understanding of these life changing practices. Plus, this makes the process of learning so much more enjoyable, as you learn to let go of the expectations to be perfect and to know everything. All we ask of our trainees is to show up and do your best. We aren’t here to judge you but instead guide you to uncover, discover and recover everything that’s already within you.
If you’ve been thinking about completing a Yoga Teacher Training, I encourage you to join our waitlist here. When you do, you’ll be sent an Information Kit with more information on how our Online Program runs and what’s involved.
If you still have questions, please reach out at anytime, we would love to chat.
Otherwise, here’s to amazing Preeti! We are SO PROUD OF YOU!
Always merrymaking,
Carla (and Emma)