Yoga Teacher Training: Am I Ready?

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Brand new day: 1st day of YTT

My journey into yoga started in 2009. The company I was then working for started to organize weekly yoga classes for its employees. Tired of the monotony of going to the gym, I decided to give yoga a try. My only motivation then was to look good in my wedding dress (a valid reason I believe, right, girls?😉). Week after week, I found myself coming to class despite my insane work schedule. Months later, I purchased a class card at a local studio close to where I live. Because once a week just wasn’t enough. Needless to say, I was hooked.

The more I practiced, the more I also felt the desire to go deeper, to improve myself further. And this has gone beyond the mat and the confines of the studio, as I have noticed changes in the way I dealt with life and the everyday stuff. At the same time, through my practice, I have been able to inspire family, friends, and even acquaintances to also give it a try. And seeing them grow in their practice and attribute some of the wonderful things happening in their lives to yoga brings me some sense of pride and joy. It was the realization of all of these, and that feeling of wanting to be able to do more, that made me decide to pursue teacher training.

But that wasn’t the end of it. Suddenly, I was confronted by self-doubt. WAS I READY? Talking to my teachers (who’ve now become good friends) helped a lot. And the answer was almost the same for all of them: If you keep wondering when you will be ready, you will never be. As long as you know for sure that it’s what you want to do, and can make the commitment to yourself to do it, then you don’t have to worry about being ready.

To this day, I still cannot say exactly at which point I decided, or even started to consider, going into teacher training. It was a slow process. At some point earlier in my practice, I remember even telling my husband that I have absolutely no plans of doing teacher training. Yet, here I am now, a few days short of completing my 200hr YTT. Fully enjoying the experience. And eagerly anticipating being able to share it with as many people as I can.

It’s not easy. It takes a lot of physical and mental strength. It drains you most days. But….

Practice and teach with heart. It will carry you through the grueling hours, days, weeks of teacher training, and further beyond.

Namaste.

 

Lace