So I have decided to blog my Yoga Teacher Training (and life stuff that happens during it). Why? Because I have lots of things to share. Advice, gripes, love, etc. Also you hear a lot about how Yoga Teacher Training "changes your life" so I thought if that was going to happen I should write it down. Also, I have a lot of free time due to my lack of suitable employment.
The Basics: I will be doing my 200 hr yoga teacher certification through a
YogaWorks program in Seattle. It will take 2 or 3 weekends a month from now until mid-June. I have only been practicing yoga regularly (aka almost every day) for about 4 months, so I am not a seasoned veteran, but I like it. (My ego wants to tell you that on the first night, when I admitted I had only been doing a dedicated practice for 4 months in a circle of people who were saying things like "12 years," an instructor who knows me said, and I quote, "she has a beautiful practice, don't let her fool you," but whateves ego, shut it.)
I really love my studio. I go to the
YogaTree in Seattle. The instructors are all absolutely amazing people, the kind of people you meet once and just want to stare at and hope one day you can be as awesome. They do mostly Hatha and Vinyasa classes. They are not "hot yoga" or "power yoga." Teachers often don't even use music. They aren't trying to help you feel like a rock star or a gym rat or a lululemon bitch. They just want to teach you yoga, with proper alignment and some philosophy and occasional pranayama (controlled breathing) and chanting. And if, in turn, you end up feeling like a rock star, it's all good; truth is you were a rock star when you walked in.
I just completed my first weekend of my Yoga Teacher Training [YTT]. To be honest, I haven't done much reflecting on it yet. I do however have some reactions:
1. Holy shit, 200 hours is a lot of time. I kind of can't believe how many more times I have to have a weekend like this.
2. Actually, to me, 6.5 hours is a lot of time. That's how long the longest day (Sat.) is. And it felt like forever. Even though we were doing different stuff and more than 2 hours of it was just a practice with an amazing teacher, I rarely have to sit and pay attention to something for that long. It's hard.
By the last hour of that day I was definitely fading and shutting down.
3. I am very quickly remembering how much I hated school.
4. People are so different.
Oh my god. So. Different.
5. Annoying people will always show up when you really hope they don't, and they will probably ask if you want them to stay and help you. {Side Note: I actually got a sort of work-study scholarship for this program which means I take attendance and stay late to clean. It's cool. Its saving me a bunch of money.}
6. I know, I know, the annoying people are there to teach me something.
7. My actual instructors fucking rule.
That's it for now. I'm sure I'll talk more about my journey with yoga that brought me here and all that other stuff soon. If I dont, remind me.
Namaste!!
