When I was younger, I used to spend all of my free time on creative projects: writing, painting, singing, playing musical instruments, and making pottery and jewelry. I even submitted some of my poems into local contests and won. I loved finding the quiet moments where creative energy flowed through me, and I could produce something I was really proud of. My family didn’t have a lot of money, but when I was in a creative space in my head and heart, money didn’t matter – I always felt so content and free.

But something happened as I got older – I started living my life in a way that I thought society expected me to, simultaneously losing my creative fire, and eventually I found myself in a dark hole of anxiety and depression. I took on a stressful job, the bills kept coming in, and I wondered if that was all life would bring me now: a series of revolving door transactions of making and spending money.

I found yoga practice during this time of my life, and it kept me floating above the dark waters in my mind. Every time I came to my mat full of anxiety and doubt, I would leave feeling a sense of momentary physical calm and internal peace. Yoga not only became the balance I needed to cope with the stresses of life, but also the path to self-discovery that I chose to walk.

After eight years, my yoga practice deepened and became part of me, but I felt frustrated that I would still experience anxiety and depression, and I hadn’t found a way to make the peace and contentment permeate every moment of my life. As a result, I finally gathered enough courage to join a yoga teacher training, so that I could not only continue to deepen my own practice, but also safely share with others the passion of yoga that I have cultivated over these years of quiet desperation; and All Yoga seemed to call out to me the loudest. I am an avid Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga practitioner and even traveled to Mysore to practice at the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute, so All Yoga’s course content resonated with me the most.

I knew that I would feel a stronger connection to the physical practice during my training, but I actually developed a stronger connection to myself. Each day, I felt the darker feelings ebb away and were slowly replaced by light and love. I started to feel like I did when I was a kid, full of wonder and excitement about the world again. And one day, after many hours of meditation, breathing, and asana practice, my mind became so still and calm that the creative energy began to flow again, and I produced a poem for the first time in 15 years. The poem is about my experience at the All Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) program, and I would like to share it with you now. If you would like to have an insight as to what a YTT is like, I have tried to express it in this poem – and for those who have completed a YTT already, maybe you can relate to what I’ve written.

I just found that for me, I am entirely in bliss when my mind is quiet enough to allow this beautiful, creative energy inside of me to flow through into a form of art that I can share with the world. And I found that peace in yoga.

Sharing my Gift

by Kamarra Morris

The post How Yoga Teacher Training Revitalized My Creativity appeared first on All Yoga Training.

If you are thinking about pursuing a 200 hours yoga teacher training (YTT)…

…you may be wondering: is 200 hours enough to ensure and prepare you to become a yoga teacher? Strangely enough, as a person coming from the educational background and having spent more than 3 years in training to become a teacher professionally, I had wondered the same! Therefore in this blog post, I would love to share with you about my personal experiences in attending and acquiring the 200 hours Yoga Teacher Training in Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga with All Yoga Training School, especially about what I have learned and achieved from the training.

Is the YTT just about physical yoga practice?

As an Ashtanga practitioner for the last 2 years, I was pretty much consistent in my self-practice. It went without saying that my beforehand expectations were all about the training guiding me even deeper into attaining the asanas (postures) and getting me into a better practice pattern and discipline. It actually did help me the way I expected it to. However, I also came to realize that, mastering the physical practice may be great, but it is not everything about yoga teaching! In other words, the training was prepared in its best way for me to teach yoga, pedagogically and methodologically.

So how was the process of the YTT?

The YTT lasted for around 3 and a half weeks, where we began our day at 7.30 am and ended around 7.30 pm. We were introduced to a yogic lifestyle with lessons that covered cleansing, breathing and meditating techniques. We studied about Yoga, Ashtanga yoga with its root and its philosophy, both in history and in modern life.

In order to improve our pedagogical understanding about asanas, we had asana clinic and anatomy classes. For methods of teaching, we got to have first-hand experience in partner and group teaching, in giving verbal and physical cues as well as adjustments, in class sequencing, trial teaching sessions and so much more.

We could not neglect our physical yoga practices either, which happened twice a day with a focus on Ashtanga Vinyasa as well as a variation of other yoga styles like Rocket, Yin and Vinyasa yoga. There were also Playground sessions for us to hang out with teachers and fellow students, do extra studying or practice, finish our homework, or just to be creative and playful with yoga after intensive study days. Yes, the YTT was demanding, not only time-wise, but also for the massive amount of knowledge we received during those 23 days.

But going through the course and embarking myself on different sides of Yoga was, surprisingly, the best way to improve my physical practice. I became more mindful and connected to my own body. With each pose I do, I began to pay more attention to how it actually works and to the sensations that happen in the muscles and the breaths.

Most importantly, I grew to be more reflective of my state of mind and the quality of my concentration in the asanas. In this way, I gradually learned to be my own teacher in my own practice. For me, I believe this is the most crucial requirement, before going out and teaching yoga for my future students. This is what the YTT had offered me.

But still, in order to become a great yoga teacher, 200 hours of taking in all those knowledge may not really be enough…

…if you are intending to attend the YTT, study and do well for the exams, earn the Teaching Certification, and stop there. By accomplishing the YTT, I have come to understand that this is just the start. I have gained the knowledge, legally been certified, have the ability to create my own sequence and convey it to my students. However, if I just keep doing it the same way, my teaching would start to lose its magic!

Here is to stress that the most wonderful lesson I have learned from my trainers is that – as experienced teachers, they never stopped learning. Verbally and mentally, they reminded us to keep being a student at heart, at any time, anywhere, in any situation and with every person we may encounter in life. Practice consistently and learn from our own practices; keep teaching and learn from our students in classes; enjoy going to more yoga classes and learn from other teachers; be mindful, positive and learn from the goods and bads that happen in our everyday life.

That is to say, the 200 hours YTT would give me a solid foundation to be a yoga teacher. But it takes my continuous efforts and conscious attitude to keep building and improving on the foundation that I was given.

Side-effects of the YTT that positively contributed to my journey of teaching yoga

In addition to its professional orientation value, the training also has a mending effect. It is not strange to say that not everyone attending the YTT wants to achieve the same goal of becoming a yoga teacher. But for many of us, we left the training looking back at it as a life-changing experience, both professionally and personally.

Not so often would you feel like home living in a completely new place (for many people and for me) that you have never been to. Because the training offered a unique environment to be surrounded by like-minded people who share the same interests and passion for yoga, it felt comfortable and at ease. We may not share the same goals in life, but being together in one place doing the same thing almost every day connected us together. Relationships being built and strengthened between individuals from all over the world. We got to know each other, shared our perspectives, beliefs, thoughts and emotions during the course time.

This period of time gave me the genuine opportunity to step out of the mental zone that I labelled Difficult and gradually walk into a new shift into an emotional thinking pattern. It turned out to be the best medicine that helped me create a calmer and more positive attitude towards myself and the world. Mindfulness is one of the most amazing gifts I learned from the training. Moreover, it would enhance the connection between me and the students, who of course do not come from the same place as I do. Being a more stable and open version of myself, I am now confident to try out different classes; and to be more observant, tolerant and patient in my teaching.

Some conclusive words

Needless to say, the 200 hours YTT gave me access to many necessary insights, abilities and skills for yoga teaching. However, this was just the taste of much more wonderful knowledge that is awaiting me. The training was, as said, just a beginning of a much greater and exciting journey on teaching and learning. But if it was not for this 200 hours training, I may never know what is needed to learn, which alternative options are there for me or which step to take first. It is, in other words, an essential beginning.

I am grateful for my decision to join the YTT, for the lessons I have learned and the beautiful memories that have been created along the way. Embracing this remarkable experience with me, I am more than eager to share my passion for yoga to others, may it be my family, my friends or my students.

Now as it may be your time to find it out on your own, I wish you the most awesome experiences in your next 200hrs YTT, just as I did!

The post Is 200 Hr enough to make you a yoga teacher? appeared first on All Yoga Training.

This time last year, I packed my bags and flew over the Indian ocean to Bali, where I spent three and a half joyous and challenging weeks completing my first 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT). Reflecting back on my journey over the past year, I’m struck by how much my approach to teaching has grown and changed.

Every month, thousands of new teachers graduate from training programs all over the world, so you’d better believe that at some point you’ve taken a class taught by a recent graduate. And how does that graduate feel about their foray into teaching? I can only speak from my own experience, but my first year of professional teaching has been a rocky river of highs and lows, from which I’ve ultimately emerged with a greater, and deeper, love for the practice of yoga than ever before.

It’s important to remember that there is absolutely no blueprint for how your yoga teaching journey will unfold after your first training. Some graduates dive headfirst into teaching upwards of 10 classes a week, and transition quickly into a full time career as a yoga teacher. Others are more cautionary, either for (completely justified) financial reasons or perhaps giving themselves opportunities to develop their voice and access further mentoring before really putting themselves out there. And of course, some graduates may not teach at all after completing their training. As fledgling teachers, our experiences of the industry, of our students and our own self-criticism vary as vastly as our physical capabilities on the mat. Here are some of my tips for new yoga teachers in their first year of work:

Jump Straight In

I returned home from my teacher training in Bali with one ambition: to begin teaching before I had time to doubt myself. Within a few days I had lined up my insurance, first aid, industry memberships, and had signed up for some cover teaching. I began teaching at a couple of local gyms, as well as offering free classes for family and friends practice my adjustments and sequencing. I took advantage of some flexibility in my work schedule to accept a karma yogi position at a studio on the other side of town.

Karma yogi positions are fantastic for new teachers, because you’re able to get a hands-on experience of working in a studio, greeting students, assisting, and trying to remember hundreds of names – all skills that will help you develop your own business if you’re so inclined.

If You Build It, They Will Come

One of the elements of the yoga industry that can feel frustrating to new teachers is how difficult it can sometimes be to build a student following. Regardless of whether you’re teaching at a yoga studio, a gym, or even in the local park or community hall, it takes time and patience to build your client base. One of the reasons I found this to be a challenge was my schedule outside of yoga teaching – I’ve continued to work in my full time role as an event manager, and this means that my schedule can vary drastically from week to week, making it difficult to commit to teaching regular classes.

When you’re a new teacher, you’ll be tempted to rush out and apply to teach as many weekly classes as possible – and so you should! However, when you put your hand up to teach a regular weekly class, make sure you’re able to commit to teaching on that day, at that time each week for the foreseeable future. You need to show up for your students each and every week in order for them to do the same for you!

Back Yourself

I can tell you with absolutely certainty that after 12 months of teaching, my confidence in front of a class has grown, and each time I teach I feel like I’m able to tap into my authentic voice a little bit more. However, this process takes time and patience. Sometimes I feel like a complete fraud in front a class, lost for words, mixing up alignment cues, and overall totally preoccupied with what a mess I’m making of the whole thing! At first, these moments of doubt can be terrifying, and may make you question whether you should be teaching in the first place. Nowadays I welcome these feelings of nervousness, because they mean that I care. I care about doing my best, about holding space for my students, and about growing and learning as a teacher.

It’s been a joy to share my love for yoga with my students over the past year. I remind them all the time that I’m far from perfect, and that we’re all learning together. As a graduate teacher, I try to balance humility with self-encouragement. And when I forget, I just try to take my own advice: breathe, smile, and have some fun with it!

The post Life After a Yoga Teacher Training: My First Year As A Yoga Teacher appeared first on All Yoga Training.