I took my first Yoga Teacher Training six years after attending my first yoga class, but I knew within the first year that I wanted to teach this practice. Being a Yoga Teacher has been a big part of my life’s dharma or purpose, and has become a significant part of my identity. Looking back at the moment I realized I wanted to teach, I understand that it was a message from the Universe telling me that this would be the foundation of my path in life. Those of you who also wish to help others find the practice must decide for yourself if and when your are ready to take the next step — timing and circumstance both play a factor in the decision to pursue Yoga Teacher Training.
Of course, the opportunity to share the practice with others is a great reason to participate in Yoga Teacher Training, but there are many benefits in addition to instructing others. If you’ve been thinking about Teacher Training, here are five ways you will benefit.
1. Increase Your Depth of Knowledge
Attending a Yoga Teacher Training provides an opportunity to dive into the deep history of the practice of Yoga, but it also creates an opportunity to learn about yourself. Understanding and exploring yourself as a physical, mental, and spiritual body and how you can connect those aspects of yourself is at the core the practice of Yoga. Taking a Yoga Teacher Training is not just about learning to teach a physical pose — it’s about getting comfortable and confident in who you really are. Diving into the philosophy, mythology and history of the practice gives you a sense of being connected to a lineage of knowledge and wisdom beyond your conscious mind.
2. Acquire New Perspective
I will never forget how my perspective as a human changed during my Yoga Teacher Training. Having the opportunity to learn, discuss and observe the human body, mind, and soul from a new perspective, with a sense of curiosity and wonder, opened up my eyes to see myself and others in a whole new light. Teaching Yoga asana is just one of the many ways you learn how to really see others. The ancient practice of yoga encourages you to look at the mind as adaptable component of the self that you can mold as you see fit. Realizing that the limitations placed on us as shaped by society and self-imposed affords an opportunity to seize control of our lives. Embracing this new perspective empowers us to step into our future with inner strength, no matter the circumstances.
3. Develop and Hone New Skills
Taking the time to develop and hone new skills as a Yoga Teacher provides an opportunity to develop as a person AND as a professional. Completing a Yoga Alliance certified Yoga Teacher Training will provide you with a new marketable and sought after skill-set. You’ll learn about the anatomy of the human body and how a yoga asana looks and feels. You will learn how to adjust someone in a yoga pose and you’ll also gain confidence in your abilities to provide a service and teach others. In addition to these skills, you’ll cultivate some unexpected skills as well. For example, your ability to think quickly will improve — after all, when teaching to a room of students from beginners to advanced you need to teach in a way that seems accessible to all levels. You will also learn how to think critically when you sequence a class and how you will get from one pose to the next. When you start putting this all together, you’ll realize that Yoga Teacher Training will teach you how to be a good leader, to make decisions with confidence and guide your students through the yoga experience.
4. Find Balance
In this world of take-take-take and the constant need to give all of your time and energy to stay ahead of the curve, we often feel out-of-balance. The drive to be competitive and DO ALL THE THINGS is exhausting. Participating in Yoga Teacher Training will teach you about balance — not just in poses, but in how you conduct your life. You will learn how to balance your self-care with what you give to others, and how to balance your impact on the planet with what you give and take. You’ll find the best way to balance the chitta or chatter of the mind with your breath, and how to balance the your mind and body. Not only are these benefits great for you, but they also have a positive impact on anyone you come in contact with. Learning how to balance yourself is a great tool to working with others around you — being in balance allows you space to help others find balance in themselves.
5. For the Love of the Practice
I wanted to take my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training because I fell in love with the practice and felt an overwhelming need to learn more. Later I went on and took my 300 hour training to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding, as well as to have the opportunity to learn more about the practice that changed my life. Yoga truly is a life-changing practice. I tell my students that once you get hooked you’ll never be able to wear pointed toe high heels again, you’ll never fail to notice your breath, and you will be grateful for the more significant changes you see in yourself.
This only scratches the surface — you’ll find countless benefits and positive shifts during your Yoga Teacher Training. There’s simply no way to describe everything that you will feel and experience. Add to all of this the fact that you will share the experience with a community of yoga practitioners seeking similar life-changing experiences… And of course, there’s nothing quite like a yoga nerd-out session!
200 hr Yoga Teacher Training
Are you looking for a Yoga Alliance certified 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training in western South Dakota or eastern Wyoming? I’ll be offering a 200 hour YTT starting January 29th, 2021 through March 28th, 2021. We’ll meet for 3 in-person weekends and then weekly via Zoom or other platform. The face-to-face part of the training will take place at Spearfish Yoga in Spearfish, SD.
Dates for in-person weekends:
Jan 29-31
Feb 26-28
March 26-28
Early bird through January 15, 2021 is $2,500 with a $500 deposit
After January 15th $2800
Limited to 6 trainees
If you have questions email me at info@clarissamae.com!
All pics in this post by Sica VonMedicus of VonMedicus Photography.
nice article.
india is best for yoga teacher training course because its root from india.
http://rishikeshyognirvana.com/
I’ve actually traveled to India too to gather knowledge from the place of Yoga’s birth. I think it’s great though that there are trainings all over the world that are accessible to those who can’t travel to India!
I’m really passionate about health and fitness lately, and I want to broaden my horizons. Thanks for saying that I can take a yoga teacher training course so that I’ll know more aspects about it along with the perks of learning more about myself. I think that this will help me have a more balanced outlook on life if I take it, so I might consider it.
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you have any questions if you are looking at YTT programs too!
Becoming a yoga teacher does seem like a thing you should do properly. I liked that you pointed out that becoming a teacher of yoga can help improve your own yoga skills. That is good to know if you want to get better at yoga yourself.
YES! So many benefits we might not think about at first, but my teacher trainings have opened up so much for me in my own practice too! Thanks for reading! Let me know if you have any questions if you are thinking about a YTT yourself!