what have I learned from yoga teacher training?

Today I enter a yoga silent retreat for the weekend, which marks the end of the 200-hour teacher training course. Whilst I still have teaching observations to complete and the learning journey will continue, the classroom learning with our teacher is over. Writing a reflective account of my journey will be something powerful to look back on. Yoga is becoming increasingly popular, but I wanted to write something to dispel the myth that it just a ‘fancy exercise’ or that ‘you have to be flexible to do it’.

When I first started yoga, it was 10 years ago, in a gym, like many, hoping for exercise but also for some calm. The teacher told us how she used to work as a lawyer, had a breakdown, quit everything and turned to yoga teaching which made me realise there was something more to it. Moving around a lot in my twenties meant that I didn’t have the chance to fully commit to one teacher’s class for long, so I have experience with different teachers. That’s why when I met my current teacher, I knew that I would have the most authentic, true and spiritual journey to become a yoga teacher.

So why has yoga changed my life? Firstly, the philosophy opened my eyes to how little we know about yoga in the Western part of the world. Pop up yoga classes, gym classes and YouTube videos has created this idea that it is just an exercise. When in fact the poses (called asana) is just one of the eight limbs of yoga, which is mind blowing for anyone who thinks of it a just a calm, gentle exercise. Learning about the Yoga Sutra (considered the authoritative text from Patanjali) helped me discover this philosophy, is in fact, a way of life. The teachings and meditation helped to support me through some negative thoughts or brick walls that we all often encounter, especially through completing my masters work in Clinical Nutrition and living abroad.

When we first started the course 3 months ago, my biggest hurdle I recognised at the start was to overcome fear. Fear that I wasn’t good enough, fear that I would get complacent and not finish the course, fear that it might not be what I was hoping for. I can tell you that fear was real through each week of training, but the guidance and teaching supported me to do it anyway. This lesson is something I will take away with me for any project or daunting aspect of life, that there will be fear, that it is okay and to walk through it anyway.

Midpoint through the training I was starting to notice the physical benefits of yoga, the anatomy training was essential and supplemented into the training well by an experienced physiotherapist to avoid injuries for ourselves and those participating in our classes. Whilst this part is important, I don’t want to emphasise weight, but the point is I was eating mindfully, I have gained a deeper respect for my body and my confidence has grown because I listen to my body more. This is so much more powerful that just the fact that we can lose weight from practicing regular yoga. Knowing how to move our bodies safely and listen to our hunger needs by eating mindfully can be more important that the focus on the number on the scales. From my experience is an Eating Disorders Dietitian, weight was often the focus outcome measure of recovery on a refeeding plan, but we always supported the recovery of the mind, normal eating patterns and the relationship with food. I think yoga can have a powerful supportive place here for anyone struggling with mental health and eating difficulties.

Finally, the biggest take home message for me was the teaching on how to turn the mind around. This is a little tricky to describe, but in a simplified version, it is taking responsibility of our own feelings and reactions to each other. It is said that everyone wants to be free from suffering, which is the root of all actions. People do bad or good things because they want to end the suffering. Whilst it is natural to react to those that push us, and if they hurt us, keep them well away but if we can master to not react and keep out inner peace, this will release the negatives. This concept is important to live a happy, enlightened and free from suffering life.

My final thought is, doing yoga for exercise is fine and you’ll enjoy it, but it you do yoga as its meant to be taught from 2000 years ago, you’ll thrive, you’ll find peace and happiness. Doing it to be the most flexible, or to have the best Instagram pictures isn’t what it is about. It is about your own journey on the mat, free from competition to the next person and understanding what you need to take from the practice. The lessons I have learned from the training will carry with me for as long as possible, holding onto the authenticity of the true practice of Yoga. I’m looking forward to meeting you all in the next class and I can’t wait to share with you what I have learned to support you with your own goals and happiness. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Namaste.