As many yoga enthusiasts, after a certain time practising and evolving in this ancient discipline, I considered the option of doing yoga teacher training.
The reasons behind this wish were knowing more (and better) about the different types of yoga and its history, learning about anatomy & physiology, as well as improving in my practise and (of course!) ending up with a shinny yoga teacher certificate. Not that I see a big career change but, who knows? Maybe I could even teach one day!
As those desires grew, the high achiever within me kicked in, and I started to visualise how much of an expert I could be, what type of classes I could teach and what a super yogi I’d become.
So I started to search for teacher training options online. Money, length, modules, teachers, locations… there are so many factors to consider, but I ended with a short list and attended the open day at Yoga London Teacher Training. That followed up with specifics on course and payment plans. They have lots of options and are very flexible, so I even made my mind up about the one I’d like to do, between September-December 2017.
A piece of advice
Any yoga teacher training (YTT) requires a big investment in time and money. Nothing goes for less than £3000 and a long list of dates taken just to complete it. Before saying yes to Yoga London, I wanted to try out The Shala Yoga first. Their classes and teachers looked promising, and they also had their own YTT. Once I finished their intro offer I knew I liked it, and those lessons would really help me to move forward with my practise and progress. This is now my second favourite London yoga studio when it comes to classes – after my beloved Indaba, of course!
Also around the same time, I spoke to another yogi who just finished her YTT. Her advice was to do it with the teachers I felt the most comfortable with. “This is the person who is going to teach you, you are paying a lot of money for it, so it is essential to enjoy the experience”, she said. Mark Kan teaches in The Shala Yoga, so that was a big plus!
Learn to walk before you run
With Yoga London, you could apply for YTT just after a year of being practising yoga. Even if (in theory) that worked better for me, it kind of made me respect it a bit less. One of the requirements at The Shala, however, was to have a regular and committed asana practice (preferably for a minimum of three years).
Yoga is becoming a big trend these days, but this practice is much more than a trend to me. And I hope I can keep saying the same in years to come.
Despite I’m really keen to deepen my yoga journey, rushing in something so important (and expensive!) didn’t feel right inside me. Plus, the way I see yoga, it is not about rushing things too quickly, but about truly committing into it – without having to show it to the world or probe anything to anyone – not even myself!
On top of this, I have a tendency to rush things, to be impatient and push myself (or others) to achieve more quite quickly. In the latest year, I’ve been more aware of the negative side of this, and I’m consciously trying to take things easier and work on my (mental) flexibility – remember BeFlexible.
There is so much more I can learn about and from yoga before applying for YTT, starting for the Ashtanga Primary Series. Then there is the Intermediate, the Advance… There are so many basics I should learn and yoga books to read, that doing yoga training before any of that just seems superficial and hypocrite.
I don’t mean that doing YTT early in your practise is a mistake. In fact, I’d normally be the one going for it ASAP, making the most of it – even if a bit blindly. However, I thought it was time to change old habits.
The respect for yoga plus my personal goal (of having fewer goals), has finally helped me decide: for now, I will happily wait 🙂
Wellbeing Lifelong 