Posts In: YTT

by Monique Minahan

About a year ago two of my longtime yoga teachers moved away within months of each other. I felt suddenly cut adrift and spent time looking for a replacement teacher to whom I could anchor my practice. I started to practice at home more. I tried a variety of yoga studios and classes. I took a yoga teacher training (at Yoga One!)

After awhile, I realized that instead of finding a new teacher, I had found myself. Being “on my own” forced me to trust myself more. There was no one leading the way, so I had to find my own way. I had to learn to be my own cheerleader, my own coach, and my own compass.

Practicing on my own allowed me to spread my wings and listen more deeply to my own body. This is challenging because sometimes I go to yoga to get out of my body or to get out of my mind. At times my goal is to get out of my current state of discomfort, disease, or distress, and into an easeful, blissful, serene body and mind.

While these are often wonderful side-effects of yoga, they’re not always present. In the words of Richard Freeman:

“Yoga is almost a way of looking for trouble. You may be feeling pretty good, but then you start doing postures and all of a sudden you discover there is a holding pattern that goes way deeper into your very being. You have to breathe into it and observe it as it is. The postures and the breathing, or pranayama, are like a fine-tooth comb that take out all the buried stuff you don’t need anymore.”

Not long into my practice of yoga I saw this happening. There were poses I liked and poses I didn’t like. In general, I liked the ones I was good at and disliked the ones that made me feel uncomfortable, trapped, or physically inadequate.

I sometimes choose faster classes because I get into a rhythm with my breath and my body and it just feels so good. I feel really accomplished afterwards because I release tension in my body, increase my strength, and feel balanced energetically.

In contrast, when I do a deep hip-opening practice at home, holding pigeon for three or four minutes with the intention to observe and release deep-seated tension or judgement, the experience is very different. I notice the effect of my practice less in a yoga “high” and more in the way I relate to myself and the people in my life.

One of my teachers would often say, “You know your practice is working when your relationships improve.” This was a philosophical stretch for me early in my practice because I couldn’t grasp how an hour of yoga a few times a week could transform my life.

Thankfully, I just kept practicing. And it did transform my life. Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, the founder of Ashtanga yoga, said “do your practice and all is coming.” I find this reminder especially relevant when I don’t feel like practicing.

Like any transformation or growth process, sometimes it’s beautiful and spacious and sometimes it’s uncomfortable and hard-going.

This is the deeper potential of yoga that all of us experience at some point in our practice.

Whether your yoga is clearing up your life or clearing out your life, trust your practice and trust your process. Trust that, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”

Don’t be surprised if that teacher turns out to be you. At times our teachers are our injuries or some other limitation. Perhaps your teacher shows up on your doorstep instead of your yoga mat, in the form of a life experience instead of as a yoga teacher.

I like to think of my yoga practice as a path with detours, alleys, and bridges. Sometimes I follow a certain teacher down one path until we reach a fork in the road. When the detour takes me to what seems to be a dead end, I realize it’s not a dead end at all.

It’s time to build a bridge or learn to spread my wings and fly.

May we all travel our unique yogic paths that lead us home to ourselves, connected in our common journey from who we think we are to who we really are.

 

Mo is a writer and yoga teacher who believes in peace over happiness and love over fear. She likes to set her sights high and then take small steps to get there. You’ll find her walking the dirt path behind her house with her little fluffy dog, practicing walking her talk by keeping her head high and her heart open. 

Read more from Monique on her blog, mindfulmo.com

This week we’re checking in with what the most recent Yoga Teacher Training alumni have to say about the course! They spent eight weeks putting their intention into action: learning about yoga’s history, philosophy, practice and many varied styles. Through lectures, readings, classes and time spent practice teaching, they’ve grown as individuals and teachers and we’re excited to share some of their experiences here on the blog. It’s never to soon to act on your intention. Click on the following link to find out more and sign up for the 2013 Yoga One Teacher Training Course.

Liz H: At Yoga One, I really feel like we were encouraged to explore the uniqueness of our own yoga. We were taught to tune in and honor what was going on inside of us as individuals, moment to moment, day to day, without judgement. What yogic paths appeal to us? What kinds of practice work best for us in this moment? Who are we and what do we bring to class as yogis? Yes, we’ve learned proper alignment, how to appropriately adjust poses- these are important things, without a doubt, but at Yoga One I learned that wherever I am in my practice is a beautiful, honorable place. When I honor my own practice with sincerity and if I share this in my teaching, that right there is a powerful, inspirational class. I can take this with me for the rest of my life and I believe it will never cease to serve me.

Karen A: I’m so grateful that I had the amazing opportunity to be part of the 2012 YTT. Amy and Michael have always been so welcoming with students at Yoga One; they make you feel as family and are always encouraging you to push your limits. In order for this to become a fulfilling experience you need great mentors, both Amy and Diana were amazing. They helped us learn a lot about yoga, its philosophy and proper alignment, but this experience goes way beyond the physical body, it encompasses the spirit and your true connection with what lies within. It was a life transforming experience that has taken me to a more spiritual and mindful way of life.

Mariellen M: Yoga One’s teacher training course was exciting, exhausting and exhilarating! I recently experienced a trying time and was surprised at this stage of my life to feel insecure, doubting myself. The course provided me with self confidence and reminded me that I do not need to doubt myself: I am capable, I can learn new things and face challenges. The challenge, the support and nurturing nature of the teachers and other students will stay with me always.

Valerie H: The YTT program is transformative, pure and full of love. I had many expectations because I typically have very lofty and imaginative expectations; all were met and surpassed. The bonds that are made are everlasting and priceless. The experience is only what you make of it, enjoy it while it flashes by you. It’s an extremely intense program with more information than you’ll ever ask for, with an overflowing combined knowledge of Diana Beardsley, Amy Caldwell, and Michael Caldwell. As always with very potent situations for growth there are even more difficult obstacles to overcome. Without fail I faced more challenges during these eight weeks than at any other time in my life! It was as if life wanted to not only test me but this teacher training and the practice of yoga itself. The web of life is spun in incredibly magical ways, you just have to open your eyes to see it.

Missy D: Yoga One’s teacher training course can be summed up in three words: dedication, community, compassion. I would definitely recommend YTT to a friend! Try to set aside your expectations and go along for the ride. Every weekend you’ll uncover another level of your self. I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be, exactly when I was supposed to be there at the first information meeting. Amy, Michael, Hillary, & Diana just felt like family and the people that I was supposed to spend an important part of my life with. And every class, no matter how exhausted I was, it felt right, it felt like this was an experience that would affect me for the rest of my life. The welcoming nature of everyone at Yoga One makes me feel like I’m at home. No other studio makes me feel this way. And I hope to continue to make people feel at home through my interactions with them, too!

Shawna F: The yoga teacher training at Yoga One was one of the most transformational experiences in my life. I’ve always been naturally flexible, able to twist and bend into many poses without strain. I thought this was great and my ego definitely got a boost from this natural “ability.” What I didn’t realize prior to the training was that I lacked the strength to find safety and stability in most poses. As a result, I frequently injured myself or felt slightly unbalanced after practice. Throughout the training, I realized that this aversion to strength was a common thread in the way I lived my life. I remember once hearing a yoga teacher say, “people do their yoga in the same way that they live their lives.” I started to notice how I lacked strength in my life in small ways. I didn’t always speak up when I was hurt or I buried my feelings when I felt them inappropriate. The basic principles of alignment gave me a new perspective on the physical poses as well as new inspiration for way I want to live my life. I realized that I need a balance of flexibility and strength. For me, that means moving past fear of judgment to make decisions from my heart, speaking up about what’s important to me and doing things that may be a bit scary – like teaching yoga to a room full of strangers!

I also realized how much I love to help people feel good about themselves. Following the training I’ve discovered more than ever that teaching and sharing yoga feeds my soul. I feel like I’m serving my purpose in life when the session is over and the student is glowing. The experience of the training helped me realize that there is so much more that I want from life. From the alignment concepts, to pranayama (breath control), to the wonderful people who shared my experience, the training was truly an event of coming home for me. I’m so grateful to Amy, Diana and Michael for sharing their love and skill of the yoga practice. I hope I can continue to learn from them and many others.

Yoga One will hold a free and informal Yoga One Teacher Training informational meeting on Sunday, May 6th from 5:00-6:30pm. Please RSVP to info@yogaonesandiego.com or 619-294-7461 and let us know if you will be able to attend by Thursday, May 4th.

Light refreshments will be provided. Meet instructors and previous and potential participants. Check out the manuals and texts. Begin to act on your intention to be the change you wish to see in the world.