Why I Was Drawn To Yoga Teacher Training

It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted here, and I’m going to be really honest about why that is. These past few months have been some of the most transformative months of my life, and it has been keeping me very busy.

That being said, I’ve recently graduated from my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training course, and feel compelled to tell you all what led me here.

1. The Constant, Curious Search for “More”

As of late, I’ve been making it a priority to really dig deeper and figure out exactly who I am. Where do I fit in in this big, crazy world? What can I do to make a positive change, even in a small way?

These are questions that I’m sure many of you have asked yourselves. Whether you’re 25 or 65, we are always striving to progress. We are always pushing forward, trying to find a place where we can finally find some contentment.

So while all of this craziness has been circling around my head, I ran into the opportunity to take a yoga teacher training course. For some reason, I was instantly convinced that this could be exactly what I was looking for.

Now, anyone who knows me knows that I have been fiddling with the practice of yoga on and off now for about 5 years. I use the term “practice” lightly here, because I was by no means a yoga pro.

But this seemed like a turning point for me. It seemed like a chance to finally get into a community where I could possibly find some common ground with some like-minded individuals and begin to make changes, both within myself and within this world, that could lead towards a more positive and beautiful understanding of what this life is all about.

2. Facing Your Fears

I was intimidated to say the least. I’ve always considered myself a bit awkward in social settings. What if I didn’t click with anyone? What if everyone else was more flexible than I was?

What if, what if, what if…

I began to back down, convincing myself that this was the wrong move. That I didn’t “have what it takes” to go through with this.

But I went to the meeting anyway. I listened to what they had to say about the course, and I cried the day that I signed up and made my first payment. I cried because I knew that this was a major turning point in my life and that I was being proactive by going for it, despite my fears.

I had taken the first step toward an important dream of mine. And I was excited and terrified all at once.

3. Crazy, Raw, Soulful Growth

What happened over the next 6 months was nothing short of incredible.

My class was an amazing bond of sisterhood the likes of which I had never known. Each individual was experiencing the same fears and apprehensions that I myself had experienced prior to signing up. Each one of us were vulnerable, extraordinary, beautiful souls yearning for something more. And each one of us had found that something throughout the course of our training together.

At the end of the day, I’ve learned, it’s not about whether or not you can touch your toes. It isn’t about how skinny you are or how extravagantly layered your workout wear is.

Yoga is an entirely internal experience.

I want you to re-read that line again, because in our western civilization, yoga has been entirely misconstrued to represent the complete opposite. It has been so focused on outward appearance and our physical ability to bend and flex in every which way, that somewhere along the line the foundation of yoga has been forgotten.

Yes, it is a physically challenging practice. But it is through the physical practice that we are ultimately preparing and honoring our bodies to experience an internal transformation and perfect our meditation.

The philosophy of yoga is all meant to quiet the mind and find peace, balance and harmony in the present moment. So, no two people are going to have the same relationship with yoga, and that’s the beauty of it.

I am now a registered yoga teacher trainer. These are words that, only 6 months prior, I would have never believed I would say. But my heart still leaps with joy every time I reflect on this wonderful journey.

Yoga has transformed me in so many unexpected ways. It truly is “the martial art against yourself” because you are constantly discovering new areas within your mind and soul and peeling back the layers of the real, raw, authentic you. And that’s the “you” that shines through all of the fear, doubt and anxiety.

My Take Away

The moral of the story: don’t ever doubt yourself.

Yes, you, whoever you are, reading this post. You are capable of incredible things. You are not any less than any other human being roaming this earth.

Everyone who has ever succeeded was once standing in your place, wondering if they should even begin. So start today, and start now. Start dreaming big and start making those dreams your reality. Because once you start, you will accomplish things that are beyond anything you had ever dreamed of.

For me, that dream is now a beautiful reality. We are drawn to the things which we feel most passionately about. I was drawn to yoga so that it could open so many hidden pathways into my soul that I would have otherwise never experienced.

So whether you dream of yoga, travel, owning a business, or whatever it may be, DREAM BIG. Because once you start to believe in yourself, you are already half way toward making the impossible possible.