Tales from a trainee – first hand account from a trainee on the realities of TT course.
Before doing Yoga Teacher Training I was full of constant self doubt. The question of ‘was I good enough?’ kept spiralling around in my mind and I was clearly suffering from a huge case of ‘imposter syndrome’. Did the fact that I can’t do Chaturanga or the other postures perfectly mean I was unsuitable for the course? I have always been naturally stiff and I was constantly worried that I wouldn’t measure up to the other trainees or wouldn’t be able to keep up with the demands of the course.
It turns out that I didn’t need to worry at all. One of the first lessons our calm, kind and patient teacher’s (Eva and Wenche) taught us is to be yourself. In one of our Dharma/yogic philosophy talks, Wenche even quoted one of my favourite quotes “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” ― Oscar Wilde. After this, any comparison of my peers was left firmly at the front door where it belonged and I learnt that my stiffness and physical limitations could actually be an asset as I was able to break down postures clearly and I was more compassionate in my teaching practice to students who found certain asanas challenging, as I could relate to them. In Yoga Life teacher training, I also quickly learnt that there was so much more to yoga that the physical postures. The breathing, pranayama, meditation and yogic philosophy/texts were an integral part of the course. It wasn’t just a course, it was about adopting a whole new yogic lifestyle and being authentic to your true self and really walking this yogic path whole heartedly. My entire life would quickly change and for the better, especially when studying the ancient texts. For example: when studying the yogic philosophy of the Yamas (one of the limbs of yoga) on the course, I was studying ‘Ahimsa’ (which is roughly translated to non- violence/non-harming). I had to question my actions and my thoughts in my daily life around this. I am a total perfectionist which, even though I have an incredibly hard-working ethic, actually meant that at times I could be so harsh on myself and really beat myself up about things which in effect was a form of verbal self-harm.
The course was a group of 18 women who were all equally absolutely wonderful and the most supportive group I have ever met. The relationships you form in Yoga Teacher Training are often lifelong relationships as you share so much together. I’m still in touch almost a year later with all the people on my course and some have even become some of my best friends. You share so much as you study, laugh and cry all together and when one of the group struggles the rest of the group (including our teachers ) are there to pick them up again and tell them they can do it!
The course wasn’t by any stretch easy, it was very challenging at times and there was a lot of homework. But pushing past my comfort zone teaching a yoga lesson to a group of 18 women whilst being assessed (at the start of the course I was shaking delivering a 15 minute presentation), delving into spiritual yogic texts that were thousands of years old and learning and writing about the history/philosophy of yoga, witnessing all our progress throughout the course and our confidence soar was 100 percent worth the hours that I put in.
The course also helped me to develop a self practice, something that I had struggled with before. It was like peeling an onion. Through meditation and yoga I began to reveal my true self, slowly peeling away the layers and shedding and discarding anything that no longer served me. Just like peeling an onion there were teary moments but I feel it revealed my true essence of who I am and enabled me to live a heart centred path. I would do it again in a heartbeat and I will never stop learning about yoga and myself, it will take a lifetime. In fact Wenche and Eva (my amazing teacher’s at Yoga Life Teacher Training) where can I sign for another course? 500 hours anyone?
By Georgina Warrick
Yoga Life Teacher Training Graduate
