Sanskrit. Anatomy. Posture adjustments.

How on earth do you get into that crazy twisted arm balance (grasshopper?!)?

These are a few of the things you’d assume would be covered in a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training.

And they are, but there’s more.

A whole lot more, in fact, that will slowly ripple out into your everyday life.

There are unexpected life lessons around every vinyasa and meditative corner, so here are a few gems that might just be waiting for you in Yoga Teacher Training.

By Ankati Day, Yoga Instructor Extraordinaire at Barre & Soul Portsmouth.

Lasting Friendships Are Built by Sharing Your Innermost Experience

We live in a highly curated social experience. We see others’ lives through tiny glimpses, through their social media, through whatever aspects they choose to share. But in YTT, we spend so much time together, discussing and exploring deeply philosophical topics, and supporting one another through personal transformation, that we realize it isn’t the pretty moments that make us adore one another. It’s the messy ones, the silly ones, the vulnerable ones, the confused and questioning ones. When we have the opportunity to be with one another in our full range of experience, then we feel like we truly know each other. We build friendships on a foundation of being real together. And those kinds of friendships last a lifetime.

We Are All Works In-Progress and Nobody Has it All Figured Out

On the first day of training, it’s almost too obvious that everyone is asking themselves the same questions: Who are all these people? Do I fit in? There seems to be this general assumption that everybody else is a professional yogi and speaks Sanskrit fluently while we’re the ones still struggling to stand on one leg.

But after the first few classes, as everyone settles in, it becomes glaringly obvious:

We’re all figuring this out.

We’re all here to learn.

Pressure is off.

There’s a palpable relaxation that follows as everyone realizes its ok to just be themselves. And you know what? It’s a lot more fun that way too, in yoga, and in life.

You Really, Truly, Never Know What You’re Capable of Until You Try

Many of us walk through life with more ideas about what we can’t do than what we can. In teacher training, often there are plenty of labels like “I can’t do arm balances” or “my mind is too crazy to meditate” that are very quickly proven wrong with focused attention, proper instruction, and a supportive group of peers. Lo and behold, once you understand how that arm balance works, it’s not actually that difficult.

You’ll surprise yourself with what feels possible, and carry that new-found sense of exploration into your life.  

You Are Your Own Biggest Critic, So Be Kind to Yourself

Nobody feels like they’ve nailed it the first time they teach. Or the second time, honestly. But chances are your classmates will sing your praises while you are the one picking yourself apart. You’ll learn quickly that your inner voice tends to harp on the tiny details that nobody else noticed.

Are you willing to shift your perspective and see the good—the amazing—in yourself?

You Are Experiencing Your Emotions, but They Don’t Run Your Life

Oh feelings. We all have them, and most of us have a complex relationship with the less-than-pleasant ones. But the yogis were on to something: if we learn how to step back and see our emotions for what they really are (physical sensation and transient thoughts), then they will have far less power to hijack our days. The practice of yoga gives us the tools and perspective to take our power back from even the wildest of feelings.

You’ll be able to experience your anger/sadness/worry without feeling completely overwhelmed. And that’s a really helpful thing.

Ready to shake things up and learn? Join us on March 4th for an information session about our Yoga Teacher Training Immersion this summer in Rye, NH, July 15 to August 9, 2019!

Summer schedule isn’t your jam?

No worries! We have a flexible Fall/Winter format that is guaranteed to fit your needs. Check out the dates and details on both. And if you’re ready to commit, save $300 just by being an early bird!