I have been rather fortunate to be able to complete, as a student, a number of yoga and meditation training courses in my lifetime. Having already been a student of yoga for many years, and completed a number of shorter yoga courses and trainings, my major course of formal study came through the Satyananda Yoga Academy, where I undertook a formal course of study for a Diploma in Yogic Studies between 2010-2013.
Graduation from my Yogic Studies course through the Satyananda Yoga Academy
Prior to this commitment, I had a career in media and film production, so I was wary about taking the time away from my other work to prioritise spiritual studies. I asked a few trusted people, and I recall one such person very clearly saying that the time taken for a study in yoga, would never be regretted.
Admittedly, I dived in deeper that most, and the last 14 years have seen yoga evolve into my lifelong passion and career, but to be truthful, I only made that much of a commitment because I really needed to. Prior to this journey into yoga, I had experience a malingering existential discomfort, with periods of anxiety and depression that were inhibiting me from living my life in the way that I intuitively knew that it could be lived.
Teaching was a byproduct
I had been a student of yoga for over a decade before committing to formal teacher training, yet I always felt that I knew the time would come. I didn’t study yoga to become a teacher, teaching was a byproduct. I studied yoga because I really wanted to understand the way the world worked, and how I could live peacefully within it. I intuitively knew that yogic philosophy and practice had the answers that I was seeking, I just needed to commit to the journey of discovering what those answers were. I knew that there was gold is those hills, I just needed to start digging. 🧘🏼♂️
I absolutely loved my course in yoga teacher training, without doubt, it was the most valuable undertaking in my life thus far. Learning how to skilfully weave together yoga postures, pranayama and meditation, as well as developing a functional understanding of yoga philosophy has been an invaluable undertaking. Not only was the journey of learning the practices and making amazing new friends thoroughly wonderful, the quality of everything that I have done in my life since then has been improved as a result.
My life can honestly be reviewed in two parts, BYTT (Before Yoga Teacher Training) and AYTT (After Yoga Teacher Training) - the thing about yoga teacher training, is that it is so much more than just learning to teach yoga, yoga teacher training will make your light bigger, and that light will shine more brightly and cast wider than ever before, illuminating the path for yourself and for the others whom you choose to show the way.
☝️ a few happy snaps from teacher trainings in recent years 📸 happy being the consistent theme here!
As a teacher I have now had the honour and pleasure of instructing many others on the path of meditation, yoga and teacher training. Whilst there are, as with any career, complications and challenges, the rewards of this work outweigh any doubts, supporting others on their journey of yoga is a truly wonderful experience, and I feel so privileged and grateful to call this work my own.
