We are officially more than half way through our Yoga Teacher Training!  I can’t believe it! You always know when you go into something like this that it will probably fly by, but then when it does, ah! I wish I could freeze time or at least just slow it down during our training weekends.

This past weekend was sort of a new chapter for myself and my Yogaversity family.  We began our second half of the training “Descend into the Heart of Others.”  We dove head first into TEACHING!

Mitchel and Tracy shared with us their process going into a class.  We went through the three major focuses of a yoga class; creating inspiration, having clear direction. and creating a meaningful and thought provoking class, ultimately leading to a transformational experience for your students.

• We learned about sequencing and how to put together a healthy class where the student is ready and prepared for each pose.
• We learned about adjustments and how to put students in proper alignment in some basic poses.
• We learned about effective communication, a significant part of teaching yoga!  Ironically, this is probably what is most uncomfortable for me.  Learning to use my words and my voice in a clear, confident, and concise way in order to deliver a good class is going to take me way out of my comfort zone.

As the end of the day on Saturday approached, Mitchel and Tracy revealed our homework for the night.  We each had to deliver a 13 minute portion of a 90 minute open level class the next day!  We all got really excited and eager to start planning our sequence.  I was assigned with seated poses, twists, and/or inversions before savasana.

Saturday night I had a Paleo Slumber Party with my girlfriends so it was (sort of) perfect to practice teaching them.  I decided on which poses I was going to do and after a few glasses of wine tried to teach it.  It didn’t go perfectly but I thought sleeping on it would help.

I woke up Sunday morning eager to practice my sequence.  By the time I headed to the studio and discussed everything with my group, my nerves were calmed.

The seven of us began our 90 minute class together.  When it was your turn for your 13 minute portion you simply got off your mat and taught.  We all did awesome!  I thought I was going to be a lot more nervous than I was.  I’m not going to say it felt completely “natural” but actually came easier than I thought!  Being in this safe environment with this new family of mine and all facing this leap together definitely helped.

Once again, this weekend left me feeling so happy, warm, open, and grateful (just to name a few emotions that come to mind).

Using your voice and becoming the leader in a particular moment can be very uncomfortable and stepping outside of that comfort zone can scary.  If someone told me a year ago that I would be enrolled in Yoga Teacher Training I probably wouldn’t have believed them.  If I saw myself teaching a 13 minute yoga sequence I would have thought it was a dream.

The thing is, we are all capable of so much more than we think.  You just have to peel back the layers, step so far away from where you are comfortable, and open your heart. Once you do this you will find you can become whoever you choose to become.

I stumbled upon this quote last week on The Travel Yogi that says it perfectly:

“Maybe the journey isn’t so much about becoming anything. Maybe it’s about un-becoming everything that isn’t really you so you can become who you were meant to be.”