Me? I fell into yoga teaching as a way to deal with being downsized from a career as an engineering manager. Yoga helped me to transition and heal. While my training worked out really well, I didn’t consider all the factors that I would, if choosing again today. Now that I have taught and know more about teaching yoga as a career, I have a better sense of what types of questions to ask.

Are you thinking about deepening your relationship to Yoga with training or by teaching?  I invite you to consider what you really want from your “YTT” (yoga teacher training) and the commitment you are willing to make.

Choose With Care

Selecting a training program is a big decision, like choosing a college or major.

Blessed to be steeped in the healing traditions of Ayurveda and yoga I have a profound appreciation for the training I have received. It is the secondary education for my heart and soul.  Over the course of my love affair with Ayurveda and yoga, I have gone from taking yoga teacher trainings to teaching in them. I still train to engage and learn.

Now that there are so many yoga teacher trainings to pick from, making the choice can be overwhelming. YTTs (yoga teacher trainings) include a range of certification levels, styles of yoga, and training in everything from fitness-based yoga to the science of yoga for spiritual evolution. Yoga teacher training is a significant investment in energy, time, money and the direction of your life. Here are some guideposts to help figure out what you want, choose a program to support your growth, and get the best return on investment.

Sorting Through Many Choices

Do you really plan to teach yoga?

This is an important question to ask.  Do you plan to teach, or is this a deep desire to learn more about yoga?  Both are super reasons to take a YTT, but the reality of public class teaching should be a game changer as you sort through your options.

I wanted to teach, so I chose programs that would both deepen my study AND help prepare me to teach.  Some YTT’s add class observation and analysis requirements on top of the class time practice and homework.  Mine did. I sat in the back of yoga classes observing experienced certified teachers.  I journaled my observations- how the teacher introduced the theme, the choice of asana sequences, and other insights.

My program also required me to connect with an experienced teacher who could oversee and critique my teaching.  This was time incredibly well spent- the mentoring process elevated and refined my delivery in the classroom.  When making your choice it is worth asking how much coverage there is on the art and business of teaching.

Month Long Intensive Program or Weekends and Immersions

Yoga teacher training programs are offered as month-long intensives, weekend based programs, and everything in between. Your choice of program will depend on your lifestyle, your learning style, and your fitness level.

A live-away intensive program steeps you in the tradition of yoga, but your stamina, day job, and kids may not allow for 30 days away. You may not be ready for this intensive learning style. Two or three 10-day segments away, or 13 long-weekends may work much better.  I liken it to the difference between an intense summer course at college where you have 3 -5 weeks to cover the same material your would in a 12 week semester. Think this through before you pull the trigger.

Commuting, Travelling, and At-Home Programs

If you want to commute to a nearby program, remember that training can be rigorous.  Try to keep your drive time to 30 minutes or less. No commute at all?  Perfect!! A local program may be just the right fit for your work and life.

Again I liken the experience to commuting from home versus living on campus. When you stay at an ashram or retreat center for your training, your experience expands in ways beyond yoga. Friendships deepen and you are more likely to try new things.

If you are off to a destination, this can be a great adventure. There are wonderful programs all over the world.  Want some travel adventure as part of your training? Pick a teacher you know who heads off to an exotic destination to lead their teacher training.

Gotta Love Working With Your Teacher

Take at least one short workshop with the main teacher before signing on the dotted line for a YTT. You want to know you can connect to and learn from this person before you make a major energetic investment. I love teachers who make me strive, think and laugh. How about you?

Specialization Who are you called to help, to teach?

Often you will need to take a 200-hour YTT before you specialize, but some programs slant towards understanding the needs of a specific population. If you are drawn to help teens it makes sense to take a training that gives you insights on how to help them. Otherwise, follow up your YTT with specialized training. Sub-specialties include:

• Restorative Yoga
• Trauma recovery
• Elder Population
• Kids or Teens
• Therapeutics

Certification/Registration & Level

Programs can range form 200 to 300 hours or more. I am not a fan of less than 200 hours for YTT training if you want to teach.  It’s important to take a weekend workshop or even a few before you   on a  YTT to measure your interest and commitment. 200 hours creates a container to learn in. You need time and space to open to transformation.

One exception to less than 200 hours of training is programs segmented in parts that add to 200 hours.  Anusara trainings separate the program into 100 hours of study and immersion followed by a segment on teaching as part of a two hundred hour YTT.

Certification or Monitoring bodies.

YA (Yoga Alliance) and the CYA(Canadian Yoga Alliance) are two of the big organizations that set standards for yoga teacher trainings in North America.  Choose a 200 hour + program that lists the topics explored and meet standards set by the school of yoga or a certifying body.  Make sure you understand what will be covered.

Swaroopa, Anusara, Svivanada, Power Yoga, Iyengar and more all have program standards for 200 YTT. When you go to a specific style of yoga school and complete the requirements you are certified, make sure you can also register with YA or CYA at the 200 hour level.

4 Programs That Have The Goods For A Great Training

Himalyan Institute

The Himalayan Institute (HI)  offers 200 RYT and advanced teacher training in yoga and Ayurveda as well as slew of specialty classes.  Their teacher trainings have the Yoga Alliance  stamp of approval.  The programs are taught in 10 day segments and you stay at the ashram(spiritual community). Open to all styles of yoga, HI teaches yoga and deepens your spiritual connection to the practice while they prepare you to teach.

HI has the energy and clarity of a community holding and sustaining a 10,000 year living tradition of yoga.  Rather than a specific style you are invited to connect to the essence of yoga and apply the tools of yoga for your own growth while you learn to teach others. You feel the power and support of this tradition all through your training and beyond.

HI is an ashram and offers immersion programs. You go to learn yoga and learn to teach. An added benefit is you are immersed in a spiritual community.  When you leave the training you have active support and community to lean into and continue to learn from.

Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm  

The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm is a spiritual community and working farm that offers a YA approved 200 Hour program as well as advanced teacher trainings, and specialty courses and immersions. The programs are offered in California at the farm, in Vietnam, and at other travel destinations.

Teachers travel to the ashram specifically for the teacher training. The spiritual essence of Yoga is taught through a combination of practice and inspirational lessons. A teaching certificate from the International SYVC (Sivananda Yoga Vendenta Center) is awarded upon successful completion of the course.

Down Under School of Yoga  

This school offers 200 hour and advanced Iyengar yoga teacher training as well as specialty courses. Down Under is a Yoga Alliance approved school. The advanced Iyengar programs require that applicants meet specific requirements. All trainings are weekend based programs which allow you to stay locally or to commute.

Down Under opens its 200 hour YTT to everyone, but the focus is on Iyengar and Ashtanga styles.  The teachers have a deep, deep base in Iyengar, Ashtanga as well as Slow Flow yoga. Down Under is a yoga school as well as a studio.  Based in the Boston area, this is a great destination to enjoy while training in a weekend format.

YogaMaze

Noah Maze and his wife founded YogaMaze school. It offers a 200 hour and advanced teacher training, as well as specialty courses.The programs teach yoga and teaching yoga at a high level of excellence and completeness. These programs are for commuters and working people. They are weekend based training programs.

The school offers training programs in multiple locations including, California,St Paul Minnesota and Berlin,Germany. The teachers travel to teach in the different locations.Theory and practice of Yoga, Yoga philosophy and the art of teaching are the focal points of YogaMaze programs.

Choose Engage Learn Grow

The right YTT is an amazing journey of growth and a changemaker for your life.  Most push you to expand your boundaries.  You find a deeper experience of yoga, new ideas, beliefs, community and long term friendships. Find the program that is right for you and take the plunge.

What you’ll get out of tuning in:

• Why potential wellness pros often find themselves leading unfulfilling lives.
• What to do when prolonged discontent leads to physical suffering.
• How Yoga Health Coaches benefit from business training and community support.

Links Mentioned in Episode:

• Body Thrive
• Yoga Health Coaching
• Awake Living
• How to Build a Tribe webinar
• Amarylis facebook
• Amarylis website

Show Highlights:

• 1:00 – All too often, potential pro healers fall into lives and patterns that society deems “normal.” After resisting for a while, Amarylis eventually started following what she thought was the path to a “good life:” college, marriage, a house, a career with a benefits package . . . . But rather than bringing her happiness, Amarylis found herself “checking out.”  There was nothing wrong with her life; it just wasn’t resonating with her; it didn’t bring her joy.
• 4:00 – Later Amarylis realized that she had been depressed and using alcohol as her “snooze button,” as her means of “checking out.” She felt ungrounded and didn’t have a real sense of who she was. For decades, she hit the “snooze button” on her life because she didn’t feel like she was ready to wake up to her own life.
• 5:15 – Amarylis’s wake up call came after the birth of her daughter. She was staying at home to care for her and was forced to confront the fact that she didn’t know who she was anymore. She didn’t know how to live her life, and she knew she was suffering. Her suffering manifested as neurological issues that doctors couldn’t explain. She knew her body was “freaking out” about something and she needed to get grounded, so she committed herself to exercise, despite some deep resistance. She started weight training and it felt amazing to move her body. More importantly, she started to get grounded in herself and wake up to who she was and what she wanted her life to be. Once she started to “undo” the life she had made for reasons that were not her own, everything started to align for her. She stopped drinking, and she began to experience joy.
• 9:50 – Amarylis completed the Living Ayurveda Course with Cate and is now in Quarter 1 of Yoga Health Coaching. Body Thrive changed the way she lived and Yoga Health Coaching is changing the way she thinks about her work and her earning potential. YHC made her understand that she was limiting herself with outdated beliefs about money and the type of work she does.
• 12:55 – Amarylis’s keystone habit is Early to Bed. She has always been an early riser, so getting enough sleep means getting to be early. Waking early gives her the time she needs for self care before her daughter wakes up, which sets her up for a really good day.
• 15:30 – One of the best things about Yoga Health Coaching is that you can tailor your program to a segment of the general population that you want to work with . Both Amarylis and Carly work with new moms. Even though Yoga Health Coaches are entrepreneurs, we are part of a larger community that offers support and guidance.
• 17:25 – YHC also helps us see the value of the work we do so that we have the courage to step outside our comfort zones and price our programs according to the results our members get, which often means a much higher dollar value than we might have placed on ourselves. We also learn how to invest in ourselves so that we show up fully.

Favorite Quotes:

• “Every time I drank, I was hitting the snooze button and saying to the universe that ‘I’m not ready to wake up yet. I’m not ready to wake up to my own life.’” — Amarylis Fernandez
• “Getting grounded in that way helped me started to get grounded in who I am and find the confidence to say, ‘I’m going to have to leave and undo this life that I’ve made for myself for reasons that weren’t mine.’ ” — Amarylis Fernandez
• “When you take that step, and when you do that scary thing and make that scary change and stop pressing the snooze button or stop checking out when the fears to change come up, really beautiful things can happen and that feeling of alignment . . . happens so quickly. — Carly Banks

Guest BIO:

Amarylis Fernandez is a yoga teach, a yoga health coach in training, and a mother. Not so long ago, Amarylis was totally frazzled, ungrounded, and desperate for change. And she realized things wouldn’t change until she did. So she did. Now, Amarylis is on a path to guide women into vibrant living amidst the beautiful chaos children can bring. She spent a transformative month living at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health getting my 200 hour yoga teacher certification. She earned her 85 hour pre/postnatal certificate through the Bhaktishop in Portland, Oregon. She’s trained more than 200 hours in Ayurveda with Cate Stillman of Yoga Healer, and specialized in Ayurveda for pregnant mamas and new mothers through Sacred Window’s Ayurvedic Doula programs. Amarylis believes the transition into motherhood is a wild and wondrous ride that can be aided by yoga in all forms: postures, breath work, meditation, mantra, and help from your tiny guru(s)! She also knows the potent life transformations that occur when the wisdom of Ayurveda is incorporated into daily rhythms. Connect with Amarylis on her FB page and get more info on Suzanne’s website.

My Best Teacher

I was at an Anusara Yoga gathering recently in Tepoztlan, Mexico with teachers from all over the world. The workshop that really challenged me was with Carlos Pomeda. He was teaching Tantric Yoga philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism.  He asked us to think beyond the ordinary mind to connect with our essential Self. It was mind-blowing. In order to really understand the heart of nondual philosophy, you have to give up how you look at yourself and your life and embrace that you are a part of something greater than your own ego. If you can wrap your awareness around this it is like doing advanced asana on steroids!! Afterwards, he led us into a meditation focusing us on our awareness of our awareness.  Carlos challenges us to look beyond ordinary mind to seeing ourselves pulsating as a part of this vast limitless universe. A teacher like Carlos cares deeply about his students and how the philosophy of yoga can help free them from limited thinking. They can begin to see their potential. Carlos is here to serve his student’s transformation not share his own.

Walk the walk…

In order to resonate with a teacher, they need to walk the walk not just talk the talk. Look at how they conduct their business, their skills at a relationship, their humility and ability to honor their teachers. When you compliment them and tell them what a great teacher they are, do they get all puffed up or let you know that they are completely in service to their own teacher within. Begin to look for teachers who provide instruction without being didactic or insisting you do a pose that is beyond your skills i.e headstand!!  Listen to your own intuitive nature. If you feel better about yourself after class then this is the teacher for you. If you feel belittled, hazed, made fun of, run, do not walk and do not go back. Life is too short to take abuse from a yoga teacher. Make sure the teacher is obeying good professional boundaries.

Red Flag – Who is the Teacher?

When you see students with annoying or disruptive behavior in a class, it is a reflection that the teacher has not set proper boundaries. They are guiding asana but not stepping into the seat of authority. I would have trouble trusting a teacher whose students had this behavior: First of all, when you take your first class with a new teacher, notice the behavior of their students. If your teacher gives way the Seat of the Teacher, the students will start to take over the class energetically. You will see them assisting other students, having side conversations while the teacher is talking, trying to steal the attention through their behavior (showing off advanced forms of poses that were not demonstrated).

Questionable Student Behavior

• The student keeps their phones next to them during class and checks for texts arriving throughout a class.
• They take phone calls that come in and walk outside talking really loudly outside the room.
• They do neck rolls during meditation and hip openers during savasana.
• They leave the class before savasana.
• They have their eyes open during meditation and savasana or check their emails.
• They are constantly modifying the practice to “ show off” their more advanced postures.
• Constantly checking the time to see when they can escape!
• There is a competitive atmosphere in class and students try to compete with each other.

Questionable Teacher Behavior

I remember taking a class with a very prominent teacher. I personally like this teacher yet something was always off for me when I took her class. Many students flock to her classes so she obviously speaks to many students. Each time I attended her class, her theme or message didn’t resonate with me, Why are her classes are totally packed? My curiosity was asking what can I learn from this teacher? She shares her inner process with her students. Her process is interesting but has nothing to do with me. During the class I become a part of the audience witnessing her inner exploration. She is very articulate and curious. She studies with some interesting people but there is no unified message. She is a seeker who hasn’t really landed.  A great teacher described students who try lots of teachers like a gardener who digs lots of holes in the backyard but never goes deep enough to find the answers she seeks. It is better to go deeply into one path than dig around in many different holes trying to find the right one. I resonate with teachers who make the class all about their students. They tailor the class to my needs and their themes speak right to my heart.

Signs the teacher is not doing their own internal work…

• Teacher spends more time on their playlist then the sequence.
• Teacher insists on students doing poses even if they are not ready (i.e. Full Wheel)
• Teacher runs in 2 minutes before class.
• Sequence does not feel good and makes no sense.
• The teacher says inhale exhale but does not breathe with students so the pacing is off (usually way too fast!)
• The warm up is not related to the peak pose (hardest pose of the class)
• Sequence is the same from week to week, month to month
• Teachers do the entire sequence with the class and does not walk around to see if everyone is doing the same pose or needs help.
• Teachers do not modify poses for different levels.  
• Teachers do not teach who shows up in the classroom and just goes through their rehearsed sequence.
• Sequence is not appropriate for the level of student in the class.
• Teacher is not connected to the people in the room. If the only person doing the hardest pose in the class is the teacher then the class level needs to be adjusted.
• Teacher is always experimenting with different styles of yoga and cannot seem to land on one style.The classes are technically confusing as they are constantly incorporating little teachings from this class or that teacher.  

Contemplation What Qualities Do You Value in a Teacher?

I see many styles of yoga in the world that support a student’s physical journey but leave the psychological/spiritual side of their development alone. Focusing on the physical and ignoring the spiritual is like having a ripe mango and chewing on the skin!  There is so much juiciness inside. Why not crack that baby open? Start to notice and write down the qualities you are seeking in a teacher. Here is my list but I recommend you write your own.

17 Attributes of a Great Yoga Teacher

1. Teacher shifts the poses and sequence to accommodate the folks who showed up today i.e wrist injury showed up and there are openers and strengtheners for wrists. Pregnant gal shows up and the sequence accommodates her. A person with back injury shows up and the sequence of hip openers and hamstring stretches on your back indicates the teacher is on it.
2. The level of class matches the skills of the students. It challenges them but is not beyond their skill level or too easy.
3. There is space for silence in the class. My teacher, Ross Rayburn, said that there should be a couple of moments in the class where you are really steeped in stillness.
4. There is ample time for savasana and meditation.
5. You don’t feel rushed.
6. There is plenty of time for cool down poses before savasana.
7. Your body was properly warmed up for the challenging poses and cooled down.
8. At the end of class, you feel a deep connection to your own essence. You feel energized, mentally alert, and your physical body feels supple, strong and awake.  
9. You feel alive after class and not depleted in need of a nap.
10. Your nervous system is cooled down.
11. Your digestion is enhanced and you are hungry after class.
12. Your mood is elevated and you have no desire to go out for drinks or take recreational drugs after class. You are naturally in an elevated space and booze and drugs would feel toxic to your system.
13. Your mind is quiet.
14. The teacher is tuned into your body and makes the class feel like a private designed for you.
15. The teacher is skilled at weaving yoga teachings and tales into the asana portion of class so that you have something to chew on the rest of the day as you take your yoga off the mat. (A teaching, a poem,  or a sutra that will help you focus your attention.)
16. You feel more positive and uplifted and ready to face whatever life’s obstacles are coming your way.
17. The people that gather around that class feel connected to each other and honored whether they are a teacher, a beginner or have injuries and limitations.

Jackie Recommends

It brings me such joy when I see students connect to their own wisdom body by realizing the true purpose of yoga.The purpose of yoga, according to Anusara yoga, is to recognize our own boundless divine nature (Chit). Through this recognition, we learn to celebrate the mystery of life (Ananda) including its dance of both the shadow and light. Students may still experience obstacles and challenges. These events no longer stop them in their tracks or derail their health and well being. In fact, they begin to cultivate an attitude of “ bring it on”  by meeting life’s challenges with humor and grace instead of dread and fear.

Check and see if there is an Anusara teacher near you who can challenge you in ways beyond just the physical.

Bonus Yoga Teacher / Health Coach

It is a great bonus to find a yoga teacher who is also a Yoga Health Coach. They can help you attune your habits to nature, the rhythm  of the seasons and the times of the day. They can also find out which practice fits your constitution or Dosha.

Yoga for your Dosha

If you have a lot of fire in your constitution( Pitta), hot power yoga is not a good choice for you.You are better off with a slower paced class like Anusara, Iyengar or restorative yoga. For an earthy Kapha a practice that moves your energy is a great fit like a slow flow or vinyasa class. Breezy, scattered  Vata yogis do will in a good slow flow, Anusara, or Iyengar class. Take a Dosha quiz to see what your constitution (Prakruti) is. There is yoga for the season and yoga for different stages of your life. Find a Yoga Health Coach to help you find out what practice will help you manage your hot flashes, soothe migraines, decrease inflammation in your joints, give you energy or deplete you. What kind of practice helps you focus your mind, spark your creativity, calm down or heal from depression?  What do you do when you cannot do physical asana practice but need to connect to the higher self? I would be delighted to answer these questions and more. Here is a list of Yoga Health Coaches / Yoga Teachers near you.

Finding Your Best Teacher

Take this list with you when you explore new teachers. Ask yourself these questions at the end of class:

• Do I feel uplifted?
• Do I feel better about myself?
• Did the teacher take any time at all to introduce themselves to me and find out if I had any special needs today?
• Do the people who regularly take this class seem connected, and treat each other with loving kindness and respect?

All of this is a reflection on the teacher. When I see the teacher there early and staying afterward to interact with their students I know this teacher is really connected to his or her students. Are they socializing with their students or deeply touching them and really honoring the teacher/student boundary. One of my favorite teachers, Paul Muller Ortega, said that the teacher shows up on the inside first. Maybe in our dreams?  Afterward their physical manifestation shows up and we recognize that we have known them from a deeper place all along. If you have this experience then you have found your teacher!

Good luck with finding your teacher. Keep looking for the fit is just right. A good yoga teacher is worth their weight in gold…Let me know how the journey goes for you. As Luke Skywalker says “May the Force Be With You”  Om Namah Shivaya!

I searched for many years before finding the right yoga teacher. After trial and error, I found a great fit in the Anusara Yoga Community. Although John Friend, the founder, left in 2012, the Anusara School of Hatha Yoga continues to grow and thrive with 900 licensed well trained teachers still carrying on the amazing tradition of this yoga path all over the world.

This year as I celebrate my 27th anniversary of teaching yoga, I notice my teaching has shifted dramatically over the years. What I understood to be the gold standard for a successful yoga teacher in 1991 is radically different from how I see it now.

I was a former power yoga vinyasa teacher, who taught a very athletic form of hatha yoga in NYC gyms in the early 90’s. My teaching felt like an extension of my former career as an aerobics instructor. Students wanted a sweaty strong class, yet the class had no contemplation, meditation or opportunity to go inside. My classes had an external focus because I wasn’t meditating yet, hadn’t studied yoga philosophy or met my main teacher. My interest was in creating an atmosphere with movement, music and a lightness of spirit. I had not yet learned the value of deep inner work of self inquiry.

Each Class Takes us on a Journey

 Now life is so different. I have been invited to teach and train Anusara yoga teachers internationally in NYC, China, Europe, Mexico, Costa Rica and Japan.  The yoga sages say that when you go inside, you discover life’s true purpose, or Swadharma. This inner work and exploration taught in Anusara Yoga has added a new dimension to my instruction and a depth to my classes. I always bring my self -inquiry into the classroom. I teach what I need to learn that day. Now each class I teach is a journey within to discover why we are here.

Stay in Alignment

Anusara yoga teachers help us focus on healthy inner and outer alignment. We align our intention and the physical body. There is an emphasis on experiencing a pulsation between engaging muscles and expanding energetically, that brings balance and ease into the pose. We are neither over or under efforting. The knowledge and application of good alignment and the weaving of yoga teachings throughout the class turns the experience of yoga from a fitness regime to an uplifting journey to your own sweet essential Self. This inner journey is transformative and life changing. I am beyond grateful for the amazing gift of Anusara Yoga to me and for my students all over the world.

It’s All Fun and Games Until the Chit hits the Fan!

When you connect to your very own wisdom body by realizing the purpose of yoga, you relax into life and let go of the struggle. The purpose of yoga according to the non-dual philosophy at the heart of Anusara yoga is to recognize your own infinite/divine nature.

(Chit)  By recognizing your own essence as a part of everything in the universe, you begin to understand that the totality of who you are includes the  dance and celebration ( Ananda) of both the dark and light aspects of life. There is a freedom in knowing everything is here to awaken us.

You may still experience great obstacles and challenges, yet even these no longer stop you in your tracks or derail your health and well being.  In fact you begin to cultivate an attitude of “bring it on!” Anusara Yoga seems to help people develop a way of meeting life’s challenges with humor and grace instead of dread and and fear. This inner work prepares you for life’s real challenges (health issues, illnesses, injuries, job loss, transitions, divorce, death..) A fun vinyasa class is a good sweaty workout but will not be of great support when the  @##$% hits the fan!

Look around to see what popular yoga teachers are doing these days. Do you notice many are power vinyasa yoga instructors? There is nothing wrong with this style of yoga, but it seems to appeal to the athlete/yogi who is not interested in going inside. It is possible to experience a flow practice and also to do the self inquiry work that leads to inner transformation. By aligning your intention, every class with your highest ideals,  Anusara yoga helps the student find their Swadharma (their true path).

There are stages of a yogi’s development. When a yoga student is new at the practice they tend to focus on the physical. The spiritual aspects seem intimidating, foreign, weird or affected. After practicing for a while the student begins to simmer and cook in the “Shakti” or energy of the practice and naturally starts to explore the more subtle realms like Pranayama, Chanting, meditation, karma yoga, or Seva (selfless service).  So wherever you are right now is perfect! I will never forget the friend who brought me to my first class. I hated the chanting but loved the way I felt in Savasana!! That was Bliss ( Ananda). And there were no drugs involved!! I couldn’t wait to get back and try it again!

Glass of Wine Yoga Has its Shortcomings

Yoga can easily turn into a palliative healing modality that makes you feel good till the next yoga class. That kind of yoga is like a nice glass of wine. It takes the edge off of a stressful day. I am interested in going much deeper. By incorporating the yoga teachings in classes we are able to take yoga off the mat and into our lives. The contemplation like for instance, Saucha, (purification of the body and mind and our environment) can result in your life becoming more efficient more organized. You will clear up misunderstandings in relationships, and clean up your diet.  All these shifts leads to more vibrant and clear energy.

Let me tell you about Lucy, a retired nurse in her early 70s who took my Anusara yoga class at World Yoga Center. Her IBS(Irritable Bowel Syndrome) ruled her life. She was exhausted, depressed, irritable and isolated. One of the ways I help people off the mat is through my Yoga Health Coaching course, The Body Evolves which Lucy signed up for. Lucy’s IBS went into remission after taking the course. I was thrilled at the way she transformed in the program. She changed the way she digests food. Not only that her personality changed, she became more positive and outgoing. She began to feel more uplifted and lighter. She was so grateful to have discovered this healing path.  She took small steps. She quit snacking between meals and ate her last meal of the day around 6:00 pm. This calmed down her digestive system allowing it to rest between meals. She ate miso soup for breakfast. Fermented food really helped her gut health.

Lucy now spends time in nature every day filled with gratitude for this life. I am so grateful I  doing a daily practice of Anusara yoga. I was able to guide her and I wonder, had I not evolved as a teacher, could I have helped Lucy get to where she is today?

Take Yoga off the Mat and Integrate Yoga Teachings into Your Life and Your Relationships.

Taking yoga off the mat and into every aspect of your life has been my passion since meeting my teacher, Cate Stillman. Cate is  an Ayurvedic practitioner and a trained Anusara Yoga Teacher. Her course, Body Thrive, based on the teachings of Ayurveda has given yoga a whole new perspective for me and many others. By seeing yoga on the mat as a place to focus your attention on what you want to create off the mat brings yoga into every aspect of your life. ( how you think, how you relate to other people in your life, how you feed yourself, how much rest you get, how you nourish your spirit )

An Example of Healing Off the Mat

An example of yoga off the mat happened when I injured my leg in September, 2016 in a horrible bike accident. I had to use the subtle practices of pranayama, meditation and chanting. I couldn’t do asana for 4 months while I was in the initial phases of my healing. I used the 10 habits I learned from Cate Stillman in her Body Thrive course to heal my body. I connected to my community who reached out with food, love and prayer. I was constantly cared for by body workers,students and friends. I put myself on the Dinacharya ( daily rhythm)  of regular meal times, bed times and waking times. Little by little my bones knitted back together and I recovered my ability to walk, ride my bike and do asana again. It was nothing short of a miracle. My yoga became my healing journey. Everything in my day was yoga. My meals, my bath, getting dressed, walking to the bathroom with my walker and brace. It was a living breathing mindfulness practice. I have never practiced so diligently without doing asana! I discovered that yoga off the mat was life changing for me and for everyone who showed up to do selfless service by cooking,  shopping, cleaning or helping me take a bath. It was an amazing way to see how to incorporate yoga into every aspect of your life.

By incorporating the teachings of Ayurveda and the yoga scriptures in yoga classes, workshops and teacher trainings, I and many yoga teacher/health coaches in Cate’s Community are able to train teachers and yoga students into bringing yoga into every aspect of their lives. This means how they relate with more compassion and sensitivity  to their own bodies and to others in their lives.

Many of us wait for the weekends or vacation to really enjoy and celebrate life. There is so much hidden potential in each of us lying dormant. Yoga that connects you to your essence empowers you to grow into your fullest potential and bring yoga even into your workplace as an opportunity to practice the teachings.

When teachers use groovy music, essential oils, fast paced vinyasa practice, serenade their students in savasana, they are providing entertainment for their students instead of an internal experience.  The dharma of teaching yoga is for the teacher to get out of the way and allow the practices of asana , meditation and pranayama to lead the students into an internal experience.

BTW There is nothing wrong with needing to escape stressful situations in your life  by taking a hot bath, a yoga class, a dance class, go for a run, see a movie that makes you LOL!!

What I am proposing is that the real juice of yoga is experienced through the deep self exploration, inner work that is done on the yoga mat and in meditation. You get to see your mind as  wonderful and interesting companion on your path. It is a part of who you are. Your mind can drive you crazy, can comfort you, can solve many problems, can create a symphony, a book a play, a ballet. It can also bring you into a deep dark place that feels like a prison.

Do the Inner Work

The inner work frees you from the prison of your own mind into the vast boundless presence at the core of your being. This inner state is called Ananda. It means Bliss!! There is nothing better than bliss.  Why settle for fun when you could have Bliss?

I became a health coach in Cate’s community 3 years ago leading my signature course, The Body Evolves, based on Cate’s course Body Thrive and have worked with over 60 people integrating the 10 healthy habits into my life and into the lives of my students. Miracles are happening.

Find an Anusara yoga class in your area by going to this link.

If you are looking for yoga teacher/health coach go to this link.

Hello Changemakers! Carly Banks is here today with Andrea Catherine. Andrea is a fellow Yoga Health Coach who just wrote an awesome blog on the Yoga Health Coaching website. It’s called “The 7 Habits of Highly Ineffective Yoga Teachers,” which is maybe the best title I’ve ever heard. And it’s got huge traction: it’s in the top ten most read blog posts on the Yoga Health Coaching website!

So tune in to here about Andrea’s journey as a Yoga Health Coach, her newest blog post and its inspiration, and how she found her voice through blogging, storytelling, and podcasting.

What you’ll get out of tuning in:

• How Yoga Health Coaching provides tried and true business structure
• What to do (and what not to do!) to be a more effective Yoga Teacher
• How to find your voice through blogging with YHC

Links:

• The 7 Habits of Highly Ineffective Yoga Teachers 
• Andrea’s website
• Andrea’s podcast: Fearless Self-Love
• Get your Kira Grace’s Holiday Yoga Dresses

Show Highlights:

• 3:15 – While many wellness coaches have experimented with different program structures, Yoga Health Coaching provides the structure that seems to work the best for most coaches and their clients.
• 4:45 – To be a more effective yoga teacher, limit the amount of time you have with your back to your students by inviting them to watch you if you need to demonstrate something. When your students are practicing poses, make sure you have your eyes on them to make sure they are practicing safely.
• 5:50 – As a yoga teacher, connecting with your students is one of the most important aspects of the practice, so it is essential to create an environment of calm, peace, and ease.
• 6:10 – Showing up to the mat having already done your practice will help you be present in your body and present for your students.
• 12:00 – Practicing the habits of Ayurveda are a way to practice self-love, no matter where we are on our journey.

Favorite Quotes:

• “I always start class by asking the students how I can meet them where they are.” – Andrea Catherine
• “When I go to a class, and I leave wowed, these are the things the teacher did to make the experience so much more powerful.” – Andrea Catherine
• “We connect with story. It’s powerful.” – Andrea Catherine
• “We can love ourselves where we are, even if we’re not in that place we want to be.” – Andrea Catherine
• “We make the decision to do these things for our health from a place of self-love.” – Carly Banks