Completing Yoga Teacher Training and Becoming a Yoga Teacher: My Journey

Where Will My Yoga Teacher Training Take Me?

When I first decided to do my Yoga Teacher Training I wasn’t sure where it would lead. I knew I loved yoga. I knew I wanted to learn more about yoga. But I wasn’t 100% committed to whether or not I would become a yoga teacher so I decided to do it online in my own time and at my own pace. I was incredibly proud of myself for completing the training and I was definitely more connected to my practice because of it.

But I still didn’t know if I wanted to be a yoga teacher.

I continued to plod along my merry way doing my own practice at home and attending weekly classes. Out of the blue one day I had a yoga teacher compliment my practice and I admitted I had completed the Level 1 Teacher Training. She encouraged me to do a mentorship with the gym and I thought why not! It would provide me with a great opportunity to see if I enjoyed teaching as well as develop my own personal practice.

The great thing about a mentorship is that you get to work with an experienced yoga teacher who mentors and guides you. When it came time to co-teach my first class I was freaking out and super unsure of myself. I was certain I had done a terrible job but I got some good feedback from student’s which boosted my confidence. Having a mentor meant I also received constructive feedback which helped me improve each time. This was exactly what I needed to gain a more confidence.

Discovering One Family Yoga and Fitness

In the end I didn’t finish that mentorship at the gym for a variety of reasons but mostly it came down to my desire to teach in a yoga studio not a gym. The atmosphere and spiritual practice that is provided in many yoga studios is one of the key reasons I fell in love with yoga and I wanted to honour that. The one thing I was sure of after participating in that mentorship was that I wanted to teach. So where do I go from here? Through my mentor at the gym I discovered a local yoga studio called One Family Yoga and Fitness (OFYF). I did a class there, loved it and keenly signed on to complete their Level 2 Yoga 150hr Yoga Teacher Training.

Becoming a Yoga Teacher – Best decision ever!

If I was unsure before, I was certain after doing my training with OFYF that I wanted to be a teacher. The OFYF studio encompassed all the reasons why I fell in love with yoga in the first place. I completed the course over four consecutive weekends which was quite intense BUT the knowledge I learned from Lainie (OFYF owner) and completing the training face to face was invaluable. For this reason alone I would encourage anyone who has a real desire to teach yoga to do their training face to face. It made such a BIG difference for me!

As I said when I made the decision to do the Level 1 Yoga Teacher Training I wasn’t sure I wanted to teach but what I’ve discovered in hindsight is that by completing the training online I had gaps in my knowledge and therefore lacked confidence. Having Lainie as a mentor there to guide me every step of the way through the training was amazing. PLUS you have the knowledge of all the other students in the room too. Most of whom were practicing yoga teachers.

Becoming Part of the One Family Yoga and Fitness Family Changed Everything

From here I decided to enter into another mentorship, this time with Lainie at the OFYF yoga studio. It goes for four months and includes workshops, co-teaches with Lainie and the opportunity to teach community classes. My mentorship is still in progress but I can’t tell you what a difference working with Lainie has done for my confidence. I no longer doubt myself and now I can’t wait to start teaching.

If I’m really honest with you and with myself right from the beginning of my yoga teacher training journey I didn’t believe in myself as a teacher. Level 1 is overwhelming at best because there is soooo much to learn and if you don’t have a background in fitness, anatomy or physiology you can easily believe that you will never get it! But I have learnt that it’s important to be kind to yourself and not to judge your progress because as with anything in life yoga is a journey.

I feel the extra knowledge that Level 2, Lainie and OFYF provided me means I can really do it now. I certainly don’t know everything about everything and I can’t do every pose but I am confident I can teach it. We must remember friend that yoga is not about ego or being the best, it is not about being the most bendy or most experienced person in the room either. Yoga is about your uniqueness, connecting with your breath, your mind, your body and your soul in a way that serves you. It really is as simple as that.

Now, Lainie has some exciting news to share! We’re thrilled to introduce AyurFlow – Yoga and Ayurveda Teacher Training. Yes, you heard it right! It’s not just about yoga anymore; we’re diving into the world of Ayurveda too! LEARN MORE HERE

Thank you for sharing my yoga journey with me. I always aim to share from a place of love and hope that you are able to take something from my words.

Be kind to yourself, Lisa xo