Whether you’re fairly new to yoga or have been practicing for years, at some point you’re likely to come upon the exciting, important and somewhat difficult question: Should I take a yoga teacher training?
People in the United States have and continue to practice yoga and attend yoga teacher trainings in droves. A recent 2016 study conducted by Yoga Journal and Yoga Alliance found that over 36 million people in the U.S. practice yoga and over 52,000 yoga teachers in the U.S. were registered with Yoga Alliance around the same time of the study.
With the rapidly increasing number of teachers and the unlimited availability of trainings, it can be difficult to not only decide which training to take but whether or not to attend one in the first place. Trainings require a financial investment and a time commitment that are both important to consider, but they’re not the only challenges that present themselves when one first considers training.
Should I attend training only if I intend to teach? Who am I to teach yoga, anyway? Does the world really need another yoga teacher? Will my practice become more “legitimate” after completing a training? Can I continually expand my yoga practice without ever attending a training? Do I have to teach after completing a training? These are just a handful of the questions that can arise for people who practice yoga and have considered at one time or another to enroll in a training program.
If you’re sitting with some of these same questions and are considering attending the Peaceful Living teacher training this April through December at Yoga Samadhi in White Salmon, WA, know that our teaching methodology is accessible to all and you are invited to attend. Our training is suitable for a variety of people who practice yoga, including:
Existing teachers looking to deepen their yoga knowledge & practice.
Since each teacher training is unique to the studio and the teachers leading it, it’s not unheard of for yogis who have already completed a 200 hour training to participate in another one. Though there are continued opportunities for teachers to build on their practice with 300 and 500 hour trainings, a 200 hour training provides the foundation of one’s teaching and can therefore be worth retaking if a teacher feels called to do so.
Students who wish to study and understand more about yoga but don’t necessarily have a desire to teach. A person is never required to teach yoga after completing teacher training, and someone can even attend a training knowing ahead of time that they have no interest in teaching. It’s also totally fine not to know whether or not one wants to teach. Like the practice of yoga itself, one’s journey through training will evolve moment-by-moment, which may include the decision to teach.
Students who want to become yoga teachers. This is perhaps the most obvious reason why people enroll in yoga teacher trainings–after all, teacher is part of its title. Teacher trainings are designed to teach students the fundamental aspects of yoga that are necessary for teaching, like the various styles of yoga, postures and sequences, yoga philosophy, and anatomy. The primary intention of training is to give students the tools and knowledge they need to go on and teach others.
There are a myriad of benefits that come with taking a yoga teacher training. Many people who complete training go on to say that it was one of the most profound and life changing experiences of their life. If you’re unsure about attending a teacher training, it might help to consider a few of the many benefits it can offer:
1. Deepen your physical practice.
Yoga training will enhance your asana practice by teaching you the basic principles of body mechanics in yoga poses, including the major muscles, bones, and joints and how they move and function in each pose. By studying anatomy, you will learn proper alignment for your own body, gain a broader understanding of adjustments and alignment, and will have the knowledge you need to prevent injuries.
2. Find your yoga tribe.
While a yoga teacher training is an intimate experience with the self, it’s also a very communal practice that will connect you to other like-minded people on a similar journey. As a group, you will support each other along your path of growth. The friendships you’ll form through training will likely remain long after the training has ended.
3. Evolve mentally and physically.
The benefits of a yoga teacher training are likely to permeate all aspects of your life. You’ll not only expand your knowledge and understanding of yoga itself, but of your life as a whole. The multi-dimensional approach to training (including asana, meditation, mantra, yoga philosophy, etc.) encourages students to evolve mentally and physically through their yoga practice and also in ways that benefit a person’s life beyond yoga specifically.
4. Deepen your spiritual practice.
Apart from the physical practice, yoga serves to quiet the mind and connect you to your true self. This increased awareness opens the door to an intentional and conscious lifestyle that naturally attunes your focus to the most important things in your life. Although a yoga teacher training is rooted in community, it also allows space to reflect individually and dive deeper (most likely more than ever before) into your journey of self-discovery.
5. Become a teacher.
Being a yoga teacher is a hugely rewarding experience. Yoga teachers fulfill important roles in their community. As a teacher, you will inspire others, spread love, and be a positive and benevolent force in the world. With your support and knowledge, others will have an opportunity to evolve and expand in a safe and nurturing space. You will guide others toward peace and be a force of light in the lives of those around you. What’s more fulfilling than that?
Regardless if you plan to teach yoga or not, a yoga teacher training can change your life. What you will learn will penetrate far deeper than you can now understand, and what you will gain will stay with you for a lifetime. The personal evolution that occurs during yoga teacher training can be one of the most fulfilling and enlivening experiences of one’s life. So–what are you waiting for?
If additional questions come up as you consider the decision to attend, please reach out to us at Yoga Samadhi either via phone at 360-600-2538 or email at yoga_samadhi@icloud.com. We’d love to hear from you!