Find a yoga teacher training

With so many 200hr yoga teacher trainings out there, it can be hard to know where to begin. This article will give you a clear steer and hopefully help you avoid some of the pitfalls, if you want to become a yoga teacher. 

The call to teach can be very powerful. Before you know it, you’ve quit your job, bought a flight to India, put all your savings into the hands of a yoga school and stepped fully into the unknown. Goodbye comfort zone, hello infinite potential!

To step into the unknown is one of the great teachings of the tradition. To trust that life will catch you, if you follow the whispers of your deeper knowing, but sometimes we go all in and it’s not always our deeper knowing we are following. Sometimes we are following the enchantment of palm trees and the bewitching stories of Instagram. And that’s ok! But when it comes to choosing your first 200hr Yoga Teacher Training it’s the who and the why that counts. Not the where and the when.

LISTEN TO THE CALL

If you’re thinking about training as a yoga teacher then really listen to where that desire is coming from. You will know if it’s a deep call or if it’s just a loose idea. If this practice, these teachings, this way of life resonates on a cellular level then trust in that. If you feel an inner brightening towards teaching yoga, then let that be your North star. Stepping into a teacher training is not a decision to be taken lightly. It is a wild ride, and an expensive one, so be super clear on what is drawing you to buy the ticket.

CLARIFY YOUR INTENTION

So you want to teach yoga. Why? Why do you want to spread the teachings of yoga to others? What impact has it had on your life and why does it matter to you? What kind of teacher do you want to be? And what kind of yoga do you want to teach? There are so many styles and yoga isn’t just āsana. Yoga is a state of being that is reached through the dedicated practice of meditation, prānayāma, āsana, mudra, contemplation, philosophical inquiry and yogic lifestyle. You might want to lead meditation, teach yin, learn how to hold space for others, contribute to the movement of awakening, become skilled in trauma-informed yoga or support people in slowing down through restorative practices. Do you want to work with young people, office workers, refugees, the elderly? Start to journal, inquire into your intention and take the time to distill your medicine.

FIND YOUR TEACHER

Finding your teacher is everything. And once you know what kind of yoga you wish to offer, you can begin your research. If embodiment, free movement, awakening and philosophy call to you then look into Samāveśa or the school of Embodied Flow™. Or you might want to train with the Godmother of restorative, Judith Lassiter. Perhaps you want to teach power yoga, or go deep into the world of Yin. Who is at the top of their game in the field you want to currently study? What kind of yoga inspires you to teach? 

DO YOUR RESEARCH

If you’re not 100% sure on the kind of yoga you want to be aligned with then give yourself some time. Go to more classes, try more styles, take weekend breaks to other cities and practice with as many teachers as you can. Try online yoga platforms, like Gaia, Movement for Modern Life, CodyApp and Yogaglo This is part of finding your teacher and, by stepping out and doing your research, you are sending that intention into the world and putting your energy behind it. You will find your teacher if you really start to look. And once you’ve found them, practice with them, follow them, go to their workshops, immersions, tasters. Sign-up to their newsletters, send them an email. Don’t become a stalker but do take the time to get to know them a little more. That said, if you’re in touch with your intuition, there will be a strong ‘YES’ when you find them.

DIVINE TIMING

Once you’ve found your teacher, trust that when the time is right, your schedule will align and you’ll be able to train with them. You might find your teacher and not be able to train with them for another year. That’s ok. Sit tight. Perhaps there is another teacher in their school who is offering a training this year that you can sign-up to, if you really can’t wait. A 200hr teacher training is really just your licence to teach. It’s just the beginning of your teaching journey and there will be plenty of opportunities to train with all your heroes as you continue to study and integrate the vast pantheon of wisdom that is held inside of you, your teachers and the Tradition.