Stepping out on the mat is often only the starting point. For many, casual yoga practice develops into deep curiosity for the philosophy, anatomy and spirit of the poses. You may find yourself staying after class to ask questions or reading up on ancient texts during your free time. If this sounds familiar, I’m sure you are on the verge of making a big life decision.
Enrolling in a training course is so much more than that of learning how to line the queue to perform a Downward Dog. It is a deep journey in the self. Whether for a full-time teaching gig or just an expansion of your personal practice, the experience disrupts your grind and gives a new perspective on how you move through the world.
Here are 7 ways making this leap can change your life.
1. You Will Build Unshakeable Confidence
Standing in front of a bunch of people and taking them on some physical and emotional experience takes guts. At first finding your voice can be terrifying. You may be concerned about remembering a sequence or substituting your lefts and rights.
However, the process of learning to teach is the learning to lead. You practice speaking clearly and making space for others and project an air of authority even when you are nervous. This newly discovered confidence doesn’t stay in the studio. You will find it easier to speak up in meetings, set boundaries in relationships and trust your own judgement in daily life.
2. Your Physical Practice Will Deepen Dramatically
It comes without saying that if you spend 200 hours (or more) paying attention to Yoga, you will be better at doing things physically and flexing your muscles. But the change is often a lot deeper than the ability to touch your toes.
When you train, you break down poses to learn the biomechanics of it. You not only learn proper alignment for safety, but for efficiency and energy flow. Suddenly, a pose you have been struggling with for years may click because you have finally grasped the anatomy behind the movement. You stop fighting with your body and you start working with it. This transition from “doing” yoga to “embodying” yoga changes your relationship with your physical self forever.
3. You Connect with a Global Tribe
There is a distinct bond that is created when a group of strangers join forces to sweat, learn and cheer for one another during intense training. Vulnerability is a huge part of the process. You are peeling back layers of ego and emotion and often the results are deep, authentic connections that are rare in adult life.
This community often cuts across international boundaries. You may be thinking of taking a Yoga Teacher Training in Bali, where you will meet other students from all over the world: Europe, the Americas, and Asia. These connections frequently become a lifelong friendship. You come away with a support network of like-minded souls who get your journey and root for you, wherever in the world you end up.
4. You Gain Tools for Mental Resilience
Life is messy. Stress, anxiety, unplanned challenges are inevitable. A thorough yoga teacher training provides you with a toolbox for dealing with these curveballs with grace.
You go deep into meditation, breath work (pranayama) and mindfulness techniques. You learn how the nervous system responds to the stress and how to use the breath to shift from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest.” These aren’t just things that you memorize for a test, they’re useful skills that you use each and every single day. When traffic is gridlocked or a deadline is looming, you have the ability to pause, breathe and choose your reaction instead of reacting blindly.
5. You Unlock a New Career Path
For some, this is the first and foremost goal. For others, this is a happy accident. Becoming a certified yoga instructor provides you with doors to an adaptable and rewarding career.
You are not restricted to teaching in a studio. Graduates go on to:
· Take the lead with corporate wellness programs
· Teach private clients
· Host international retreats
· Design online content & courses
· Specialise in yoga therapy or trauma informed yoga
If you are not ready to quit your day job right away, teaching is a great option for a meaningful side hustle so you are able to serve others while making money. It provides you with the freedom to create a work-life that is consistent with your values.
See Also: Yoga for Sustainable Weight Management and Vitality
6. You Confront and Release Emotional Baggage
Yoga philosophy has taught me that our bodies carry around with us past traumas and emotions. As you go deep into the connective tissues and open up areas of tension (such as the hips or shoulders) it is not unusual for old emotions to surface.
Training allows for a safe container to process these feelings. Through journaling, self-study (Svadhyaya), and open discussions you are confronted with the limiting beliefs that have kept you back. You may find you’ve been suffering the burden of a past failure or a cutting criticism for years. Looking for these patterns is the first step to letting them go. You come out lighter, not only physically, but emotionally.
7. You Cultivate a Life of Discipline and Purpose
The structure of a training program is strict. Early mornings, long days of physical practice, studying in the evening–it requires commitment. This intensity leads to discipline (Tapas).
You know that you show up is half of the battle. This discipline goes hand in hand with other areas of your life. You may suddenly be eating healthier, trying to get more sleep or even doing that creative project you’ve been putting off. More importantly, when we study the Yamas and Niyamas (ethical codes of yoga), you have a moral compass. You begin to make decisions from compassion, truthfulness, and non-attachment leading to a more purposeful and aligned life.
Ready for the Shift?
A yoga teacher training is an investment of time, money, and energy but the returns are immeasurable. It is a rare chance to stop the noise of the outside world and consult what is going on inside.
Whether you come back into your old life with a new perspective, or begin a completely new one, you will not be the same person who rolled out the mat on day one. You will be stronger, softer and more real you.
