That moment I became a certified yoga instructor
200 hours complete! 200 hours of yoga asanas, philosophy, meditation, cleansing, anatomy and sweat. It’s been such an amazing journey here in Dharamsala, India one that I will never forget. I’ve met an amazing group of students who are just as passionate about yoga as I am, and got instructed by the kindest, most knowledgeable bunch of instructors that I’ve been blessed to have learned from here in India.
The last month of yoga teacher training has been the most fun, yet the most challenging month I think I’ve ever experienced. There have been many journeys of trekking around the beautiful Himalayas that have made me see the amazing natural beauty of Mother Earth. Adventures around the town of Dharamsala to break out from the school kitchen to get delicious Indian sweets (Once you have a magic bar in Dharamshala I don’t think you can ever have any dessert again), honey ginger lemon tea (my favorite) and falafel wraps from the next town over, Bhagsu, that will bring you into pure bliss.
It’s also been a month where I’ve learned the most about myself, and the things that are most important in life. I never would of thought a yoga teacher training would teach me so much about not just yoga but how to live a life of pure happiness, compassion, commitment to truthfulness, sense of control, self awareness, meditation on the divine, concentration of the mind and contentment with what we all have and don’t have at every moment. Following the “Eight Limbs” is a great framework for yoga practice and has taught me a tremendous amount about living a life without suffering.
For many people in the west (as myself when I first started) we think of yoga as just a workout for strength and flexibility. For some, we think of yoga as group chanting and mantras that scares us away because it is an activity that we are not accustomed to; the unknown. Truth is, yoga is everything! Literally meaning “union”, its a way to unite our body to our mind and also look within ourselves to find our spiritual guide. It’s about being in a state of being rather than doing. We are taught to look outside of ourselves to external materials to give us the fulfillment we want. Yet over and over our experiences show us that nothing external can completely fulfill the deep longing for “something more.” I believe we live in a society where we need yoga now more than ever! So here I am, officially a certified yoga instructor ready to start this new journey and share with as many people as possible the love and joy of yoga, and finding that happiness and knowledge from within.