Things To Do Before 1st Yoga Teacher Training
Yoga is a life-transforming practice. So, you rightfully have taken the best decision of your life when you decide to enrol in a yoga teacher training program. However, although you might be raring to go, there is a part of you which might be riddled with anxieties and as a first-timer, you are not quite sure about what to expect. For those unversed, a yoga teacher training program is a comprehensive training course that touches upon most of the aspects of a traditional yoga practice. However, this training requires dedicated effort, patience and a certain amount of skill level to complete and ace the course.
This blog will advice you on certain aspects that will help you ascertain what to expect besides preparing your body, mind and soul for the transformative journey of a yoga teacher training program.
Take A Break From Your Regular Practice
You might be slightly taken aback by this, but a yoga teacher training program is an intensive journey that is physically and emotionally demanding. Hence, you need to take a break from your regular yoga routine so as to allow your body to be fully rested before the arduous yoga TTC training begins. Besides, a yoga teacher training course is a long-term program where your physical abilities will be taken into account before you are made to twist into seemingly challenging asanas. Also, you might suffer from an injury if you push your body beyond its means. Furthermore, a yoga teacher training program is not just about learning the physical asanas but also includes learning about yoga physiology as well as getting enlightened about its history and philosophy as one of your foremost lessons. So folks, remember not to push yourselves too hard, or else you might end up with sore muscles and nurse an injury which might hinder your abilities throughout the course.
Read As Much Literature Related To Yoga As Possible
Ground yourself in the basics and read books on yoga before embarking on your yoga TTC program. Specifically, B.K.S. Iyengar’s Light on Yoga throws light on the Patanjali Sutras and is considered a “yoga bible”. Also, Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda is yet another yoga text that you can read that talks about the yoga journey of great yoga masters that begins in the Himalayas and ends in fruition in the US. Both these books will inspire you and kindle the fire of yoga within you.
Also, you can learn Sanskrit before you join a yoga teacher training program, especially in yoga schools in India as this is the language of yoga. You will easily understand the yogic texts and scriptures as part of the philosophy module which is based on the Sanskrit language. Although, translated versions are available, knowing the yogic language adds a touch of authenticity and credibility to you as a future yoga teacher.
Try And Visit Your Yoga Destination Prior To Your Yoga Training
It's a challenge to visit your place of yoga training beforehand, especially those based in a foreign land such as yoga schools in India, given the limited amount of work leaves that you might avail of or have familial responsibilities back home. However, landing in a foreign country, especially India and starting the yoga teacher training upfront can prove to be a shocker, especially for those who are visiting India for the very first time. Trainees will need to adjust to the climate, food and intriguing yet alien culture in India as they begin their yoga training. Also, it takes time for bodily rhythms such as digestion to fall in line with the food, eating habits and routines of the place. Also, the trainees would need time to cope with the increased water intake due to the heat and humidity of Indian cities and towns. So, folks, spend at least a weekend in India before you actually begin your yoga journey.
Set Your Intention At The Beginning Of The Course
It's a common practice wherein yoga teachers often ask their students to set an intention as to why they want to take up a yoga teacher training course. You need to decide why you are joining a yoga teacher training course. It can be for attaining enhanced flexibility or simply deepening your current yoga practice. Also, halfway through the program, you can revisit your goals and tweak them as per your needs. For instance, you started out with the goal of achieving a flexible body but now you crave more inner peace and intend to focus on achieving it through your yoga practice. All in all, let your inner voice guide you as you revisit your intentions as gain more enlightenment and clarity as the yoga teacher training course progresses.
Don’t Compare Your Yoga Journey With Others
We all want to create a good impression on others in our Yoga TTC program not only as a practitioner but as a person. However, you need to realise that everyone coming to the yoga program has baggage of problems and concerns which are different from your issues. However, yoga teacher training in Rishikesh course opens an individual to such an extent that many of you may realise and discover more commonalities than you might think. You will discover that every person is vulnerable with a set of worries and insecurities that may reflect your own. Do not go by firsthand impressions and view people as they really are.
Drawing from the above discussion, don’t compare your yoga practice with your fellow mates. Yoga is not about achieving challenging yogic poses but the ability to see within ourselves in order to prepare for meditation. Focus on your own practice and learn to inhabit each yogic asana. Lastly, yoga is not about performing asanas but about how this ancient philosophy transforms our relationships and life in a positive way.
Your Takeaway!
You might be raring to go to your very first yoga teacher training program. However, doing some amount of groundwork before you actually begin your yoga journey can make your yoga teacher training course a seamless journey. The pointers discussed in this blog will serve as a useful guide for anyone looking to join yoga schools in India or embark on yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India.