Seeking some motivation and support - I was accepted to yoga teacher training

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Vixen
Participant

May 3, 2011 at 6:24 am

Post count: 2

#2118

Hello All
About 3 weeks ago I got the great news that I was accepted to a 200 hour hot yoga teacher training. I was (am) over the moon with the news. Becoming a yoga teacher is my dream.

Lately I am just filled with anxiety. I am worried about doing well in the yoga teacher training, wondering if I will be able to keep up with the other students since I am, ahem, getting “up there” in age. Also, I wonder if I will be able to live up to the confidence the instructor has shown by accepting me to the program. I practice yoga at the school where I will taking YTT on weekends only–it’s too far from where I live and work to make it during the week. During the week I practice Bikram at a studio that is local, and enjoy it quite a bit. I haven’t told the Bikram instructors that I applied for the hot yoga teacher training, in large part, because I believe that they feel Bikram YTT is “THE” way to go. I also wonder if the Bikram teachers would be disappointed that I am not pursuing Bikram training. (After much consideration, I am certain that Bikram YTT is not for me) The person I will be training with was formerly a Bikram teacher until he developed his own modified style of hot yoga. Sound familiar?

I would love to hear your thoughts and advice. And I wouldn’t mind a little pep talk either. 🙂 Any thoughts on my decision to keep this training from my Bikram instructors? Any words of wisdom on attending YTT? Any pointers on what to expect? I look forward to hearing from you and hope that I will be able to offer advice and guidance to another forum members in the future. And if there’s interest, I promise to post about my experience at YTT.

Thank you!

Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)
Forum Owner

May 3, 2011 at 7:14 am

Post count: 3048

#8582

Hi Vicki

Congratulations!!!

Your anxiety is natural. Just embrace that as a part of your excitement. It’s actually quite normal to wonder how you’ll shape up for the experience.

It’s the bit about telling the other Bikram teachers which piques my interest. Firstly, you have no idea how they’ll respond to your news. That is in your head. It’s still just a story.

Granted, knowing what most of us know about many B Teachers (those that have drunk the Kool-Aid) it COULD be on the cards that they COULD tell you that you’re making a mistake, that you can only go to BTT to learn BY …. yada yada yada. Most of that is THEIR opinion and a lot of it is based in myth and propaganda. They COULD tell you that you won’t be able to teach at that studio. ALL ‘coulds’.

They COULD also say: Wow, Vicki, that’s great news. Congrats. We can’t wait to take a class of yours. Where will you be teaching?

There’s often a part of us that wants others to like, approve or condone what we do, or have some joy in our joy. That may not happen here. Would that matter?

The real question might be to you: Do you care? And if you do care, WHY do you care what they think? It’s YOUR dream. Not theirs. It’s also your life. What one would hope is that your teachers would encourage you to do what you want to do and not get caught up in politics, mythology and stories.

There are some terrible reports of recrimination, humiliation, violence and aggression from particular teachers towards people who dare to suggest that there is something else that one could do rather than the Bikram recital bootcamp.

I receive personal letters from teachers who went through the BTT and say that it was a waste of time and not worth the money or the time they spent. Others object to the lack of knowledge, others say they can’t believe they spend 2 months and then find that they have a certificate but leave with NO TEACHING or POSE ANALYSIS skills at all.

Whether one finds value in the experience, or even has a good time at ANY teacher training has nothing to do with whether the program is actually any good or if they are or become a good teacher.

There is no ONE way to do anything in this world. That’s part of the beauty of it. Getting caught up in what ‘they’ think or what ‘they’ say to you is just wasting your precious time and energy. What’s worse if you waste time on what they COULD say… 😉 because that is not even happening.

Question why you need to tell them at all OR why you need to keep it from them. What is the motive? If you don’t tell them so that you can protect yourself from a barrage of unwanted opinion then perhaps that’s just a telling sign of what you’ve managed to steer clear of by doing someone else’s training.

Ultimately you’re doing this for you, so others’ opinions shouldn’t matter to you. Unless you’re talking about your significant other, or your family whose opinions you may request but not necessarily follow the advice they proffer.

NOW, I do recommend you let it all GO, and get on with your own life! Love what you’re doing! There’s enough to go around without the scarcity thinking and protective attitudes to something that is available to us all

Oh, lastly … what can you expect? Who knows? Do you have to learn a script? What are YOU expecting? :cheese:

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Victoriakelley
Participant

May 5, 2011 at 3:51 am

Post count: 1

#8590

Oh Gabrielle
You are wonderful and insightful! I haven’t told any of the teachers because, yes, they have drunk the Kool Aid. One of my teachers is on her way to CA to help with B teacher training. And I do think I will encounter some serious push back about my choice. But deep down I know that the YTT I plan to attend has a very full program that teaches philosophy, posture clinics, NO script, and so much more. I know the schedule of each day and it doesn’t include being kept up until all hours watching Bollywood movies or attending parties and then falling into bed exhausted only to get a few hours of sleep. The man who is running the YTT told me to expect to receive a package with books that I should start reading in preparation for the program. He told me to make notes, write down questions and to stop and think about my questions and ask them with my heart. He told me I was going to learn that yoga is more than a 90 minute regimented class. That conversation was a clear message that this hot yoga training was going to be exactly what I had hoped for!

Your message helped me understand some things that were nagging at the back of my brain but I couldn’t articulate. I was feeling like I was being disloyal. And I certainly don’t want to think that my current teachers would humiliate me about my decision, but I believe there is a very good chance that will happen. But in the end I know full well, that after I complete YTT I won’t be going back to the B studio because I will have embarked on a new journey. It wasn’t really clear until I read your post and then did some of my own soul searching.

I am so grateful that you took the time to write and to give me the nudge (kick in the pants) I needed to remember that this is MY life, MY dream and I have every right to
go for it.

And as for what I am expecting …. I believe I will be challenged physically and mentally in a good way. I’ll have the chance to ask questions and to be heard and respected.
I’ll gain experience teaching and interacting with students in a positive manner that helps them feel encouraged about their practice. This will likely be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done but that’s exciting, too.

Thank you, Gabrielle. I look forward to the day that I can meet you in person. Until then, thank you for being a wonderful sounding board with sane and sage advice.
Vicki
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