Hey friends! Welcome to the Aura Awakening Portal. I’m really excited to share all things YTT with you today because this is a new endeavor of mine and I’m really looking forward to taking my practice to the next level.
Before my 200hr, I actually took a 20hr course for Yin Yoga Certification, lead by my Whole Life Healing Mentor, Bethany Perry. This was in November of 2018, and it helped me decide if I should take the leap to be a registered yoga teacher.
With this small certification, I taught for a few months at a wellness center, and as much as I enjoyed teaching just Yin, I desired to expand my knowledge, teaching abilities and overall direction in using yoga as a form of healing for my holistic life coaching clients.
Fast forward to December 2019, I found Citizen Yoga. It was one of those places where I went there at exactly the time I needed it in my life and I kept on coming back. After a few months of taking different classes, workshops and getting to know the community, I could see myself taking their YTT program, as well as working for them someday.
Pre COVID-19, I began as an Experience Manager, where I was warmly welcomed into the Kula, learning the culture and ethics of the studio that focuses on mental health awareness. To learn more about the owner Kacee Must, check out our podcast episode together here.
Here’s some suggestions I’d like to share with you before enrolling in your 200hr YTT. Let’s dive in.
- Take multiple classes at the studio to get a taste of their teaching style. This may be a no brainer, but I highly encourage ‘dating’ the studio for a while since chances are, you’ll be spending a lot of time with the teachers for your training, and if you get a weird energetic vibe, all bets are off the table. But if you LOVE being there and being around the community, then it’s a go!
- Take your investment seriously. YTT isn’t necessarily cheap, so meditate on your intentions before enrolling. Are you seeking a journey through personal development? Do you want to expand your practice? Do you believe that you’ll be a teacher someday? Do you desire a retreat experience for your training? Do you have the time to dedicate to the sessions & required reading? These are all really important questions to ask yourself before taking the leap. You don’t have to go into YTT with expectations to get hired in at the studio you’re studying with, that will just make the experience less enjoyable. Take it one day at a time and really begin to implement all of the teachings into your life, off the mat and on.
- What kind of yoga linage do they teach? Do they cover anatomy? Do they teach about philosophy + Ayurveda? It’s okay if you’re not super familiar with these ideals, but I hope that your YTT covers them. As far as linage, you’ll want to find out what school of yoga they reference the teachings from and what their focus is. For example, Citizen highlights Ashtanga and Iyengar, they are alignment based. Yogic Philosophy is a huge component to the training that gives you the personal development experience. Be sure that your training goes over the Koshas, the Eight Limbs of Yoga & even more if you’re lucky! As far as anatomy & Ayurveda (the sister science to yoga) these are things they may touch on for a certain portion of the training, but it’s always best to continue your studies even after you are done with your 200hrs, there is always so much more to learn and YTT is just a foundation for the advanced world of yoga.
- How is the course spread out over the 200hrs? This really depends on your availability and learning capacity but a good example is to think about a 200hr Retreat experience in a month vs a 200hr studio experience over 5 months. This one is really just personal preference but chances are if you’re dedicated, you’ll seek another 300hr immersion after your 200hr anyway. If you’re a slower learner like me, and want to take in the required reading, it may be wiser to stay local and go for a studio that does their training in person or even online.
- Don’t forget to have fun & make connections. I’ve heard that some incredible friendships come out of YTT. It’s a space where you’re all growing, up-leveling, healing and joining forces to support one another on your journey. Be open to making connections and getting to know all of your fellow trainees. Do your best to avoid forming cliques (this isn’t high school obviously) and keep in touch with your trainees even after the training is complete. These are the people who will be giving you feedback on your teaching and it’s important to develop a beautiful relationship with them and have fun! If thing ever get overwhelming, remember your why or your intention on why you want to be a yoga teacher.
I hope you found this helpful and I can’t wait to share my YTT experience with you this summer! <3
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