January 10, 2014

5 Reasons Yoga Teacher Training Changed My Life. ~ Ayami Bassett

0 Boost Score Ayami Bassett (1,375,390)

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When is the last time you experienced complete body/mind/soul transformation?

For me, it was my commitment to Yoga Teacher Training (YTT).

I feel compelled to share how this powerful experience changed my life in just 200 hours.

5. I have 18 new best friends (real ones).

By the end of day one, I felt instant chemistry with each of the trainees. Yoga does that. True to its definition, yoga unifies people from all realms of life but it also has a way of knowing whom we are supposed to meet.

These soul sisters and brothers quickly became family. I noticed early on a supreme amount of comfort and trust wherein I could share personal stories that I would never share openly with anyone else.

4. I appreciate every nook and cranny of my body.

My physical asana (yoga pose) practice grew exponentially thanks to ample opportunities to teach, practice and repeat. I built strength and confidence. I learned all kinds of creative variations and modifications.

I gained supreme body awareness outside of the obvious long hours of physical practice, but through in-depth study of anatomy and hands-on assisting. I walked away with a deeper understanding of the phrase ‘yoga is for everyone and every body.’

3. I lead with love.

At first, I was terrified to teach. Who am I to teach yoga? But before long, I was jumping up to teach because I wanted so badly to share my joy. I instantly connected to this way of self-expression that need only be a natural extension of my passion.

The YTT journey brought light to vulnerability and fought off my ego (all that ‘stuff’ racing through my mind) until love prevailed. The more I surrendered to my inner guidance, the more I realized that I have absolutely nothing to fear.

2. I have a new set of essential life skills.

Every experience within YTT translated to life off my mat. This made every cent and second dedicated to training completely priceless and worthwhile.

From effective communication skills to learning the beauty and power of instant forgiveness, I learned practical tools that can be applied to all aspects of my life. If I can pinpoint the one tool that stands out above all, it would be that I stopped planning every second of my life and learned to just go with the flow.

1. I transformed my life.

Woah. In just 200 hours? I didn’t believe it either. But just a few days in, I remember big changes showing up in all aspects of my life. I felt empowered to take charge and exciting new opportunities popped up each day. My friends, family and community took notice and acknowledged my transformation.

A large part of this shift was due to consistent and countless hours of self-inquiry, but was further attributed to my new-found desire in exploring a more all-around yogic lifestyle.

The essence of yoga streamed through YTT—mentally/spiritually/physically—ignited a light within me that changed my life.