Hey everyone! I’ve just returned from my yoga teacher training course (TTC) and I’m feeling on top of the world…as well as exhausted and very achy lol!
An experience I’ll never forget, the TTC was everything I’d imagined and more. I still can’t quite believe that I did it and came out the other side with a certificate stating I am now a certified yoga instructor! Woop Woop!
I should also mention that, at first, I found it very difficult to be without makeup and with messy hair the whole time but after a while, that faded. In fact, I’m even going to share some photos with you completely make-up free! And my hair, which is in that awful growing out phase, is such a mess but it’s okay. I found peace with that lol 😉
(you may recognise most of these pics from Instagram which I posted while I was away)
Receiving my yoga teacher training certificate. I was ecstatic!
The course was difficult, I ain’t gonna lie about it. Dr. Venky, the course instructor, is not your average yoga teacher (my colleagues and I liked to call him Guru Venky) – in his eyes, the most important aspect of the entire course is safety and that’s why I chose to study with him.
Yoga Teacher Training: Anatomy
Specialising in back problems and anatomy, Venky’s course is most definitely heavy on that side of things. And that’s what made it tough for me. Learning such details about the human body is tough generally, even more considering I’m a ‘mature student’! And biology was never my strong point at school.
Yoga on the terrace…beautiful!
Although I was utterly intrigued, I did find it difficult to remember. The other girls (all in their mid twenties) seemed endlessly capable of recalling practically everything whereas I would stutter, blush a deep shade of red and shake my head. Oh…to be back at school again.
I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been taught by such a patient teacher as Venky, who continually assured me that it was normal, ‘you need to read the books seven or eight times before it will really make sense to you,’ he said on numerous occasions. I’m still hoping that will happen.
Tears at the Yoga Teacher Training
On another note, there were also tears. I’m sure you’ve heard about people who cry on the yoga mat? How yoga can release hidden emotions and cause you to break down? Well, I never thought it would happen to me considering I’ve been practising a few years but it did. And it happened one morning during pranayama (breathing techniques) / meditation.
Suddenly they came, and I couldn’t stop them. Loud and wet tears, leaving me shuddering with breathlessness too. I was so shocked and quite embarrassed. But everyone was so understanding (that’s the yoga community for you).
I cried another time too – but that was more to do with my own feelings of inadequacy which arose several times in the first two weeks. I kept wondering, ‘what am I doing here?’ and ‘I can’t do this’. I was wrong of course.
Moving into the third week, I started feeling much more confident in myself, my strength was improving, my stamina too. I found pranayama was getting easier (I struggled with ujjayi breath in the beginning), I was able to focus like never before and things started making much more sense to me. I even did my very first handstand (supported) – I never even tried to do handstands as a kid because I was terrified of getting hurt! I was ecstatic.
I was finally loving it. But I was also very home sick. Lucky then, that I only lived 45 minutes away! Two weekends I headed home and one weekend, Michael visited for dinner. Wonderful 🙂
But back to the yoga teacher training course. A month long intensive course, it taught me the importance of so many things – and I’m not just talking about yoga and how you should move your body in certain asanas (postures) and how to breathe properly, but rather the importance of love, patience, acceptance, etc. We are all so hard on ourselves these days, and we really ought to take time to ourselves to just be.
A new woman
Since I’ve been home (I got back last Friday afternoon), I’ve been practicing yoga every morning at 6am out on the terrace (I’m so lucky to be living here in Portugal where this is possible for much of the year). Just to be outdoors, to witness every sunrise while doing yoga is utter bliss. I never thought I’d say that to be honest. I was always quite lazy in the mornings, rolling out of bed after eight and then feeling groggy after eight or nine hours sleep. Not any more. I can honestly say I’m a new woman. And I’ve got my awesome yoga family (Venky, Mei, Julia & Aga) and the yoga teacher training course to thank for that. Namaste <3
I can imagine the deep impact of doing the YTT for four weeks. After only one week in Prana Casa and with only a few lessons each day I still got yoga under my skin and I am giving my best to find a little time for yoga every day. I admired you guys while I was there and I often thought about you while I was already back at home and at work.
Author
Thanks Corinne! I’m glad to hear you’re keeping up the daily yoga. It really was a pleasure to meet you at Prana Casa and I hope we’ll see each other again some day 😀
Suzy xx
thanks, I’ll try to keep in touch. Somehow feedly doesn’t add your page / blog to my feed, so I will have to pay attention to your facebook updates. Enjoy the weather in Portugal, doing yoga outside is quite impossible in Switzerland right now.
Congratulations once again! It sounds like a hardcore course, that touched every aspect of your being: Body, mind, and soul. What an achievement!
Author
Thank you so much, Miriam!
Suzy x
You look beautiful without make up. I need to try yoga…if I loved closer, I’d hire you.
Author
Awww thanks Elizabeth! You’re so kind.
Suzy xx
WOW, and can I just say while again! This is so awesome that you got certified to be a yoga instructor and all the hard work you put into it! Dang it, I wish I lived in Portugal because I would so take your class! You’re going to be the best yoga instructor ever not to mention gorgeous as can be!
Author
Andrea, you are the sweetest gal!! Thank you so much. I wish you lived in Portugal too – I know we’re be great friends 😀 And I’d love to teach you yoga!
Suzy xx
Wow, well done you! This looks like an amazing experience and I can’t wait to hear more about your yoga adventures now you’re qualified to teach it. It sounds like this was a lot of hard work, but from your big smile as you accepted your certificate, you can tell it was all worth it for you!
Sian xx
Author
Awww thanks Sian! It was pretty incredible and I’m looking forward to writing a bit more about yoga on the blog in the future 😀
Suzy xx
I have been waiting to read this. And it didn’t disappoint. A big clap of hands to you Suzy for seeing it through. Will you teach Yoga? I have never heard of the breaking down in tears thing. How interesting that such an exercise can bring out such emotion.
http://www.vanityandmestyle.com
Author
Awww thanks so much for such a lovely comment!! I am hoping to teach yoga, I already gave one class (actually it was just one person, my best friend lol) and it went well. I still need to study more before I’m confident enough to do it for more people lol!
Suzy xx
Oh this is so lovely to read. I am in my 40’s and just moved to Singapore , and have the opportunity to spend more time practising yoga and ‘Guru Venky’ is teaching a YTT course end of April and was interested in signing up, after reading your blog I definitely will.
Author
Cat, Venky is amazing, he’s such a character! I consider myself truly lucky to have found him to teach me during the YTT course. I hope you will sign up. Tell him you saw my recommendation lol!
Thanks so much for stopping by.
Namaste
Suzy xx