“When I first arrived, I walked into a cozy little room where everyone sat on their mats looking towards the door to see who would arrive next. I found an open place and unrolled my yoga mat, scanning the faces around the room, curious about who these people were and what their stories were. I’m not sure any of us knew exactly what to expect but I think deep down we all knew we were where we needed to be and that we would be bonded in some way from this journey.” This is the beginning of Holly’s essay about our 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training. You can read the rest below.

I have been so blessed and grateful for the opportunity to be the lead instructor for a 200-hour yoga teacher training (YTT), and to create Choose2be yoga school. It has been amazing to spend eight weekends with these 12 beautiful beings, like Georgina, and also incredible to have 15 different instructors to come and lead part of the training. It has been a really rich and amazing journey in so many different ways. The Spring 2019 YTT was the second YTT that Choose2be offered, and it already improved so much from Spring 2018 YTT. Stay tuned for details about our next 200-hour YTT, coming soon!

All of the participants wrote an essay on the topic of their choice for posting here. They also wrote a life affirmation and a core desired feeling, which I invited them to share. I am so humbled and touched that I got to support these amazing beings on part of their journey, and I’m looking forward to witnessing how life unfolds for them.

Holly’s Mantra: I am a tree, whose love and calm nature encourages others to feel comfortable with themselves.

YTT — A Continued Journey

When I first arrived, I walked into a cozy little room where everyone sat on their mats looking towards the door to see who would arrive next. I found an open place and unrolled my yoga mat, scanning the faces around the room, curious about who these people were and what their stories were. I’m not sure any of us knew exactly what to expect but I think deep down we all knew we were where we needed to be and that we would be bonded in some way from this journey.

Over the next few days we were all invited to feel safe, and vulnerable with one another. The social boundaries that can sometimes inhibit us to feel connected as beings were broken down and one by one our hearts opened. I learned very quickly that others shared many of the same reasons and feelings that had brought me here in some way or another. I feel like we all wanted or needed some change in our lives and that we all needed to connect a little more with ourselves and perhaps others.

Over the next few weeks the layers continued to shed. We learned from our teachers, learned from each other, and learned from ourselves. And as I learned I realized how invaluable these skills were. I learned how to connect with my true myself and how to listen better to others. I learned new things about my mind and my body. And while further developing our own physical and spiritual practices, our group created a support network of beautiful warriors.

On this path I have connected with lovely people who share a similar light, I have found encouragement, friendship and confidence. I was able to work through a tough patch in my life and embrace the power of I can’t do that “yet.” I’m filled with love and gratitude for our teachers and for all of the yogis in the classroom that empathically listened to me and supported me. I would like to extend a massive great big hug and thank you to Vero, an amazing woman, who knows the value in sharing this program and who works so hard to create this gift. I know that the effect of the lessons I learned will stay with me forever, and I’m excited to know that for me this was only a stepping a stone to a greater journey.

­~ Namasté

Holly

Make sure you check everyone’s YTT essay:

• Stress in our life and how Yoga can support us, by Georgina.
• The importance of daily practice for teachers, by Matthew.
• The healing power of sound, by Melissa.
• The third eye chakra, by Aria.
• Indigenize your practice, by Ivy.
• To mirror or not to mirror: evoking the mind/muscle connection in yoga by Hilary
• How I let yoga and spirituality into my life, by Jana.
• The ebb and flow of conscious breath in our daily life, especially with yoga practice, by Deborah.
• Savasana also called Corpse pose, by Deborah.
• Pause. Definition: a temporary stop, rest or hesitation, by Samantha.
• The imprint of this life and past life is finally free from pain, by Yi-Shan.
• Getting Grounded, by Robin.
• Take a Break…meditate, by Danica.
• A spiritual journey through Western and Easter Medicine, by Kendra.
• Yoga far Eastern connection, by Chitose.
• Grief to empowerment: a personal yogic journey, by Cate.
• Mind over matter for the modern yoga, by Genevieve.  
• Doing a Yoga Teacher Training at 19 years old, by Courtney.