Yoga Teacher Training is a Business

Had a terrible experience with yoga teacher training that left me confused, further away from the yoga practice and unsure of what it is all about and unsure of what I am about.

The positive takeaways: 

- met a group of like minded people who believed had a similar goal of learning more about yoga. 

The negative takeaways:

- Pushed my body way too hard. Not what yoga is about.

- Judgemental philosophy teacher. Not what yoga is about.

- Poor management of schedule and no shows. Not what yoga is about.

- Withholding certification and avoidance in communication. Not what yoga is about.

- Not connecting to the teachers. Feeling not good enough. Not what yoga is about.

200 300 or 500 hours of yoga teacher training is not going to make you a yoga teacher. Yoga is a process and a journey to connect with spiritual and philosophical traditions and a way of life that western society has adapted as an exercise routine. Since yoga is not my roots and I am not from a culture or country where yoga originates or belongs to it only makes sense to dedicate one's life into finding a teacher to continuously learn from.

Memorizing sanskrit and anatomy terminology is not something that resonates with me. There is a certain uncomfortable knot in my stomach when chants are sang in classes. Pursing that goal pose is not the point of yoga, healing from trauma is not the point of yoga. Yoga is about union. It's about being open. I entered yoga teacher training not aware of how far I still needed to go for personal acceptance and inner peace. I left confused and conflicted with my own spirituality, growth and healing.

The intention I set for myself was to heal and partake in something for self growth. Instead I left feeling more vulnerable than before. But now I recognize my limitations, my inner voice is telling me it sucks that you had a terrible experience, because now you know what you are about and you can accept that there is a time and place. I am mostly upset because I have invested time and money into something I love only to find out that there is a dark side to yoga as well. It is a business, it is a business that western society has capitalized as an expensive form of exercise and relaxation. Now that I have gone through training, I have the basic tools to develop my practice anytime anywhere.

I still love yoga. I still love the intention behind the practice. I still love the peace it brings to the mind and body.