10 Reasons Why Everyone Should Do a Yoga Teacher Training Course

In June 2018 I went to Thailand and enrolled on a 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course (YTTC) with the Akasha Yoga Academy. 28 days of full-time immersion into the depths of yoga. I was not aiming to teach yoga but to improve my own yoga practice and curious to understand the roots of yoga.

Recently over lockdown I have been asked by family and friends who were interested in doing a YTTC what I learned on my course and would I recommend it.

It might be called a yoga teacher training, but really, it is a course in learning how to work with your body and mind for the rest of your life. A Yoga Teacher Training Course (YTTC) is an investment in you, your health, and your personal growth.

It is a physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, and transformative experience. I genuinely believe everyone should do a Yoga Teacher Training Course even if you do not want to teach and here are 10 reasons why!

1.Deepen your physical yoga practice

Daily practice sessions builds new found attention to detail on your physical posture, core strength and body alignment. It encourages routine and self-practice your body will thank you for.

2.Explore your spirituality

The study of the Yoga Sutras, the chanting, and the meditation practices that will be brought into your life through your training will most likely help you to transform your spiritual practice. These are sacred tools that you can use in your daily life that will help you to connect to yourself in a deeper way. It builds a certain kind of calmness and enables you to deal with daily life with a heightened level of awareness.

3.You will connect with your true self in a deeper way

Through learning how your unique body works, how your unique mind works, and through your deepened spiritual practices, you will most likely walk away with a deeper sense of who you are as an individual. This will help bolster your confidence in everyday life, and help you sit easier in your own skin.

4.You will make new relationships

There is nothing quite like going through the experience of a yoga teacher training – and those you meet in your training will forever hold a special place in your heart. You will understand each other in a very unique way at the end of your course, and there is a good chance that you will make friendships that last a lifetime with like-minded individuals from all walks of life.

5. Limitless knowledge

You will learn about human anatomy, the history of yoga, and how to incorporate Ayurveda into your everyday life. You will learn things that you never knew you actually wanted to know, and you will never think of your yoga practice the same.

6. Share the joy of yoga with others

If you are already contemplating joining a YTTC, yoga must have helped you tremendously in one way or another. And what better way to pay it forward than spreading the joys of yoga? Whether you decide to teach or not, joining a YTTC will allow you to gather lifelong information to help others in need. In the future, you may cross paths with someone who could benefit from your yogic knowledge.

7. Learn more about the body-mind connection through Pranayama (breathing practices)

The big highlight for me was Pranayama. The breath is the bridge between your mind and body. Your breathing pattern changes when your mind/emotion changes. Knowing this, the ancient yogis found that we can alter our mind by manipulating our breathing patterns. In a YTTC, you will learn the proper way to do Pranayama. It is vital to practice Pranayama properly because your mind can be negatively impacted if you practice it incorrectly. Breath work now plays a big part of my daily well being.

8. Learn to be more mindful

Mindfulness is the state of high awareness. In a YTTC, you will learn the philosophy of mindfulness in an awesome way. Meditation is probably the greatest way to be mindful. The serene ambiance of the Yoga school influences the mind and soul positively. Moments spent in the silent retreat during my YTTC helped in connecting the mind, body, and soul. This connection gives you the highest degree of consciousness.

9. Learn to be patient

Patience is the ability to wait with tolerance. In yoga, we improve our patience by emphasizing the process rather than the goal. We perform our postures and other practices by being present. Since we release our need to achieve an objective, we can enjoy the experience itself. Patience helps us to tolerate the delay of gratification; allowing us to maintain a sense of balance.

10.Learn to love yourself

During your training, you will nurture love and compassion for others. What you might not expect is that you will also learn to cultivate self-love. Being surrounded for 200+ hours by your fellow teachers and trainees will allow you to see the best parts of yourself. Being forced out of your comfort zone, you will learn more about yourself than you ever imagined. The most important reason to attend a YTTC may just be your newfound love for yourself.

Everyone’s journey during yoga teacher training is a transformative and unique experience. You will learn different lessons, but it will undoubtedly change your life. It is a worthwhile journey and a once-in-a-lifetime investment that you will not regret. Learning transferable skills and techniques that enable you to support your own wellbeing as well others around you.

I highly recommend you to take the leap and get started on one of the biggest adventures of your life and enroll in Yoga Teacher Training Course!

Location: Koh Phangan - Thailand June 2018

Akasha Yoga Academy

200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training