10 Things Nobody Tells You About A Yoga Teacher Training . . .

We loved this article by doyouyoga.com - author sited is Katherine Smith. We did shorten and make some small adaptations.

1. No matter how much you prepare, you’ll be unprepared.

No matter who you are, how much you practiced, or how good you think you are—you will not sail through your YTT. No one does. Daily yoga, meditation, and kriyas will open you up in ways you cannot anticipate.

Remember, “Oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.”

2. You’ll cry (at least once).

Alone with the shanti and the stillness, fears and tears will spill. Somewhere between Satsang on the Sutras and the anatomy of the scapula, all the stuff that usually distracts you will fall away. You’ll be left with things as they are, without the frosting (that’s icing for the English). It’ll suck.

You’ll be confronted with the parts of yourself you usually choose to avoid. It can feel messy.

3. Your body will hurt. 

The best practice you’ll have will be on day one. After that, it’s a downhill slide. Your body becomes stiff from the hours of Asana and all the toxic crap being kicked out of your system. You feel like your practice is getting worse. You cry. Sore muscles, sore joints, you’re overwhelmed by all the information you have to take in, and stressed out by all the information you can’t. You just want to sleep.

But you realize that you were stiff and sore because you were building strength. Your practice suddenly feels more solid. You understand that yoga isn’t all about pulling poses.

4. You’ll think about running away at least once.

You’ll feel physically and mentally exhausted. You’ll have to dig deep on your own internal resources to stick it out. At this point, no one else will carry you through and continue to validate you. You’ll deal and find strength in that.

5. You’ll come face to face with the insecurities and the beliefs that limit you.

Your dirty little secrets and lifelong conditioning will have absolutely nowhere to hide. ‘I’m not good enough’ and ‘I can’t do this’ are particularly popular.

You ARE good enough. You do matter and you can do this. You’ll put yourself out there and what you’re capable of doing is enough for now. You’ll realize what surrendering to whatever shows up on your mat means.

6. You’ll fall in love with at least one person at training, probably your teacher.

You’ll make connections with people like you never did before. There is something deeply attractive about people moving, breathing, and sharing together. It is heart-opening, and in the beginning, because we’ve been so used to superficial relationships, we might interpret it as true love.

Then we’ll realize that we can have love for many people, and we can share truly intimate moments with without ever having held hands.

7. Your life will change forever.

YTT will open your eyes to things you’ve never even heard of, let alone believed in. 

The self-realization will continue long after you finish.

There will be days when you wish you could turn back time, nostalgic about more innocent and ignorant days. Ultimately, you wouldn’t want to change a thing. You’re committed now. It’s too late.

8. It will break and humble you. This is just the beginning. Embrace it.

No matter how much you think you know, you really don't know anything. Once you realize and accept you know nothing and you are nothing, the real transformation and learning starts. You become an empty cup.

9. You’ll come alive.

You’ll notice a subtle sparkle behind your eyes. There will be a spring in your step. Your heart will fill with gratitude. You will savour every breath. Little things that passed you by before will be abundant.

You’ll notice more synchronicity in your life. The lessons will continue to come until one day you realize how much you’ve changed. You’ll feel radiant and alive.

10. You’ll be glad you did it!

While some of this might sound kinda messed up and scary, yoga teacher training will undoubtedly be the best thing you ever do.