I had no intention of becoming a yoga teacher. When I signed up for my first 200-hour yoga teacher training, all I wanted was to deepen my practice. After nearly a decade of being a dedicated yoga practitioner, I found myself growing more curious each time I stepped onto my mat. I wanted more—more alignment, more breath, more awareness. I wanted to understand yoga in a deeper, more intimate way.
What I didn’t expect was how all-encompassing the experience would become. Yoga began revealing itself not just as something I did, but as something I lived. I realized that what happens on the mat often mirrors what’s happening in our inner world—and how we express ourselves in the outer one.
When the Mat Becomes a Mirror
My fears, frustrations, and sadness all showed up in my practice. I was terrified of inversions, and only later did I see that fear reflected in my life as a hesitation to take big “leaps.” My frustration with not nailing certain poses was the same impatience I carried off the mat—my desire to get what I wanted on my own timeline.
And the tears that surfaced in savasana? They were the release of emotions I had ignored, the deep rest and reflection I desperately needed.
But on the other side of those emotions lived joy, love, and compassion. There were moments when simply being in a pose filled me with presence and peace. The laughter shared during my teacher’s soft one-liner jokes was a reflection of the love I had for her—and for myself. The patience and perseverance I practiced in challenging postures became the compassion and grace I learned to extend inward.
My mat became my magic-carpet mirror.
A 200-Hour Teacher Training That Became a PHD in Me
As I mentioned, my first 200-hour teacher training wasn’t about teaching—it was about exploring. And it was intense. Everything I felt showed up in sweat, tears, and emotional release. Through the physical rigor, the philosophy, the anatomy, and the rich history of yoga, I discovered something more valuable than anything I expected:
I learned about me.
My teachers were extraordinary guides. To this day, when I think of them, I smile and bow in gratitude. They helped me see myself. They helped me heal myself. They helped me learn to love myself. Yes, I learned alignment, sequencing, anatomy, and philosophy—but what I truly gained felt like a PHD in myself.
Why You Should Consider Yoga Teacher Training
If you’re considering deepening your practice or seeking a better understanding of who you are, taking a yoga teacher training—whether a traditional in-person program or a flexible online teacher training—is one of the most transformative gifts you can give yourself. Even if you never plan to teach, you will grow. You will learn.
And maybe, just maybe, your passion for the practice will open the door to an enriching career—one that allows you to support your own healing while helping humanity, one breath at a time, as a yoga teacher.
