... So, I decided to put in 200 hours for a Yoga Teacher Training Course in Bali last September.
It was an intensive course comparable to boot camp training, but I surrendered to the gods and persevered to achieve what I'd set out for.
A yoga teacher training course (YTTC) is a transformative journey to self-discovery that requires careful planning and research—from weeks of physical and mental preparation leading up to the trip, selecting the right school that resonated with me, and a guessing game of what to pack—in preparation for a calm and easy transition into long, rigid schedules while overcoming jetlag and adjusting to a different time zone.
I learnt the teachings of traditional yoga by Indian and Western teachers in this Yoga Shala.Embarking on this journey, which I dubbed a pilgrimage, I chose not to have any expectations but instead to go as a blank canvas, creating space to acquire knowledge of centuries old, to be a medium to pass the marvellous lineage of Yoga onto others, purely and honestly.
This opening ceremony marked the beginning of my journey to achieving my dream.Yoga is all about union, and I'm pleased to say that I met some beautiful souls, with whom great connections and bonds formed as I separated the illusion of what teaching yoga was from the reality of what it is that makes a good yoga teacher.
Here, in the video below, I used the warm-up session to settle my nerves before teaching my practicum.
Being a realist, I was apprehensive about teaching yoga at my age without the ability to do many advanced inverted poses; thinking that a good yoga teacher demonstrated and got into position of all the poses they were teaching.
However, those misconceptions went out the window, as I learnt that a good yoga teacher needs to maintain a strong presence and show leadership, as yoga teachers are space holders and not space fillers.
I also gained the confidence to teach, knowing that each body is different. So one person might be better at some poses while another is better at different series, and there should be no cookie-cutter expectation of what yoga poses should look like.
Throughout the weeks, one of the key things that kept me on my toes was setting intentions in the present tense, such as "I am here", "I am brave", "I am present", "I am strong", "I am powerful", "I am unstoppable"... while injecting fun and personality into the practice, which I plan to carry through while teaching.
The feedback from other students and one of my teachers were positive and encouraging. 
We were a lovely bunch from different parts of the world with one common goal, and our journey together brought natural feelings of love and warmth, which allowed us to be our authentic selves, sharing emotions of laughter, tears, playfulness, and fear.
Yoga is a journey of self-acceptance on and off the mat, and my YTTC was the beginning of a beautiful journey. I enjoyed anatomy lessons, philosophy classes, mindfulness practices, yoga education, and adjustments and alignments.
The merging of two different but similar practices - Yoga and Qigong
I love yoga and also have a strong passion for qigong, so it was a privilege for me to introduce and lead a Five Animal Qigong class, during the course.
This form of meditation was positively received, as yoga and qigong are two complementary therapies, and I'm now completing a refresher course online to fully qualify as a QiYo or YoQi teacher—teaching a cutting-edge fusion of Yoga and Qigong.
While collecting my certificate, I chose the dancer's pose, Natarajasana, which invites us to remember that life is a dance, full of joy, energy, and movement and that no matter which obstacles we may be facing, we should keep engaged in the dance of life.
This flower mandala was created specifically for our graduation ceremony.
Each petal represents the journey of growth and transformation and the spirit and wisdom of our yoga journey.
However, there's a poignant lesson in our destruction of the mandala, which is that of non-attachment and the impermanence of everything in life, that everything has an ending.
https://youtube.com/shorts/eKdZvn6wFKE?feature=share
This course was a personal achievement that if utilised, will allow me to help to improve the lives of many. Therefore, I'm looking forward to holding classes with friends and anyone interested, as it's a great way for new yoga teachers to gain confidence and overcome imposter syndrome that many experience.
Thanks for stopping by, and I'm looking forward to being more active here.
Namaste 🙏
All images and videos are the property of millycf1976. This course was in honour of my late dad; a fulfilment and promise to him, and a dream come true for myself. May he continue to rest in Savasana.
A little more about me
My blog frequently features my minimalist lifestyle and adventures while living on my narrowboat.”
Irie love,
Milly
