HOW TEACHER TRAINING HELPED ME FIND MY PURPOSE BY GUEST BLOGGER JANEEN HEINMAN
OCTOBER 5, 2010. On October 13th we start our 9th teacher training study group! I know I can't believe it either. Wow! I've seen so many amazing breakthroughs and incredible growth as a result of facilitating these trainings. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of previous trainees and send them love and gratitude for they have served as my teachers as much as I have been their teacher. And I have been deeply honored to see them all grow in discovering their Dharma, their purpose.
It's such a simple question: Why are you here? Or let me put it like this, What do you want to be when you grow up?
If you want to study yourself, then our program is for you. Enjoy this perspective from one of our 2009-2010 Graduates. Love in all ways, Silvia
How Teacher Training Helped me Find my Purpose By Guest Blogger Janeen Heinman
Last fall I took the 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training at Total Body Yoga. I had only been a student of yoga for 2 ½ years when I signed up for the program, so I was a virtual beginner. But for me, yoga had opened up so much. My health was better, my attitude and anxiety improved, and I was more relaxed. I felt like I had found something totally real. I spent time reading books about yoga, taking workshops and classes, but there was still so much I didn’t know. I enrolled in Silvia’s program to expand my knowledge, but I didn’t have a solid idea of what I wanted to do when I finished.
We learned a lot right away in the training, including asanas and how to teach them, yoga history and philosophy and some basics of Ayurveda. I learned a lot for myself, but even more so, I wanted to share what I was learning. After all, who couldn’t benefit from practices like a full three-part breath, or viparita karani? I tend to get anxious when speaking in front of groups, but the training program was a really safe place to practice. I worked on finding my voice, which in turn led me to discover my purpose.
Through the Yoga Teacher Training, I was able to look honestly at some dissatisfaction I had with my career in psychiatry. I realized I was not offering my patients enough, in my mind, to truly become well. Yoga was the next step. My goal now is to incorporate yoga into my career by offering people tools to help themselves . The training helped me open to possibility and realize I don’t have to follow the beaten path, but I can chart a new course!
I am only in the early stages of developing my new job description, but I believe the teacher training started me on this path. The practice itself keeps me open to grace, and I have enjoyed unbelievable support from my colleagues and peers so far. I was stagnant, knowing I was not fulfilling my true purpose professionally, but fear held me back for a long time. The teacher training program forced me to look inward, and that practice of self-study has led me to something totally new. I don’t believe I would have come to this turning point without the support and guidance of my teacher, Silvia, and my fellow trainees.
Namaste!