Photos below: by @lo.storer from our January YTT… ENJOY!
Footage of Stef teaching her FIRST ever Online Class thru Instagram for Elevation Tribe
Chrissy, taking Stef’s LIVE class thru Instagram.
Now is the Perfect Time to Do Yoga Teacher Training. Here’s Why.
By Stephanie Smith
I’m back y’all! Things have certainly changed since the last time I checked in. Here in the Dominican Republic, like many around the globe, we are on a nationwide quarantine as we struggle to contain the deadly coronavirus that has become a global pandemic. Businesses are closed, people are staying at home, and we are all social distancing. Many people are anxious, scared, and uncertain about the future.
All the more reason to take a yoga teacher training program.
Yes, it’s expensive. And time consuming. But if you’re looking to deepen your practice or understanding of yoga, or wanting to refine your teaching skills, YTT could be a great option for you--particularly now when you may have more time on your hands. If YTT is something you’ve been on the fence about, I’m going to walk you through my decision to pursue my 300 hour YTT with Rise + Vibe while under quarantine this spring. These are questions I asked myself (and my husband) many times, but came to the same answer each time: no time like the present!
I’m more anxious than ever, and could use my time at home to deepen my practice.
“Deepening your practice” is why many people pursue a YTT especially if they have no intention to teach—that was my main reason to take YTT last April with Chrissy. Additionally, my mental state back then after moving to DR was similar to how many may be feeling during the current global crisis: anxious and stressed. Yoga is a great way to manage both, and a YTT will give you a deep dive into how the physical, mental and breathwork aspects of the practice impact your body.
I have always wanted to do a YTT, but never had the time.
Well, you certainly do now! Social distancing measures and international quarantines mean everyone is at home (or at least, home more often). Why not use your time in your house to pursue training?
I’ve wanted to do a YTT, but there wasn’t a program offered when and where it was convenient for me.
Due to the current social distancing guidelines issued worldwide for people to avoid crowds and close contact with others to stop the spread of COVID-19, yoga instructors are now encouraged to teach their classes, and their teacher trainings, online. That means you can do your YTT in the comfort of your home and those hours will in fact be recognized by Yoga Alliance towards your certification. Rise + Vibe has begun offering a YTT training online beginning next month, which I have signed up for (whoop whoop!). For more information, check out their training page.
I’m already a 200HR RYT, and have been considering a 300HR YTT. But with the world shut down and every yoga teacher I know teaching online, do I really need to continue my training at this time?
This was my personal dilemma. I had always assumed that I would do the 500HR when I was ready to host my own retreats or create my own kids yoga teaching program. But at a time when my income from yoga has been decimated and no one is traveling for yoga retreats, was now the time to invest in even more training hours?
I have decided to pursue my 500HR because I believe once the international economy is back up and running, people will want to travel again. Until they do, they’ll need yoga more than ever to help them cope with the uncertainty and anxiety of living life during a global pandemic. My desire to run retreats and create my own kids program hasn’t changed, and now, the method in which to earn my advanced certification just became more convenient. So why not go for it?
If you’re on the fence about your training, consider your purpose of taking a YTT. Ask yourself why have you always wanted to pursue a yoga teacher training program. Then, consider if that “why” would still hold up after the coronavirus crisis is over, or at least until social distancing norms ease up enough so the public can travel or gather in studios and public places once again.
I’m excited to dive deep into my practice during this time. Yoga has saved me during other challenging times, and it will help me be mentally stronger for myself and my family through this current COVID-19 situation. If you’ve ever considered a YTT, I encourage you to look into one now while it’s possible to pursue training online. But of course, if you want to just find a yoga instructor you like, follow their online classes while you work from home and binge watch Netflix during your social distancing, that’s a perfectly fine plan, too.
Namaste, whichever path you choose.
Xo