Insights from a Yoga Teacher Training

In May 2018, the world was blessed with 10 brand new amazing vinyasa yoga teachers as our group scattered around the world. We had spent 21 super intensive days together practicing, teaching and living yoga. At True North Vinyasa, we can bend over backwards (literally, we probably can) to talk about what our 200 hour Vinyasa Teacher Training is all about, but nothing beats a few quotes from the people who were actually there, in Portugal at the wonderful Buddha Retreats in Columbeira in April earlier this year. So let's hear it from the beautiful souls we had the pleasure of spending all that time with. What were their conclusions?

1. "Buddha Retreats was the perfect place with beautiful surroundings and excellent healthy food". Yes it really was. We are so happy to have found this gem of a venue. Embedded in green and lush countryside it offers seclusion, great little walks and a beautiful garden with lots of space. The vegetarian food is healthy, varied and delicious. And we get dessert every night. Our November training will also take place here.   
2. "If people want to get deeper in their own practice but not necessarily want to teach, this program may not be the choice". This is true. Compared to many of our colleagues around the world offering yoga teacher trainings, we spend a lot more time actually teaching each other and creating unique classes from scratch. We also spend a lot of time on the business of yoga and branding/marketing. Many yogis take teacher trainings as a way of deepening their knowledge and practice. If you sign up with us, you'll get all this but we will assume that your heart is set on teaching to some degree. 
3. "I reallly liked that you never said "let's take the afternoon off"". Even though bodies and brains get tired, there is really no space for a day off during our intensive yoga teacher training. We are obliged by the Yoga Alliance to make sure you get your 200 hours, and we take this seriously. Some of these hours are spent on pre-training work. Some we dedicate to self-studies on or off site. But if you do the math, you quickly realise there will be a very limited amount of time off.   
4. "This is a professional, creative and wonderful training course. I am so grateful for the experience". Experience – yes, it really is an experience beyond just a course. From our perspective, we saw people change during this short time. A student who was late for every class the first week suddenly was the first to arrive and the last to leave. A student who thought she was there only for her own practice began to see that she had a gift to share. A student who was in tears after the first sequencing task built confidence, grew into her new role and ultimately gave an incredible final class. 
5. "Experienced and fully committed teachers". Your main teachers at True North Vinyasa are Elin Jensen and Lisa Andersson Rhodiner. Combined we have 17 years of vinyasa teaching experience. During the training we stay onsite at the retreat centre, and we are fully there for our students on and off hours. In addition, we invite talented guest teachers for an added perspective and enhanced experience. 
6. "I thought I knew a lot about yoga...I was so wrong. I can NOW say that I know a lot about yoga and I have tremendous respect for the skills you have to master as a yoga teacher". Many teacher trainees come to this course with years and years of yoga practice under their belts. But once you switch into actually telling others how to lift and arm and place a foot, everything changes. Alignment, voice strength, pace, breath cueing, sequencing – it's a lot to sort out. We have the tools to help you along and three long weeks to get it right. 
7. "I am most inspired by the daily coming to the mat and the creative morning practice every day". As much as we emphasise teaching, the experience of personal growth, both on the mat and off the mat, is unavoidable. Our morning sadhanas are 2 hour classes consisting of meditation, pranayama, vinyasa practice (often with a peak pose or challenge pose that we break down into a workshop element), lots of juicy deep stretching and a long savasana followed by journaling. 

If the details above click with you, check out our upcoming Vinyasa Teacher Training in Portugal (November 5–25 2018). If it still looks like your sort of thing, contact us and let's set up a phone meeting. We'd love to know more about you!