Why Choosing a Yoga Teacher Training is like Choosing a Tattoo Artist

A lot of people don't know this about me, but I trained and worked as a tattoo artist for several years in my early twenties. After a few years I decided giving tattoos was not my dharma and I should leave it to those who are really passionate about it. In addition to learning what I did not want to do, and that I could try something and then let it go,  I learned a few other things through this experience. One thing I learned is that many people think that tattoo artists are pretty much all the same and you can go to any tattoo artist to get the tattoo you want. But all tattoo artists are not created equal. Of course, a tattoo artist, like any artist, has their own style. They've been through unique experiences, training, they have their own culture, personal history, and resonance with certain styles and aesthetics. Good tattoo artists have not just crisp, clean lines, but also a unique approach and technique that they've honed through years of practice and preference. If you want something special and creative put on your body in literally indelible ink that will last the rest of your life, you probably want to do some research into the style you like and find an artist whose work you love and whose style and personality you resonate with.

Around my tattoo artist period was also the time I got serious about yoga and took my first yoga teacher training. I chose a training primarily because it fit with my schedule and budget and was in a location that was convenient for me. I found out later on that just like tattoo artists, all yoga teacher trainings are not created equal. There are a vast variety of yoga teacher trainings available to choose from. I feel very fortunate that despite choosing my first 200-hour training without much consideration, I found myself in a very comprehensive program with a strong lineage that started me out with a well-rounded base of understanding and technique. However, as the years progressed, I started to realize the style of yoga I was really drawn to and resonated with was quite different from the style I trained in. I love organic, intuitive flowing movement combined with practices of reverence, chanting, and meditation. This is why about 7 years subsequent to my first training, I did a second 200-hour training in Prana Vinyasa, which is still the kind of yoga I most resonate with and suits my personality and needs.

Just like seeing people with poorly done tattoos, or tat choices that people later regret, I have also heard many expressions of disappointment from friends and aquaintances about their yoga teacher training experience. So now when someone asks me about choosing a yoga teacher training, I really try to impress upon them the importance of taking the time to learn what you resonate with, and then find a training that suits you. This starts with taking classes from a lot of different teachers until you really know what feels good to you, and what you don't really connect with.

Additionally, here are some important questions to consider when choosing a training:

Who are the teachers and what are their accreditations?

In addition to finding a style that you resonate with, make sure you specifically resonate well with the main trainer or trainers. Even within one style of yoga, you'll find a broad array of nuances depending on the teacher. For example, I LOVE Prana Vinyasa, but there are certain Prana vinyasa teachers I truly love to take classes from, and some that I just don't have the same kind of personal connection with.  And, in addition to resonating with their style of being and style of teaching, it's a good idea to look into what kind of and how much teaching experience the trainers have and what trainings they've taken.

What is the program's lineage?

If you find you like a style or a teacher, it may be important to ask about their lineage. Remember that yoga comes from India and has been passed down through many different lineages as well as has evolved along the way. If you want to learn in a way that honors yoga's roots and pays reverence to the teachers and modalities it comes from, make sure the training you are considering has a culture of honoring these roots.

 

What is the Content and Focus?

It's important to look for the content and teaching objectives intended for your training. If the website does not list many, or you ask and don't get much of an answer, this is probably not a good sign. A teacher training that lacks a well-thought out plan and structure could prove to be very disappointing. It doesn't take THAT much to be accredited as a yoga teacher trainer, to be honest, although gratefully the standards were recently reviewed and updated and so yoga teacher trainings approved by Yoga Alliance are now subject to stricter standards. Also, the content and focus of various yoga teacher trainings varies widely. Some trainings are very alignment based and spend a lot of time in teaching anatomy and very specific postural techniques. Some trainings are very workout focused and spend a lot of time on the physical practice but not much time on the many other facets of yoga such as philosophy, mantra, lifestyle, meditation, or pranayama. Some trainings focus on a very specific set of postures that the teacher is trained to teach in every class without variation, other trainings have varying degrees of creativity. Some trainings have a very particular focus, such as yin, ashtanga, kids yoga, restorative, prenatal, trauma informed, and more.

 

What is the format? 

Are the 200 hours done all at once in a 3 week immersion? Or are they spread out across weeks or months? Having experienced both types, I can say that neither is better, but there are things to keep in mind about each. The immersive experience is life changing in its own way, because you get to take 3 weeks away from your usual responsibilities and habits and practice living the yoga lifestyle in a very structured way, doing yoga and meditation all day, getting up early, going to bed early, probably being fed a very healthy vegetarian diet, being surrounded by people who are all on a very high frequency with similar intentions as you. It can work well for some people who don't have major work responsibilities or young children at home, and it can be an amazing way to break some bad habits and start new ones.  In my experience I felt absolutely amazing afterwards, living on a high that lasted for a couple weeks after the training but slowly diffused as I entered the real world and lost a lot of the habits I'd been practicing during the training.  In contrast, my second training experience was spread out over 6 months, one long weekend a month. I realized during this experience the benefit of having time to practice and integrate the knowledge I was gaining. It is pretty challenging to retain a ton of new information when taken in a short amount of time, unless you have an absolutely incredible memory. I found the 6-month format to have a more lasting impact on my habits, my lifestyle, and my knowledge and understanding of the many facets of yoga. For a lot of people with regular daily work and family commitments, this format is a lot more accessible too, plus usually, you can work out a payment plan spread out over the months of the training rather than pay all at once for the 3-week immersion.

Is it Yoga Alliance approved?

 I mentioned before about what it takes for a yoga school or teacher trainer to be accredited. I was referring to the most well-known and generally well-respected governing body for yoga teacher trainings at least in America, Yoga Alliance. Although it's a free world and anyone could offer YTT without Yoga Alliance accreditation, if you are thinking about teaching in a yoga studio after graduation, yoga studios these days will probably want to see that your training is approved by Yoga Alliance because they will know that there has been some oversight into the content and structure of your training that they can trust.  I am aware that there are other organizations accrediting yoga teacher trainings, but as far as 200-hour trainings go Yoga Alliance is definitely the most well known and generally most well thought of.

Is it in person or online?

This question is one I can hardly believe I have to include because I personally have a major issue with online yoga teacher training. Yes it has been done, and some people who lead them or who have done them give them good reviews, but to me it’s obvious that trying to learn to teach yoga on a computer is ridiculous. Yoga is such a nuanced, energetic, sensitive practice, meant to reconnect us to what is true and real. Spending hours and hours in front of screen, without any physical connection with your teacher, any physical feedback for adjusting your or your student's posture, just lacks so much depth. Not to mention, one of the most beautiful parts of a yoga teacher training are the friendships you make with your classmates and personal relationship you develop with your teachers, which is naturally going to be so constrained in an online-only program. Granted, during the pandemic, many people had to make do with online events because it was the only way most people could connect, but I am truly hoping that this temporary solution dissolves and we get back to real, live, community-oriented connection with each other.

How many students?

A final point I'd like to make is considering the size of your training group. A huge class size means less connection with your teachers, less time to get your questions answered, and less chance of having your teachers give you personal feedback.  Large group events also make it generally harder to maintain a relaxed, balanced nervous system state, ideal for retaining information, forming connections, and staying vital and healthy. Personally I like to keep my trainings to 14 or less for these reasons.

So hopefully you have some good points to ponder and keep in mind if you are now or find yourself in the future looking into become a yoga teacher and choosing a yoga teacher training. I highly recommend yoga teacher training for anyone who is interested in deepening their practice and experience of the yoga lifestyle, whether it is with the intention to teach or simply for deep personal transformation. I'm currently gearing up to lead a 200 hour Prana Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training from April to October, 2022, and I highly suggest anyone who considers joining it take classes with me and or have a conversation with me to really make sure that this particular training is right for them. I don't recommend it for everyone and I celebrate the diverse array of people and training options out there. If I honestly feel like a person would be better suited to a different type of training, I will tell them that and make another suggestion for them. I want the people who join my trainings to be truly happy they did because this style, this format, my presence and the presence of my guest teachers really resonates with them and their values. So if you are interested please reach out and let me know and let's talk!

Thanks for reading! Sending you blessings for health and abundance and peace on this beautiful fall day.

Some Thoughts on self-Love

“To err is human. To forgive is divine.”

~Alexander Pope

I consider myself a pretty aware person and I have strong intentions to be kind, compassionate, humble, and connected. But I make mistakes all the time. Sometimes I yell at my kid. I can be a brat to my beloved mom. I procrastinate. I show up late. I take things personally and act defensively. It sometimes seems like I mess up more now than I did when I was younger. But the truth is, I’m much more aware of myself now, and so I’m more acutely aware of my faults.

The path of self-awareness is profound but it can also be harsh. A friend recently brought up the idea of the “curse of wokeness”. Let me get one thing straight: I really don’t like the term “woke”. It irritates me. But I am a part of a culture of people who are trying to become more fully present with ourselves, our world, and our true nature. And I’ve noticed a common thread amongst us: we’re more aware of both our shadows and gifts, and more willing to own up to our darkness, as well as our greatness. The challenge of self-awareness is when its shadow side emerges: self-consciousness, and the frustration at not yet being fully self-realized, connected, and awake.

Buddhist teacher Christina Feldman says, “It can seem that being aware and opening our hearts to sorrow makes us suffer more. It is true that awareness brings with it an increased sensitivity to our inner and outer worlds. Awareness opens our hearts and minds to a world of pain and distress that previously only glanced off the surface of consciousness.” At first glance, this passage seems to refer to the extreme suffering of the vast amount of people who are in the throws of war, marginalization, or poverty. But I know she means the everyday sorrows too, the heartbreaks, the arguments with our loved ones, the mistakes we make, the frustrations and disappointments we all face. Because suffering has no hierarchy, and so neither should compassion. “Compassion listens to the cries of the world, and we are part of that world.”

A challenge on the path of awareness is the tendency to develop compassion for people who we perceive as suffering, and yet not extend the same compassion to ourselves. According to Feldman, the Buddha once said that you could search the world and not find any person more deserving of your love and compassion than yourself. And yet, in my experience, it is hardest to practice self-compassion, especially when we make mistakes.

As Alexander Pope famously said, “To err is human. To forgive is divine.” Forgiveness is born of compassion. We forgive our children for their mistakes because of our clear understanding that they are learning and growing and bound to make mistakes as they do. But at some point as adults we start to believe we should have learned all the lessons by now, and are hard on ourselves when we repeat old patterns. We don’t tend to give ourselves the same leeway we would a child, or even another adult.

I’ve noticed this in myself quite a bit this year, after the stresses that 2020 brought. The most important practice I have right now is not deepening my backbends, or strengthening my glutes (though my daily embodiment practice IS essential to my body, mind, and soul). The practice that is changing my life is self-empathy. The most profound practice I’ve been cultivating is speaking positive affirmations to myself. The other day I spent my entire 30-minute drive telling myself, “I deserve” and “I am worthy of”, followed by all the things I know EVERYONE deserves, such as love from my family, kindness, forgiveness, respect, safety, peace, clean water, a comfortable home, pure air, leaders who look out for my best interest... Some of them were hard to say, and some even made me cry. I highly recommend you try it!

Thank you for reading this. I wonder if you resonate with this. If you also need to practice more compassion for yourself, if you sometimes don’t think you deserve all the love in the world, if you are sometimes critical of yourself and self-conscious about your mistakes… I see you. You are human. And you are divine. We all make mistakes. But the wisdom teachings tell us that our true nature is divine. If we are truly to believe this, then we must learn to forgive ourselves for our faults, and truly give ourselves the love that is our birthright. Only by truly offering ourselves this absolute compassion, can we truly connect with, and offer unconditional love, to others.

Cucumber-Mint Ayurvedic Gatorade

Summer temps call for electrolyte replacement. I made this delicious summer elixir recently for my Yoga Teacher Trainees and it was a hit! It’s a cooling mix of sweet, salty, and tangy. All the ingredients are fresh, natural, and easy to pronounce. The salts and citrus replace essential trace minerals lost due to sweat, the cucumber and mint cool the body, and the light amount of sugar keeps blood sugar in check on hot, active, summer days.

Ingredients for 1 Gallon Cucumber-Mint Ayurvedic Gatorade, or shall we say Vetorade (:

Bunch of fresh mint, rinsed and gently massaged

1/2 thinly sliced cucumber (no need to peel)

Juice from 1 fresh squeezed lemon or lime

About 1 teaspoon of good quality salt such Himalayan pink or Utah Real Salt

Cane sugar, coconut sugar or agave syrup to taste

Filtered water

Add all ingredients to a pitcher and stir well until sugar and salt are dissolved. Amounts are loose, mix and add until it tastes just right!

Optional: Be an Ayurveda rebel and add a bit of ice!

One last thing: My mom had the brilliant idea to blend the leftovers into a tasty smoothie!

Easy Summer Carrot Coconut Soup

This super easy-to-make Coconut Carrot Soup is one of my favorite things to eat and make! It’s sweet and tangy, super digestible, and feels so nourishing. It’s kid-approved too; my son loves it and asks for more!

Ingredients:

About 3 (loose) cups of very roughly chopped fresh carrots

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped (you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger if necessary but fresh is better!)

1 tablespoon bullion (your choice veggie or chicken)

1 can coconut milk

1/2 cup orange juice (Substitute 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon sugar or agave if no orange juice)

For serving: Soft goat cheese , squeeze of lime, and sourdough bread

Instructions:

Start by placing carrots and ginger in a large heavy bottomed pan.

Add water to just cover and bring to a boil. Add the bullion. Cover and turn down to medium heat for about 15-20 minutes or until carrots are soft enough to pierce with a fork.

 Turn off heat and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Then pour into a blender (do it in parts if it all doesn't fit with a little room to spare). Add can of coconut milk and blend, starting low and progressing to high until it's smooth.

Serve with some goat cheese , a squeeze of lime, and some sliced sourdough bread. Enjoy!

Easy Homemade Guilt Free Cacao Treats

Who’s got a sweet tooth? I do I do! If there’s one thing I’m known to overindulge in, it’s chocolate. I started making these homemade chocolates a while ago to reduce packaging, moderate the sugar level and other unnecessary additions, and add superfoods to make my chocolate habit more healthy. They give me a boost of energy, and I feel good sharing with my son. You can customize these with all sorts of goodies, like fruit, nuts, and spices! They’re so easy to make:

Warm 1 cup Coconut oil OR Cacao butter until just melted

Pour in the blender and blend with roughly: 1/2 cup cacao powder, 1/3 cup honey, and a dash of sea salt. (I love to add Sarvaa Superfoods Chocolate Plus Powder, which is chock full of nutritious superfoods.) Amounts are loose, have fun!

Pour it either into chocolate molds or simply onto a small tray covered with wax paper. At this point you can add other things like crumbled nuts, sea salt, or additional spices, such as cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg. Stick it in the fridge or freezer to harden. Enjoy cold. (OR- pour into a glass jar and keep in the cupboard to use by the spoonful or as homemade chocolate sauce! :)

Yoga while Pregnant???

It’s springtime and I’m seeing lots of new life ready to sprout!

I often get questions from students regarding practicing yoga while pregnant. Is it safe? What modifications should be made? Should pregnant women stop practicing inversions? Are backbends ok? I’ve seen a lot of pregnant goddesses who are confident in coming to class and making their own modifications. On the other hand, I’ve seen pregnant women who are afraid to do any exercise, let alone a yoga class. I’d like to address some important questions and concerns on this matter, because truly, pregnant women can benefit immensely from yoga. Here’s why:

• Pregnant women need to be physically and mentally strong for the labor of delivery and for the challenging time afterwards of caring for a newborn while recovering from birth.

• Yoga can help ease aches and pains that arise in the body due to the weight of carrying a baby and the internal physical changes caused by pregnancy.

• Flexibility, especially of the hips and back, can aid a mother during childbirth.

• Developing calm and focus can help ease the anxiety of approaching birth, and prepare her for the challenging time of delivery and post-natal care.

• Meditation to connect mother to baby is very enriching for both and paves the way for a good connection after birth.

While it is very beneficial to practice yoga while with child, there ARE some important considerations a pregnant woman should keep in mind for comfort and safety:

• First of all, a pregnant mama should ALWAYS listen to her body above all. This means approaching everything with care, observing what feels good, and noticing any signs saying to back off.

• It’s best to take her stance a little wider than hips distance to accommodate her growing belly in all standing poses

• After the first trimester, she should avoid lying on her stomach. Alternatives include hands and knees, child's pose, and anahatasana (heart chakra or puppy pose).

• Pregnant women should avoid deep core work like crunches and navasana (boat pose). Instead, stick to gentle core work such as cat/cow and downward dog. The idea is to open the belly and make more space for baby.

• Deep twists are a no-no. Instead, keep the body open. Examples: in a deep bound twist such as ardha matsendrasana, twist the opposite way as the rest of class, or twist in a regular cross legged position with hand on same knee. Instead of parvritta trikonasana (twisted triangle), or parvritta parsvakonasana (twisted side angle), skip the twist and practice trikonasana or parsvakonasana. Side bends are great alternative to twists!

• Balance gets trickier as pregnancy progresses: remember one can always use a wall for support, and focus on grounding into the feet.

• Arm balances are not generally recommended. A great alternative is malasana which is perfect for opening the hips and pelvis and letting the belly soften.

• Backbends and inversions depend on the woman. If she has been practicing during and before her pregnancy, she might feel safe and comfortable practicing them up to a point. Many women's bodies will tell them to avoid big backbends and inversions, especially as the pregnancy progresses. Listen. Just because you CAN do something, should you? When in doubt, don’t.

• In the later stages of pregnancy, a woman will probably want to avoid lying on her back because of the discomfort of the weight on her organs and the potential for the inferior vena cava to be compressed. Alternatives include sitting in meditation, lying on a bolster with blocks under it during shavasana, or leaning on a bolster against the wall.

In conclusion, yoga + pregnancy = YES!! There are plenty of wonderful resources out there for prenatal-specific yoga including classes, books, and online videos. If you are pregnant and interested in joining my upcoming classes or in scheduling private sessions, please reach out!

P.S. The photo above was from when I was pregnant with my son Leo, in 2016. So no, I am not expecting again, just to clear up any confusion. (:

Ayurveda and Yoga

Ayurveda is yoga’s sister science… you’ve probably heard this before if you and I are connected. What does this mean? And, why should you care? As a yoga practitioner, how can ayurveda support your path?

The true meaning of yoga is union. For earnest practitioners, yoga is a life path in which the aim is to bring the body, mind, and spirit into harmony to find ultimate freedom. A key phrase often heard in the yoga world is “yoga is the science of Self-realization.” A yogi is dedicated to a path of bringing her body and mind into an optimal state through many practices, such as asana, pranayama, meditation, reflection and restorative practices, in order to realize her highest potential. But with such a huge plethora of yoga offerings available to us, especially in this digital age, how can a person know which practices to take on as her own?

This is where Ayurveda comes in. Ayurveda, meaning knowledge of life, is a holistic healing modality and science that aims to bring balance and vitality to an individual through an understanding of how he or she relates to the greater world. A key phrase that’s often repeated in the world of ayurveda is “the microcosm is a reflection of the macrocosm”, meaning our body and mind reflect the world around us, from the cosmic level to the day to day elements that we ingest through our mouth and senses. Ayurveda understands the world and individuals through the lens of the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether. Each person is influenced by a unique combination of the elements which creates the person’s mind-body constitution, known as a dosha.

Because every individual has a distinct dosha, and because that dosha is constantly being knocked out of balance by the ebbs and flows and storms of life, each person’s ideal yogic practices will be unique to her, and evolve each day and each season. Understanding yourself through the lens of Ayurveda profoundly acquaints you with your body and mind’s needs, helping you choose not only what kind of yoga to practice, but what to eat, what to do, and how to take care of yourself in each moment.

I’ve been interested in ayurveda since my first yoga teacher training almost 13 years ago, and that interest has blossomed into a passion. I recently completed a 300 hour Ayurveda Wellness Coach certification through the Shakti School. It was so exciting to dive deeper into ayurveda than ever before. I’m now available for one on one ayurvedic wellness consultations!

And, I have more exciting news: I am about to start a 3 year Master’s of Science degree program in Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine through the Maharishi International University, the school where my mentor Amita Nathwani graduated!

I look forward to expanding and grounding my understanding of the ancient and evolving science. My goal is to bring this healing knowledge to my family, friends, and community a practitioner.

Between being mom to a 4 year old, pursuing my master’s degree, and leading a 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training, this is going to be a busy year! I plan to share tidbits of what I’m learning as a I go along. Thanks for being a part of my journey. I’m grateful for our connection and thankful you are reading my message. I’d love to hear from you!

P.S. I got a short new hairstyle! Head to my Instagram or Facebook page if you want to see my new do!

P.S.S. I’ve been getting asked a lot about live yoga classes. I’ve taken a break this winter but plan to start teaching outdoor classes again from April to October. Keep your Wednesday evenings from 5:30-6:45PM open if you want to join!