I completely relate to Mary Geibel’s blog post on ‘This Yoga Thing.’ Exposed to asana through a “Power Yoga” video, my sister Amy and I practiced for about fifteen minutes in my parents’ basement…and then lost interest. The video, while physically challenging, was not engaging enough for me to finish, although it did spark my interest enough to take an asana-focused yoga class a few weeks later.
Not knowing what to expect, I attended my first class, and it was love at first posture—asana. The yoga classes I was taking at that point focused on the physical practice. There was little spirituality. Nevertheless, I had a spiritual experience during the asana practice, simply as a result of being guided in community with others.
I felt turned on. The asana practice left me with a different feeling than simple physical exercise (like running or cardio workouts). My spirits felt uplifted, and I pursued further practice. I was on the mat at least six days a week.
Then, six months into practicing, in an effort to deepen that experience, I enrolled in my first yoga teacher training course directed by Indu Bhardwaj at It’s Yoga. I knew there was more to this ‘yoga thing’ beyond what I was learning in classes, so I jumped in. I did not expect it to lead me to teaching. More than anything, I did it for myself. After completing my first yoga teacher training program, to my surprise, I was interested in and started teaching.
I’m not sure how much the students actually learned from me at that time, but I certainly learned how much I did not know…especially when I took classes with teachers that had more experience. Thankfully, I had the opportunity to take some workshops with Doug Swenson when he was in Cincinnati and there I was, just a few months after finishing my 200-hour training experiencing a 300-hour “advanced” training with Doug Swenson. NO, I WAS NOT ADVANCED—by any stretch of the imagination…but that is the point, to advance my teaching and deepen my personal growth, so why put that off?
I honestly wish I could go back and apologize to anyone that took my classes after my first training. No matter how wonderful of an experience my training or any training may be, the reality is that it’s simply not enough. It’s not enough to teach a safe asana class, it’s not enough to establish a consistent meditation practice, and it’s not enough to be a spiritual guide. What is truly is enough? I’m not 100% sure, but I know it is more than what has become the 200/500-hour standard.
In my early years of studying yoga, a structure for ongoing guidance, feedback, and mentorship was not happening for me. I took any workshop or training I was able in order to get solid in my teaching. At that time, I traveled outside of Cincinnati and usually outside of Ohio to connect with different teachers, often in a search for those that also shared my core values as this was and is important for me personally. Today, there are even more opportunities to deepen your study of yoga. This is wonderful and also crucial, especially for those of us that call ourselves a “yoga teacher” as this also implies being a “forever student” … and taking our jobs seriously, no matter how often we are teaching.
One thing I know for sure is that I am still learning….on a day to day basis in my daily life, but also by continuing to take classes, workshops, and trainings. One of the reasons I love having a yoga studio I call hOMe is that it allows me to continue to be a student. One way or another, I find myself in training. Of course, in the early years of World Peace Yoga, this was not necessarily the case, and I was teaching most of the classes and workshops…another reason why it was so crucial early on in my teaching to experience multiple training courses.
Last weekend, another fabulous group completed World Peace Yoga’s Part II, Go Deeper, or in other words, “advanced” teacher training program. It was such an honor to be both a guide and a student in this training. Dedication to a year of spiritual study, introspection, and learning requires courage, inner strength, and a heart for serving others. A journey such as this is not possible if you’re worried about how hard it may be, how long it might take, or other obstacles (there is a way). Each breath and each step is taken moment by moment until reaching the destination. Though finishing this program is certainly not the end of the journey for these yogis, it is something to acknowledge their dedication to see it through. The journey continues…and may it be a deep one filled with passion, purpose, service, gentleness, fierceness, and compassion. And for those reading this, perhaps our paths will cross yet again on the path to yoga.
Anna Ferguson is the co-creator of World Peace Yoga, a style of yoga that inspires peace in action, developing intuition, deepening empathy, and expanding compassion. She is also the author of World Peace Yoga: Yoga for People Who Breathe. You may connect with Anna via Facebook or Instagram.
