The magic of union and sharing yoga
When people ask me how I came to yoga, I reply that it wasn’t something I found.
It’s very simple. Yoga found me.
My yoga story
As the saying goes ‘when the student is ready, the teacher will appear’. I had dipped in and out of many classes over the years and can even remember buying a book on sun salutations in 1997 when I was travelling, and practicing on the roof tops of hostels. However, it wasn’t until I embarked on my 200hr yoga teacher training, almost 10 years ago, that I realised the full depth and breadth the life changing philosophy of yoga had to offer and the inner shifts and energetic affects it offers. It enabled me to make sense of my spiritual self like never before, even though I had been knocking on the door of spirituality and reading related books my entire life.
What I didn’t realise at that time, thanks to my old friend ‘denial’, was that I was in the midst of a marriage breakdown that would bring with it the most difficult challenges I have faced in my life to date. Yoga gave me something to get out of bed for every morning, it gave me inner strength and self-belief to navigate the uncertainties and fear, and it also gave me a platform within which to practice non attachment, non-reaction, non-comparison and to tune into my inner being for guidance. This marked the beginning of my transformation, the start of my awakening – to who I REALLY am.
I can distinctly remember one of the many assurances that yoga offered me at that time. I knew that whatever happened, I could tune into my own inner being for support, love and light. But also, that I would ALWAYS have a community; a family of like-minded people that, no matter what my future held, I would be able to tap into for love, support and connection. I knew that I could go anywhere in the world and do a retreat, a teacher training, a workshop or join an ecstatic dance group and I would feel welcome and ‘at home’.
I have also become so much more comfortable with ‘being’ on my own. And this feels liberating.
Finding community through yoga
” The sangha is a community where there should be love and peace and understanding. That is something that is created by our daily life together. If love is there in the community, if we’ve been nourished by the harmony in the community, then we will never move away from love. “
Thích Nhất Hạnh
When I was delivering the pre and post-natal teacher training just a few weeks ago, one of the students said to me “I feel like I’ve struck gold finding you!”.
She had re-located to Brighton from Australia just 5 months prior, and hadn’t yet found a regular class or yoga community here to tap into. I was quite taken aback. It was a lovely comment to receive, however, of all the numerous yoga studios in Brighton I was surprised that my small course gave her so much in terms of connection and community. Yet perhaps it was the small group, personable energy that helped to make it so intimate and special. We really did connect as a group and have since met at weekly classes and this particular person is also joining my retreat at the end of September. Another graduate on the course and I are making travel plans next year!
This is how we make connections.
It is a true blessing to be able to share the transformative nature of yoga with others during the teacher training courses. It is always an honour to see the growth in students from a self-development as well as professional perspective. The recent yoga teacher training course was no different. Here is an excerpt from someone in the group who e-mailed me the day after I wrote this blog. I thought I would include it as it seems so fitting!
This lovely e-mail captures the healing potential of Yoga beautifully:
“Yes, thanks, I am more than fine, to be fair I feel better than ever! Definitely more happened to me on this course that I thought I signed up for – but how great is that! I realised on the course that this journey – for me to do this course – started much longer ago, around almost 20 years ago – and also got some clarity on how many internal and external reasons were holding me back. After long years of feeling lost in different countries, different jobs, for the first time in my life I feel like I am doing something that’s truly me. Liberating!
There were shifts especially when I went to Kundalini on Monday after the teacher weekends – that also showed me the importance of longer and ongoing practises. I wish I could go away now for a 10-day silent retreat 🙂 – but it will happen once the kids are older.
I had multiple emotional shifts, gained some inner strength, set boundaries, had some unexpected experience with prana and understood a lot of my childhood conditioning – but all with love and acceptance, in a non-judging way.
I don’t know if all your teacher groups are like this but it feels like we had such an exceptional group of people (an exceptional amount of tears too 🙂 ) and such a great energy together – and I am sure every one of us had a deeper journey than expected. It has to do something with you too, how you held the space for all of us and how you shared your personal experience too; not just knowledge of philosophy, anatomy and asana”
This is what I love about teaching yoga. We don’t know where it will take us.
We meet like-minded people through sharing what we love and what moves and evolves us and through doing this, we expand our own possibilities and horizons. Opportunities to collaborate can arise, and no matter how many teachers there are, I am always DELIGHTED to see how quickly harmonise graduates ‘find their tribe’ and are teaching through their networks.
Through spreading the transformative nature and authentic teachings of yoga with as many people as possible, I believe we really can make a difference not only to the hearts, minds and lives of individuals and their loved ones, but also to society on a wider scale. One by one, we ARE making a difference.
What makes Yoga Teacher Training with Harmonise so unique?
At Harmonise, we want to grow and expand the yoga community far and wide, and make it as accessible as possible. This is why our 200hr yoga teacher training focuses on how to break down all of the asanas and teaches students to use the language of embodiment so that students become empowered through their practice. It is also why we are now offering grants to aspiring yoga teachers as well as payment plans.
As I evolve further along my journey, so too has the way I deliver the teacher training course.
Who the Harmonise teacher training course would suit:
- Anyone who is interested in teaching accessible Hatha and Vinyasa Flow classes to the wider community
- Anyone who would like to teach in an embodied way – encouraging students to be present in their bodies during a yoga class
- Anyone who would like to be able to offer their students suitable modifications and options, to meet the individual needs of their students
- Anyone who would like to encourage self-enquiry throughout a class, so that students can begin to decide what feels good to them in their own bodies so that they become empowered
- Anyone who is interested in fully appreciating the link between the physical body, breath body, mental body, emotional body and spiritual body and how we can bring these understandings into classes to benefit our students on all levels for physical, emotional and spiritual well being and an enhanced sense of ‘self’
- Anyone who is interested in adding some somatic movements into their classes
- Anyone looking to teach in an integrative way, from a fascial perspective
- Anyone who is keen to teach through a trauma sensitive lens
- Anyone who would like to feel that their yoga teacher training is a true inner journey and transformational experience as well as learning one that increases knowledge. We believe our small group courses with one main teacher really helps to foster a sense of group connection as it allows for deeper relationships and energetic bonding. With multiple guest teachers we feel this sense of a ‘shared experience’ and ‘supportive community’ can be diluted.
- Anyone who would like to progress onto or specialise in teaching Yin yoga, Yoga Nidra, Meditation & Pranayama, Somatic yoga, Yoga for fascial release, Trauma-informed yoga, Yoga philosophy, Pre and Post-natal yoga and Yoga for older adults, common health conditions, back care, chair and wall yoga.
Who the Harmonise teacher training course may not suit:
Whilst we cover and break down all of the key asana, our 200hr teacher training may not be a good fit for you if:
- You are looking to specialise in teaching advanced, high paced vinyasa with advanced transitions:
We focus more on a mindful and embodied approach fostering self-awareness and presence whilst still incorporating strength, resilience and breath synchronicity. This course would still provide a great foundation for you to be able to modify in an advanced class and tailor your classes to meet your student’s needs. From my experience, there aren’t very many advanced practitioners – most people are looking for a class they feel comfortable attending. And this is why I feel it’s important for an initial 200hr teacher training to teach from the basics up – you can always advance your classes, however, if you only learn to teach advanced postures, you won’t be able to fully understand how to modify, or amend the pace of a class to suit all levels.
- You plan to teach ‘fitness’ type yoga, or ‘power yoga’ that is faster paced and choreographed to music, then we may not be the best fit for you:
You can still add playlists to your classes if you choose to, and many of our graduates do, however, we also weave in yoga philosophy and embodiment into our yoga teachings, in a very relatable and accessible way, to give students time to experience each pose and to make the classes as authentic as possible.
- You want to join an ‘attendance only’ type of course, where there is no accountability or assessments:
We believe it is imperative for the learning process to have goals and deadlines to work towards to assist your growing and learning. We make this as accessible and admin friendly as possible, without any undue pressure and you will have teaching practice and feedback each weekend we meet. The increase in confidence I see in people from this is incredible and part of the process is stepping outside of your comfort zone, receiving support and encouragement from fellow students and teachers, and then appreciating the rewarding feeling of a great sense of achievement.
- You are looking for an online training:
Whilst Zoom was a great back up, we believe that the interpersonal relationships, observational skills, body language, group dynamics and energy can’t be replicated – the community vibe is far stronger in person, especially for an initial 200hr teacher training. We have our entire course recorded online for you to re visit as often as you like so you can refer back once you have attended the face-to-face weekends.
- You would like to learn a set sequence of postures:
On our training course, you will break down 84 Asana, and learn lots of variations and modifications, as well as numerous additional preparations and we then teach you how to be creative and sequence intelligent classes that make sense from an anatomical perspective so that you will be confident in designing classes that are fluid and friendly to the human body and mind. That doesn’t mean to say you couldn’t take inspiration from set sequences, however, there are limitless possibilities in terms of sequencing and what is crucial is that you have an intention and purpose for any sequence you create. If you learn a set sequence, we believe that this will limit you as a teacher moving forwards. Eventually, you can create from your intuition, according to what you notice and observe in the room, in the present moment! Now that’s powerful!
How you can share the magic of yoga…
If you are interested in learning more about our Yoga teacher training course, whether that’s for self-development, to connect with like-minded people or to learn to teach and share what you love with the wider community, then please join us on our next FREE open day on Sunday 11th June.
Can’t make the 11th June? Email clare@harmonisetrainingacademy.com to arrange a 1:1 video call.
Do you know anyone who is considering embarking on their 200hr yoga teacher training journey and becoming part of this beautiful and life affirming community?
Did you know that we offer a £100 Harmonise gift voucher if you recommend our yoga or pilates teaching training course to anyone who signs up.
This can be used for any workshop, CPD course or retreat!*
And whether you’re looking to become a teacher or would just like to come and take part in a class with myself or say hi, then please come and see us at the Brighton Yoga Festival on Sunday 22nd July
*Ts & Cs: Voucher issued once the course has been paid for in full. Simply e-mail clare@harmonisetrainingacademy.com to notify her who you referred and ensure they write your name on the registration form.
Article by: Clare Francis
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