The magic of union and sharing yoga

5th June 2023

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:

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:

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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