When considering a teacher training program like ours, know that first and foremost, you do not need to want to be a teacher. All you require is an honest desire to know more about yoga and yourself. You will find many treasures and probably a few surprises along the way, and the rewards will be astonishing. You will find a community of like-minded people who also want to know more, and they will become your fellow travelers, walking with you on this road of self-discovery.

The teacher training program at Pilgrimage of the Heart has been initiating students into a deeper understanding of yoga since 2009. Since that time, we have taken hundreds of students on a journey into the depths of yoga, and many of them have chosen to become teachers, taking this knowledge and experience with them into studios and gyms, and serving all manner of populations with the skills they acquire. While this is one intended purpose of a teacher training program, there is another equally important intention: that of transforming oneself through the practice of yoga in its many aspects.

It’s interesting to discover that of the students enrolling in our program, more than half of the candidates have no interest whatsoever in teaching. Why then do these people sign up for a teacher training program? The answer lies in the power of yoga to help us come to know ourselves better not just as physical beings, but also as emotional and spiritual beings. Though we explore yoga through the lens of the teacher, learning how to guide others into the postures and working with teaching principles like learning styles and communication, a large part of the training is experiential. This means that we experience yoga first as practitioners, and second as teachers.

As the training unfolds, our curriculum presents many new ideas and ways of thinking about the world and our place within it. Opportunities for practice are woven throughout the training, so that students experience meditation and postures and breathwork. These experiences are the catalyst for growth and transformation on a personal level, and for many of our students, this is what makes the training so special and valuable. There is a great wave of acceptance that washes over the individuals as they navigate the program, and many of them discover a strength and resilience they didn’t know they possessed. This awakening of their inner world is complemented by the physical work, and students invariably cross the finish line of the program transformed in some way. Whether it’s a newfound acceptance of themselves; the courage to make changes in their lives; or the ability to hold a challenging posture with ease of mind and body, there are inevitable evolutions that occur during our time in training.

Maybe at the end of it all, you will discover within you a desire to share your knowledge and experience in some way, but if you decide to simply shine your brightened light on the world, what could be better than that?

Are you ready for growth? Are you ready for challenge? Are you ready for a compassionate community to share your experiences with? If you are, our teacher training program is for you! Learn more here.