Steps To Reintegrate Into Your Life After A Yoga Teacher Training
Congratulations. You’ve completed your 200hr Yoga Teacher Training!!!
Now what? Leaving the shiny bright community of your yoga teacher training is likely filled with excitement, inspiration and anticipation of all that you can create on the path that lies ahead of you.
You’ve just learnt about the 3 Gunas during your training, and hopefully you’re beginning to understand that all 3 Gunas are necessary for balance in this life. Tamas is slow, steady, restful and reflective, and likely what your body is calling for right now!
Take the period following your training as an opportunity to nourish yourself. In the first few days after your training release the pressure of productivity and embrace the noble art of taking care of yourself.
Your friends, family and loved ones are probably very eager to hear all about your training, your time overseas and everything in between.
When it comes to sharing your experience, consider your experience sacred. Not everyone is going to understand how this training and process has changed you, or they may not be as open to the idea of spiritual growth. However, it’s likely that they will see the healing effect of this change and growth within you. Your own spiritual growth may even begin to spark the growth in others!
Hold the experience of your training close to your heart and stay in contact with your training family, facilitators & the extended SYI family!
These are essential tools for maintaining your own well being in those first few days.
During your training you would have enjoyed some delicious and nutritious vegetarian meals. Returning home it’s easy to fall into old patterns of processed foods, fast food, caffeine & alcohol. While sometimes it’s important to feed the soul in this way - what the Swedish call Fika! Perhaps you can find a balance and start experimenting in the kitchen with vegetarian cooking, or perhaps you switch to decaf.
Many of us are not very good at ‘doing nothing’. We often struggle with not feeling productive if by the end of the day we haven’t crossed off a mighty to-do list only to refill it with an ever growing list of tasks and goals. Try to step back from the doing, allow yourself time to assimilate all that you’ve learned and to integrate the profound changes that will lead you forward in time.
Come back to your breath. Often the travels back require us to jump into a state of problem-solving and quick decision-making, maintaining your sense of present-moment awareness by focusing on your breath can be very helpful. Try practicing a 5 - 10 minutes of breath focused practice each morning.
While it’s important to maintain a regular yoga practice, during your training you moved a lot! You’ve built strength and carved new pathways through the body. In the days after your training explore coming to the mat in a new restorative way, maybe practice some Yin Yoga or intuitive flows.
Proper meditation. Establishing and maintaining a consistent meditation practice is a proven way to support your own mental health. You may not have time for a 30 minute meditation each day but taking between 5 - 10 minutes is absolutely beneficial in maintaining your connection to self. One technique would be to use the repetition of your initiated manta each day for 40 days to establish the routine.
Once you’re feeling more grounded here’s an outline of some ways to reintegrate into your life in the weeks after your training.
In order to embrace it’s true nature the caterpillar knows it must go through the process of transformation within the chrysalis, this process may be slow but the caterpillar inherently knows it is necessary. In the last few days of the cycle the caterpillar grows so large within the chrysalis that it’s newly formed wings begin to strain against its walls. This tight confinement strengthens the butterflies wings so much that one day the butterfly has the strength to break through the shell of it’s old chrysalis skin and take flight.
The butterfly has long been revered as a symbol of transformation and change, it does so in its own time and in its own unique way. Moving through the tamasic state of stillness cocooning itself within knowing and trusting that one day it will take flight anew and magnificent in it’s true nature.
Allow time for changes to evolve in your being, try not to make hasty decisions about jobs, relationships, or lifestyle right away. During your training you’ve raised your vibration, cracked open new doors and discovered new pathways. You are not the person you were before, and you won’t be again! Give yourself some time to reach an equilibrium. You will find it! Once you’ve begun to level out and find a balance between your old life and the new you, you’ll see things with a fresh perspective. Trust that change will come with more ease. Acknowledge the subtle changes in your behavior, relationships and lifestyle as you go.
Remember -
We are all on our own timeline.
You are exactly where you need to be,
and we are so proud of you!
Love,
April & the SYI family.
Wherever you are on your journey as a yoga teacher, we're here to help! If we can support you in any way please contact us!
“TELL ME, WHAT IS IT YOU PLAN TO DO WITH YOUR
ONE WILD AND PRECIOUS LIFE?”
- Mary Oliver
