Hayley | Bali 200hr YTT Testimonial

I have been contemplating the idea of becoming a yoga teacher since I first stepped into a yoga class at fifteen years old. I still remember the natural euphoria I felt upon exiting the class, as if I was floating on clouds. Years went by as I moved from that 15 year old yogi, to college student, to college drop out, to full time worker bee. Over the years I continued to practice yoga, some years more potent than others, but nevertheless my practice was a golden thread that has brought me to the present day. 

I began to work full time as a model upon dropping out of college at 19 years old. Travelling the world as a model, I would immerse myself in foreign yoga classes, sometimes even in other languages and dream about what it would be like if I were brave enough to become the teacher at the front of the room rather than just continue as the eager student in the back of the class. 

Societal voices kept me away from this dream of teaching for a long time… “You can’t become a yoga teacher, they make no money!” 

“You don’t wanna be a hippie yoga teacher, trust me…” 

“You can’t teach yoga, you are too young!” 

“Only enlightened monks can teach yoga, you aren’t qualified” 

These voices kept me away from my dream of teaching yoga for quite a while. Until finally the whisper of my soul became such a loud cry that I finally had no choice but to stop and listen. 

My journey to teaching yoga started with listening. 

And then, taking what I heard and being willing to demonstrate the advice and truths through my actions. 

So there I was, rather surreal as I rocked up to Tejakula, Bali to take my Yoga teacher training through School Yoga Institute! When I arrived I didn’t really know what to expect, everything was all so new: the culture, the landscape and most profoundly, the bravery I conjured up to take this leap of faith. 

My experience at School Yoga Institute was the perfect vibrational match for me, in ways I could have not even predicted back when I decided to pull the plug and just send it on yoga teacher training. 

School Yoga Institute offered me a safe space to explore myself, beautiful rituals and an introduction to Yoga philosophy, asana, and pranayam. 

My anticipation of the course consisted of researching what types of postures I’d learn, pondering what ways I would sequence my future classes and contemplating what techniques I’d learn to move energy. I soon began to understand why upon arrival one of the first lessons the teachers gave was about how to “participate don’t anticipate.” I did my best to relinquish the predictions I had so carefully fantasized, and just be in the present moment. Through the daily morning yoga flows, beautiful meditations, and transformative pranayam sessions, I easily found myself abiding in the NOW. Part of being in the moment included the integration of that initial advice: “participate, don’t anticipate!” I was able to easily let-go of all my prior predictions and fully allow myself to soak up all the training had to offer as each moment unfolded. It was in those moments of presence that I was able to digest the experiences that I didn’t even consciously know I desired or needed. I now realize that experience is the best teacher, simply because it’s through our experiences that we harness the wisdom that the present moment is always offering. I could read all day about yoga, research pranayam and the effects of energy or talk about meditation, however I profoundly realized that it’s not until I apply these conscious knowings that these practices become embodied and directly translate to my ability to show up as the yoga teacher I have always dreamed of being. 

“The only way out is through” 

I somehow understand this truth on a deeper level now. This training allowed me to move through layers of myself that I’d denied and ignored for so many years. This training allowed me to move through (and past) all those societal judgements and haunting projections from others and just follow MY own voice. This training allowed me to move through the stagnancity of dream and bring about the kinetic energy that is required to fertilize a fantasy into a blossoming manifestation. 

Evolution requires bravery!!! I promised myself upon leaving stunning Tejakula Bali that I would continue to water my bravery. The School Yoga Institute planted seeds and helped them sprout!! I realize it is my duty to continue to water these realizations: once again as demonstrated through my actions. 

Thank you to the School Yoga Institute for allowing me the space I needed to move through sediments and explore new layers, and revisit old ones…I realize this part of me was always there, just dormant, sleeping, awaiting exploration! I am so thrilled to say that I am now honoring that fifteen year old version of myself and applying to work as a yoga teacher! 

Perhaps one of the sweetest lessons I have learned that I will leave you all with is the following: 

What other people think doesn’t matter. 

Doest materialize, 

Not unless I internalise and make it mine. 

Where I place my attention is where I place my energy, 

My potent life force 

Now I know better of course 

How to consciously direct my power 

To where my soul desires to go. 

I refuse to go on a path that my heart didn’t pave! 

I will not listen to voices that warn me astray! 

Fear is an illusion and so are all the warnings that society blanket screams out to all, I know now who I am in this present moment, and I am not afraid to fall. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you Keri, Crystalline, Katie, Bumi Cinta Staff, Gaia Oasis Staff, all the beautiful women that joined me on this journey, people of bali and my own presence!! I am forever grateful to all!