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3 YogaRenew Graduates Share How Teacher Training Changed Their Lives

By Yoga Asana, Yoga Teacher Training, Yoga Teachers

Yoga has a way of coming into our lives when we most need it. Yoga has so many healing aspects, that it is sought out as an answer to multiple ailments, whether physical or mental. When this dedication to the practice takes a step further, students enroll in a teacher training to deepen their personal practice and possibly teach the practice to others. Below are three graduates who shared their stories about how yoga has personally changed their lives.

Alina Burdett

This training has changed my perspective of life and the ups and downs. I love how yoga is about you just being a spirit. You’re here on earth to help each other out until your time comes. It really comforts and adds calmness to make the most of your time while we are all here. Thank you Yoga Renew, your course was really good timing in my life! I have been practicing for awhile and now I can serve my community! All the best, and I wish the Yoga Renew community my gratitude and care!

Flaminia Ripani

Yoga Renew Teacher Training offered me so much growth and inspiration.. As a long time yoga practitioner I have to admit that I could not imagine the possibility of growing so much in my practice just in a few months. My philosophical interests are now more clear and I feel an inner drive guiding my practice. I feel so much more confident in teaching safely and consistently, aware of my weakness and my strength. I would like to say thank you to the Yoga Renew Team.

Jennifer Isaacson

When I started doing yoga it was only out of a desperate bid for pain relief. When I was younger I was a very competitive equestrian, and was on a horse every single day for over 20 years. While I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything, it has left lasting impacts on my body, which already had a number of other chronic issues to deal with. The end result was pain, lots of it. Every. Single. Day. Being only in my mid 30s I didn’t want to resort to injections or a life time of pills – so I sought out alternative methods. I remember laying in savasana on my mat after my first yoga practice and almost crying because my hips felt so good. For the first time in a long time, my body didn’t feel like it was fighting me.

Fast forward four years. I am practicing daily, I have lost weight and feel wonderfully healthy, I am even considering a career change when my husband is diagnosed with cancer. Between caring for him, two animals who also have major health problems, trying to balance work obligations, helping our teenage son through a health scare of his own and resulting anxiety, my own mental health starts to deteriorate. I am not eating, I am not able to bring myself to the mat even though I know it will help, I am not sleeping though I stay in bed far longer than I need too. My world was collapsing and I was in a very, very dark place. That was six months ago.

Now, my husband has completed his chemotherapy and recovered from surgery; his cancer is in remission and looks like it will stay that way. My son survived his freshman year of distance learning high school and is doing amazing at a study abroad program. And I have completed my 200hr YTT as well as the 30hr Children’s program. I initially signed up for this course hoping that it would give me something to focus on in those moments when I was starting to lose myself to the stress of my situation. It has instead given me an entirely new purpose and drive for life. This summer I launched my own small yoga business and will soon be teaching classes regularly at my local synagogue in addition to offering family and children’s mindfulness and yoga content online. This fall holds even bigger changes as I am developing a new yoga and natural wellbeing curriculum for my school which I will then head and run. The future looks bright where it may very well not have, and much of this I owe to Yoga Renew and this community at large.

08/10/2021
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5 Inversion Tips for Conquering Your Fears

By Yoga Asana, Yoga Teacher Training

There’s something about inversions that can intimidate even the most seasoned yogis. The notion of inverting upside down or sideways with nothing but the bamboo flooring below can deter students from trying more complex postures. I’m a 200-hour certified yoga instructor, and it took me many failed attempts before I felt comfortable lifting my feet off the ground. But inversions are not meant to be feared as they aim to quiet your mind and your body. When teaching inversions, I instruct my students through the postures step by step, allowing them to decide what feels best for their practice. Below are some tips that I learned that could help you conquer your fear of inversions.

Do Warm-Ups 

Fear is a common psychological reaction to heights for both children and adults. It’s an integral part of our development, in which it alerts us of a potentially dangerous situation where we could hurt ourselves. But the concern is when the wariness holds a student back from discovering their abilities. There are various exercises that you can practice to overcome your apprehension towards inversions. These warm-ups help your body build the strength it needs while modifying the pose to your comfort level.

For example, to prepare for Bakasana (Crow Pose), stand with your feet about hip-width apart and bend your knees. Place both palms on the floor and gaze at the ground in front of you. Bend your elbows and transfer your weight into your hands, bringing your knees and shins to the back of your upper arms. Instead of attempting to lift into the full extension of the pose, stay in Malasana (Squat Pose) and lift one foot at a time off the mat, mimicking the motion.

 

Practice in a Comfortable Space

The purpose of inversions in a yoga class is to have calming after effects since you bring your heart above your head. This is why they are generally taught towards the end of a class when your body is warmed up, allowing blood to flow more freely to your upper body. However, if you are a newbie yoga student or you’re not comfortable being upside down, finding a safe space to practice your inversions would help you feel more protected.

Consider practicing on the beach, on a grassy field, or over some cushiony surface, cultivating a secure environment. As I mentioned earlier, I have fallen many times while experimenting in inversions, but conquering that fear is how I learned to master more challenging postures. Depending on where you decide to practice, be aware that the surface may feel different from the studio. The idea of changing your setting is mainly to provide a sense of extra protection in your practice, not to mold into the perfect inversion.

Enlist a Partner

Enlisting a trusting friend, instructor, or fellow yogi to assist you can be an immense comfort while practicing inversions. If you don’t have a wall or structure to give you a helpful boost, a partner can provide the same assistance and put you more at ease. In addition, complicated inversions such as a handstand are physically challenging and require increasing core strength, making a partner beneficial to have nearby.

To practice a handstand, bring one foot forward and then bend at the hips to get both of your hands towards the floor. From here, kick your back foot up, gaining momentum to lift both feet overhead, so all the weight falls to your hands. Your partner can stand alongside you and assist you in raising your feet if needed, and can also be there to spot you, so you don’t fall out of the pose. To come out, slowly lower one leg down at a time and counter in child’s pose.

Participate in an Inversion Workshop

Taking a workshop focused on the skill you want to learn is the best way to deepen your practice and confidence with inverstions.  An experienced instructor guides you through the class, often focusing on specific types of poses or breathwork. Participating in an inversion workshop specifically designed to safely practice postures will subdue your fears of inversions.

The workshop lets you learn how to properly settle in and out of challenging poses, providing more time to practice than allotted in a yoga class. They are also an opportunity for one-on-one time with the instructor, making you feel more supported while practicing the inversions.

No workshops near you? Check out our online Journey to Handstand Course here!

Trust Yourself

An essential component of inversions is having confidence. Trusting yourself and being sure of your abilities will help you progress in your practice and eliminate your fears of inverting upside down. The moment you second guess yourself and doubt what you can achieve, you will most likely collapse out of the pose. So instead, trust that your body can endure the power and coordination it takes to hold an elaborate pose. Believe that it can happen, and the fear and angst you’ve been experiencing will float away.

Although they may appear intimidating, inversions can be achieved once you learn to conquer your fears. However, inversions are more advanced yoga postures and are not appropriate for everyone. I strongly advise if you have high blood pressure, neck problems, eye, ear, sinus problems, or are considerably overweight that you don’t practice traditional inversions. In these cases, practice the modified versions, which will still help you strengthen those core muscles. Otherwise, inversions are nothing to fear if you practice them one step at a time.

08/02/2021
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The Power of Breath for Yogis & Olympians Alike

By Yoga Asana

How athletes mentally and physically prepare for a competition varies between individuals, depending on their chosen sport. For great Olympians like American gymnast, Simone Biles and competitive swimmer, Michael Phelps, their routines may differ from how professional basketball star, Dwyane Wade or tennis legend, Serena Williams prepares to step onto their respective courts. These elitists spend years undergoing endurance drills, weighted workouts, multiple practices per day, and neurological training to prepare their brains and bodies for battle. However, they all harbor their most useful superpower of all: their breath. 

The way we breathe has the power to impact how we think, what we feel, and the way we move, which is why training the breath is top of mind for some of the most decorated challengers in the game. All athletes use their breath differently within their events, yet they all have the same purpose or goal: to win a title, gold medal, or recognition for their efforts. To examine these superior players, here’s a breakdown of how athletes uniquely use their breath before, during, and after a competition. 

Before Competition

At the onset of a yoga class, the instructor generally will guide you through a meditation to bring attention towards the breath. They may ask you to first observe your breath in its natural state without manipulation or judgment before leading you through breathing exercises designed to calm the mind and focus your concentration inward. Similarly, athletes use this technique before participating in a tournament or a competition – they mentally rehearse using relaxation, imagery, and breathing exercises in preparation for the event.

According to the book Mental Training for Peak Performance: Top Athletes Reveal the Mind Exercises They Use to Excel by Steven Ungerleider, mental training has adapted into many professional training programs. It centers the spotlight not only on improving your physical strength and agility, but also on the psychological components. When 1984 Summer Olympics gold medalist Mary Lou Retton obtained her victory for the gold, she used mental rehearsal and visualization methods before her big win by imagining herself performing her routine perfectly. And legendary basketball player Michael Jordan credits his 1989 playoff win with the Chicago Bulls to his mindfulness practice, something many of his teammates fostered. These pre-game rituals became essential for these athletes to feel fully prepared to compete, proving the power mental training has on overall performance.

During Competition

Just like when your yoga instructor encourages slow, focused breathing throughout your practice, how a professional athlete breathes during a competition is vital to the event’s outcome. Improper breathing promotes tension and immobility within the body, increasing your back, neck, and shoulder injury risk. Breath training is what exercise physiologist and physiotherapist James Fletcher focused on when he worked with Olympic swimmer Cameron McEvoy leading up to the 2018 Commonwealth games. His theory (that any yogi would also agree) is that proper breathing techniques can improve exercise performance and reduce anxiety. In his training with McEvoy, he improved the Australian swimmer’s inspiratory flow rate allowing him to take a faster breath, which reduced the amount of time his head turned during his race. Fletcher also trained with Ryan Hipwood, a WSL Big Wave surfer, helping him control his anxiety in between big waves by practicing breathing techniques. He claimed that “by strength training the breath, we give patients great control over their physiology, which has an instant impact on these conditions.” 

After Competition

The moment an athlete crosses the finish line, or the sound of the game’s final buzzer, is equivalent to the practice of Savasana for a yogi. It’s the moment at the end of your practice where you can slow your breath and heart rate, reconnecting with your mind and body. When we can accept and surrender ourselves onto the mat both physically and mentally. In fact, many athletes turn towards yoga as a means of an active (and passive) post-game recovery. 

Experts recommend that athletes practice active recovery to help restore their muscles after vigorous exercise. By performing a low-intensity activity, blood continues to flow within the body, allowing your muscles to recover and rebuild faster. Practicing tai-chi or yoga after an intense physical workout assists in stretching sore muscles, increases flexibility, and can reduce stress and inflammation. It’s the perfect reward to thank your hardworking muscles after a competition.

Although we may not embody the traits of a celebrated Olympian or a famed tennis star, we can understand part of their training methods that have helped them attain their victories. Athletes can utilize their breath in various ways to manipulate their mental and physical performance while all are working towards the same triumphant goals.

07/28/2021
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Introducing the Era of the Slashie: A New Way to Work

By Yoga Asana

Have you ever come across the saying, “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”? This phrase is intended to be a compliment, meaning that a person is a generalist rather than a specialist, and is versatile and adept at many things. But in many instances of life, (think school, work, and even personal hobbies) we are subtly pushed towards focusing our skills and learning just one thing, with the goal to become an expert in your field. While being an expert is not a bad thing, there are actually many benefits to knowing, understanding, and being skilled in several categories.

Throughout the pandemic, many people lost their jobs and had to pivot unexpectedly to keep earning a paycheck. And if your industry was suffering as a whole, finding new work was probably challenging. This caused an uprising in a new job trend called ‘slashing.’ Basically, it’s a group of people (slashies) who have decided that they can be many things. Just think, you can be an engineer and also a circus performer, or a construction worker and an artist. Or maybe even an account executive and a yoga teacher.   The goal of slashing, or being a slashie, is to flourish in more than one job while enjoying the stability of a regular income, just from multiple sources.

“Being a Slashie is not the same as babysitting in order to become a dancer or reluctantly waiting tables while pursuing an acting career. Being a Slashie means weaving together a patchwork career that you enjoy every element of. It’s a lifestyle that aims to enforce a better balance between maintaining a successful career, while feeling genuinely happy.” – medium.com

There’s a lot about this trend that fits in nicely with the philosophy we practice in yoga. Summed up: We are not just one thing, we are many things.  Being a slashie myself has allowed me to live an abundant life pursuing my passions and always have a stead income.  Here are the top three benefits to joining the club.

Finding Your Purpose

You might have heard the word ‘dharma’ tossed around in yoga classes, but what does it really mean? Dharma is a Buddhist teaching that’s used to improve the quality of your life and to help you discover your life’s purpose. Basically, we all have a dharma, and sometimes it aligns with our job and sometimes it doesn’t. This new trend is helping people become more aligned with their dharma in ways that also pay the bills. 

We are taught from a young age that we should go to school and get good grades, head off to college to learn a skill, and then find a job where we can spend our career excelling in that industry. But for many of us, it’s hard to pinpoint just one thing we feel passionately about. Or even just one thing we are good at. And I know this from personal experience.

I’m a yoga teacher, yoga teacher trainer, copywriter, editor, marketer, and project manager. I perform these roles across a few different companies, in different capacities. But that’s just how I make money. I’m also a dog lover, avid reader, fitness enthusiast, Grey’s Anatomy super fan, and anatomy nerd. I’m not just one thing, so there’s just no way I could spend my life making a living by doing just one thing. 

Living with Intention

I didn’t purposely become a slashie, it was something that evolved organically when I started to listen to my gut rather than my head. I started to think bigger, see my dreams as realities rather than far-off fantasies, and decided that I could do just about anything I put my mind to. 

I was working in marketing for several years when I came across some writing I had done back in college while cleaning out files on my computer. I read these pieces and felt immediate pride in my college-aged self, but then the pride faded into sadness as I realized it had been years since I used my skills as a writer. I decided right then and there that I would find a way to bring my love of writing back into my daily life. And then my world shifted. 

I continued to work my 9-5 marketing job but started doing freelance writing in my free time. My journey into teaching yoga was similar. After being a student for a year and seeing first-hand the benefits that yoga can bring to your life, I knew this was something I wanted to offer others. From there, I found a 200hr training that fit my lifestyle. And I continued my education for the next several years, working my way through a 300hr training, Yin trainings, mentorships, and more. 

I now use my marketing knowledge in my yoga business, my project management skills to help organize my everyday life, and I have taught yoga classes in corporate environments through my client contacts. I work with businesses in many different fields and pick up more tools and skills during each engagement. 

Just recently my dog and I were working with our long-term trainer on some new behavior skills. The trainer told me that my dog has been progressing well, and a large part of that was because I was able to properly teach him. He said that if I ever wanted to become a certified dog trainer he would be happy to mentor me through the process. I immediately brushed this off as a crazy idea. I can’t be a dog trainer, that’s not what I do! It’s not a skill I have. But after more thought, I realized it’s not crazy at all. I’m deeply passionate about dogs, I love teaching, and it would allow me to combine a few of my current skills while learning more along the way. As someone who hopes to always have dogs in my life, maybe this would help me be a better owner and dog advocate.

I won’t be adding dog trainer to my resume just yet, as I have other more immediate goals and projects in my near future. But it doesn’t mean it’s off the table completely.

Planning Your Journey

You don’t need to make a huge change overnight to start reaping the benefits of the slashie lifestyle. Start by listing out the things you love, your skillset, what you would like to learn or get better at, and then see if there is a connection. Maybe you’re on the way to completing your 200hr Yoga Teacher Training and want to figure out how to make teaching a bigger part of your journey. 

And if you love your 9-5 but think having a little side hustle could be a great way to earn some extra money or dive deeper into a hobby, go for it! The possibilities are endless, so start thinking big.

 

07/26/2021
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7 Mindfulness Tips from YogaRenew Grads

By Lifestyle & Wellness

We’re often everywhere with our thoughts and feelings – except in the present moment.  We think about the tasks that still need to be done, obstacles that may arise, what others might expect from us, and sometimes we are simply distracted by the little things, with our mind wandering and are therefore unable to focus on the here and now.  Mindfulness is supposed to counteract this and direct our perception of the current situation. 

Research has also proven that cultivating mindfulness makes it possible to produce general improvements in mental function that can benefit our daily activities.  Easier said than done, right? The good thing is, though, Mindfulness is a skill that can be learned and developed.  

Here are some mindfulness tips from YogaRenew graduates.

“In my practice of mindfulness, I use my breath as my focal point. If I feel my thoughts drifting elsewhere, I turn to the rise and fall of my abdomen to ground myself in the present moment again.”

-Katie Deabler, Maine

“Mindfulness comes more accessible when we give ourselves grace. Part of mindfulness is acceptance, which can be challenging if we aren’t happy with ourselves. Giving ourselves grace helps with acceptance.  Don’t get too worked up about the surroundings. Mindfulness can happen anywhere. If you focus so much energy on the perfect setting, you can lose sight of acceptance of where your life is at that moment.”

-Darlene Davis, Illinois

“Put your phone away while doing tasks. I set all my apps to power down after 9 pm, and they do not reopen until 7 am. Get outside in nature and observe all the beauty around you. Being in nature is a great way to help you stay mindful.”

-Filomena Scholl, New York

“I started my mindfulness journey with a cell phone detox; we can’t see the world around us if our attention is glued to a screen. I begin my day with a yoga flow and focus on my breathing. Moving the body and being aware of our breath is the most grounding technique I know of. It helps me with my depression, anxiety, and racing thoughts. 

Eating slowly, getting outside, feeling the sun on my skin, emptying my mind, and listening to those around me are focuses daily. I also meditate each day, sometimes several times a day. Sitting in a quiet space, free from distractions, helps calm my mind and soul so very much. I think that the best tip I could give would be to release your mind from negative thoughts, about others, about yourself, about the world around you. Begin by replacing those negative thoughts with positive ones, and soon it will become your new normal. 

All of these things start as small techniques, and over time build into habits, leave your mind more peaceful and help you fall in love with life. “

-Leigh Ann Atwell, Tennessee

Vipassana meditation requires you to observe your breath, which will make you aware of your emotions inside and how to react to the outside world. It benefits in day-to-day activity and brings out the good in you. It helps us to be aware of everything around and inside of us.

When connected to your breathing, yoga asanas truly get out a complete person in you where all your sensations are balanced and make one a happy soul.”

-Sonal Panwar, South Carolina

“A 5-minute quiet time with your breath can help reduce the varying and rushing thoughts in our minds.  Why worry about what has not even happened yet, and why think about what has already been done?!  We can certainly take control of the present moment by being mindful of our thoughts that decide our word choices and our actions.”

-Surina Sharma Gambhir, Toronto, Canada

“Close your eyes, take 2 to 3 deep breaths, and connect your soul with your mind. Focus on your theme, your project, your day. Find a Mantra for your day, only for this day, and repeating it to yourself. Take a last deep breath and start your day, your project. If you feel like you are starting to get lost, remember your Mantra with your breath, then return to the present moment again. A Mantra I use is: ” I embrace myself to connect my soul with my brain. I am focused, open, and alert on every blissfully way.”

-Penelope Doutsiou, Athens, Greece 

 

07/21/2021
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Inside the Mindset of an Olympian (It’s Similar to a Yogi’s)

By Meditation

Being an Olympic athlete is one of the most demanding physical challenges that a competitor could endure. The years of training and molding the body to encompass near superpower abilities is an accomplishment that outranks a fraction of the world. Not to mention the mental toll that competing at such a prestigious level can have on a person often at a young age. The bar is raised even higher for an Olympian as they have one opportunity to prove their devotion to the game. A major hurdle compared to an entire season that professional athletes have to perfect their craft. And if you’re a yogi, an entire lifetime. But these extraordinary human beings have one thing in common with the average yogi: they put great emphasis on the mindset. Below is a dissection of the mindset of an Olympian compared to that of a yogi with insight from Dr. Matt Brown, Mental Trainer, and Counsellor at Edge School in Calgary, Canada. 

Both can ignore outside influences 

When the world locked down nearly 15 months ago at the height of the pandemic, athletes had to develop a new form of training, while also holding their focus and concentration for their sport. “None of them get to live and train in a vacuum,” said Dr. Brown whose responsibility is to guide his athletes through difficult roadblocks, including an unforeseen health crisis. While the rate of athletes dealing with anxiety and depression has increased, Dr. Brown strives to help his athletes understand that their feelings were triggered by an event. “Once you understand that, you know that [your anxiety and depression] is a normal response.” 

To cope with these anxious thoughts, Dr. Brown encourages practicing yoga and meditation to alleviate the symptoms. However, he points out that treatment methods vary for each individual depending on their circumstance. “Every person is kind of like their own jigsaw puzzle.” Daily movement practice and yogic breathwork have been proven to reduce anxiety and allow you to focus your attention inward and ignore outside influences. According to Dr. Brown, an athlete’s mindset is very similar. “Most Olympic athletes and prospects get training in a competitive bubble. Most would say that that’s their happy place. They’re not distracted, it’s their quiet place in between.”  

They’re trained to focus on the present moment

The differences between the competitive nature of an athlete and the mindfulness that yoga students possess are very distinct. Athletes are used to going head to head with their opponents, testing their limits, while those who practice yoga thrive in the low-intensity, quiet and calming environment that the practice offers. As yoga students, we rely more on the stillness and responses from within to gain our physical and mental strength, rather than the rigorous workouts and drills that Olympians may require in their days. This is why many athletes turn to yoga for a more well-rounded approach to their training. “Yoga has a lot to offer all athletes, especially the lead athletes,” agreed Dr. Brown. “It’s not just about being present, but about acceptance and surrendering.” 

In addition to his efforts at the Alberta private school, Dr. Brown also works with the Calgary Flames, their AHL Affiliate (Stockton Heat), the Calgary Hitmen, and has hands-on experience with Olympians, professional athletes, coaches, and other high-stature competitors, so he’s seen the progression of many great sports enthusiasts both within the mind and body. “I’m increasingly of the belief that [athlete’s] focus is as much congenital as it is taught,” admits Dr. Brown. “It is trainable, yes, but the best, they’re just wired that way. Like yoga, [the sport] demands your attention.” Although many athletes’ talents stem from birth, their evolution throughout the game is treated as a journey. Similarly to mastering a challenging yoga pose, there is no shortcut to greatness. This is where the practice of slow movements and meditation benefits players as a tool to remain in the present moment, which is imperative to keep their heads in the game.

“When people think of meditation, they think of the traditional sit on a pillow and say ‘OM.’ Any activity where in essence you’re focusing on a task so you’re freed in the moment, in my mind, counts as meditation.”  

They need to be in perfect balance to succeed

Olympians are trained throughout their professional careers how to focus on the task at hand, eliminating the chatter around them, which is often why a stadium full of spectators does not faze their abilities to perform. Those of us who practice yoga comprehend that its purpose is to quiet our anxious thoughts, clearing our minds of all that can hinder our focus. However, unlike on the mat, where we’re deterred from pushing our bodies beyond our day’s limits, for the athlete, it is encouraged. “You need a voice in your head that says that’s not good enough,” explained Dr. Brown, revealing that to succeed, athletes must find that perfect balance between confidence and pressure. “Of all the Olympic athletes that I’ve worked with in the past, I don’t think any of them aren’t self-critical.” 

Olympians are indeed their biggest competition. Battling their minds and abilities motivates them to take it up a notch, constantly striving to improve. While yogis have a different method to their practice, we do foster the same beliefs, drawing our attention towards our practice and not that of others. Dr. Brown mentioned this as the main reason more high-level athletes are turning to yoga.

“I try to draw their attention to: ‘can you shut off that critical voice and just allow your body to give what it gives that day?’ If they’re able to do that, that last step can be the very difference between the podium and 12th place.”      

The mindset of an Olympian holds similarities to the everyday yogi in various forms. Although athletes are competitive with an overall goal to win, much of their strategy is taken from yogic practices. Just as Olympians can ignore outside influences, remain in the present moment, and find the perfect balance in their thinking, it was the practice of yoga that instilled these teachings all along. 

07/18/2021
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room to do yoga in

How Discovering Yoga During Cancer Treatment Helped Me Heal

By Yoga Asana

Yoga heals the mind, body, and soul. My journey with yoga is a testament to that statement. At the age of 14, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. From the ages of 14 to 22, I underwent three brain surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy. MRIs and scans were a regular part of my routine as I grew from a teenager to a college student.

My experience with yoga was off and on growing up. I had gone to some yoga classes at my local YMCA, and in college I took a yoga elective which consisted of yoga classes two times a week. To me, yoga was a time to relax, spend time with friends, and get in a workout. Only after I was labeled as a cancer survivor did I fully realize the positive effects that yoga has on the mind.

Starting Out

After being given the “cancer survivor” label, I unexpectedly found myself feeling empty. Now that I don’t have to think about my diagnosis and treatment 24/7, what do I do now? So much of my life had been taken up by cancer, so I wasn’t sure where to begin.

I have always wanted to use my story to benefit others in some way, but I was never sure what form that would take. I’ve tossed around ideas of creating bracelets, writing a book, starting a company, etc. One night, while lying in bed unable to sleep, I promised to myself that I was going to do some yoga in the morning. Little did I know, this promise to myself was going to launch into something much bigger.

I loved the sense of relaxation and freedom the practice provided me first thing in the morning. It was an excellent way to stretch and loosen my body after a night’s sleep, and focus my mind for the upcoming workday. Therefore, I started regularly practicing every morning, and sometimes in the evening as well. Yoga became an excellent way for me to start and end my days, and I loved every minute of it.

Benefits of Yoga for Cancer

I had heard that yoga was good for those battling diseases like cancer, but didn’t know the specifics. After I started regularly practicing, I researched the specific benefits offered to cancer patients and survivors. Less fatigue and stress, less pain, better sleep, mood benefits, lower chance of cancer recurrence, should I go on? Not to mention the numerous positive effects cancer has on the mind.

Becoming a yogi really started to help my mental health as I recovered from treatments and surgeries over the past 13 years. I never attended cancer support groups or went to therapy during that time. I was never very vocal about it on social media and just preferred people to view my life as “normal.” This was part of my coping mechanism to keep pushing forward and just view cancer as a small aspect of my life.

Yoga forced me to come face to face with everything that I have experienced and how it has affected me over the years. It allowed me to feel safe enough to be vulnerable with myself as I pushed through different sequences.  I was always focusing on the next thing during my years of treatments: school, surgeries, chemotherapy, college, etc. Yoga has a way of slowing you down and shifting your focus to what is going on in your head and heart.

The Cancer Yogi

During my treatments, I had never heard of yoga for cancer. This valuable therapy was unknown to so many cancer patients and survivors, which seemed crazy to me. I knew that I wanted to start putting myself out there and try to spread awareness by sharing my story and my journey into yoga, so I started my own website. I work in marketing so developing the site was largely enjoyable, but when it came time to post a blog, I was scared. What do I write about? I wrote my first post, “Why am I here?” and didn’t publish it for a couple months. I wanted to make sure that yoga was going to become a regular part of my life before I dove in headfirst. Then one day, I decided to dive in.

I vividly remember posting my first yoga picture on Instagram and how vulnerable I felt. Was my pose done correctly? Do I look like a yogi? It took awhile for me to silence those inner voices when I post on Instagram (still struggle with them some days!) but I know that I am spreading awareness and the only way to be truly impactful with my reach is to be completely raw and vulnerable. When people are going through traumatic experiences, they don’t need the sugar-coated version. They need you to be real with them and tell it like it is. I learned that being vulnerable was my biggest strength when I launched my platform.

My Yoga Teacher Training Journey

Once I was certain that my passion for yoga wasn’t fleeting, I continued to look for ways to expand my knowledge and deepen my understanding of the yogic lifestyle. I looked around at multiple different YTT’s, and found Yoga Renew. I liked that the training could fit in with my current full-time job. I also liked that it was going to be at a slow pace with no time limit; I could complete the course as I grew in my practice. I really didn’t want to rush my training; if this was going to be a lifestyle as I intended, I wanted to have time to fully absorb the information and wrap it into my practice.

I am currently finishing my 200hr YTT. I have the sequences and evaluations left, which I admit give me a little bit of anxiety. Therefore, I am so glad that I can do these at my own pace and take time to dedicate to them when I am ready and when my schedule allows. Yoga has offered me so much more than just knowledge; it has offered me mental healing from years of medical treatment in such a short time. I’m not positive what will be next in my journey, but I know that with my new passion for yoga and my impending YTT certification, the future is wide open.

 

07/14/2021
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How to Know if You’re Ready to Teach Yoga

By Yoga Asana, Yoga Teachers

Is yoga your passion? If you love starting your day with an intense flow, you may be wondering if you should take it to the next level. But how do you know when this activity has gone from being merely a hobby to something you’d like to explore as a career? Here are some of the signs to watch for that may reveal it’s the right time to enroll in an online yoga teacher training program.

 

Yoga Has Done a Lot for You—and You Want to Share It with the World

For a lot of people, yoga is life-changing. It gets them through difficult times in life, grounds them, and helps them find more strength both mentally and physically. If you’ve seen ample benefits from taking yoga yourself, it’s probably something you want to share with others.

You can only drag so many friends and family members to class with you. The best way to share the joy of yoga with as many people as possible is by becoming a teacher. You can be the reason someone else completely falls in love with yoga! There is nothing more rewarding!

 

You’re Burnt Out at Work

There’s nothing wrong with changing your career, no matter how old you are. Maybe when you were younger your current career field sounded exciting and maybe in the beginning you even enjoyed it—but with time, that spark has faded. Life is so much better when you truly enjoy what you do and are passionate about. Being unhappy with your work can affect your overall happiness and disrupt other areas of your life.

Don’t continue going through the motions day in and day out without actively trying to change it. If you’re so passionate about yoga that you could see yourself doing it full-time, it may be the best change to make and now is the time to do it!

 

You’re in a Place Where You Can Commit

While enjoying yoga and wanting to learn more is a big part of deciding if you should become a yoga teacher, you also need to understand that taking a course is a commitment. You need to be ready to commit your time, energy, body, and brain to training to become a yoga teacher. Learning yoga may be fun, but it’s also hard work.

If right now is an incredibly busy time for your career and you can’t slow down or you have a lot of family stresses to deal with, there just might not be a good way to fit your training into your schedule, no matter how much you want it. It will be better if you wait until a time you can wholeheartedly devote yourself to the training. You’ll learn so much more and enjoy the experience more when other areas in your life are a little slower.

 

You Just Can’t Get Enough

If you can’t get enough of yoga knowledge and technique, there’s no better way to get more than by attending an online yoga school taught by true experts. You’ll learn more about the

ancient texts of wisdom, the different styles of yoga, and the Sutras of Patanjali. This is information you may not be getting in an ordinary yoga class, but you’ll definitely get it if you’re in a yoga teacher training program.

When you’re really into something, there just isn’t a substitute for simply being around others who share that passion. From the time you enter your training course to every class of yoga you teach after becoming an instructor, you will be surrounded by like-minded yogis. Few things are more invigorating!

 

You’re Already Doing It

If you’re like a lot of yoga teachers out there, you’re probably already teaching a little yoga to friends, family, and maybe even your Instagram followers. Sure, maybe you don’t know all the terms or the history, but you have a can-do attitude and pretty great technique if you do say so yourself. Why not take the time to invest in your love of yoga and fill in those gaps in your knowledge? Hopefully, you can start actually profiting off of the time it takes you to teach these classes.

 

Take the Next Step!

If now is the best time for you to turn your love of yoga into a professional career, YogaRenew can help with our online yoga teacher training programs! We’ve helped countless yogis become successful yoga teachers that pass their passion and knowledge onto others. We are Yoga Alliance-certified and ready to transform your yoga abilities into a revenue stream. Discover what’s waiting for you by reading more about our online yoga school!

07/09/2021
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What to Look for in a Yoga Teacher Training Program

By Yoga Asana, Yoga Teachers

There are a lot of fantastic training programs out there for future yoga teachers, but there are also a lot of disappointing ones that won’t teach you much. The better the program you’re enrolled in is, the better the teacher you’ll be after you graduate. Here are four of the top things that make a great yoga teacher training program.

 

1. Class Schedule

It may sound simple, but it’s so important to consider your schedule when you’re looking for the best YTT program. It’s obvious to eliminate classes that overlap with your other commitments, but it’s a good idea to consider the impact your other commitments will have on your training. For example, some people may be too drained to focus on their training if they schedule it right after work.

Since the class is educational, you also want to consider the time of day when you are at your peak mental capacity. This is because you want to make sure you’re at your best when you’re learning these valuable skills. If you choose an online yoga training school, you’ll have more flexibility for when to actually do the training if your schedule is unpredictable.

Not all YTT classes are daily or even weekly. Some programs are more like retreats that last a few weeks. If you have a lot going on in your life right now, you may prefer the retreat-style experience so you can truly shut off all the outside distractions. But if your current schedule is more manageable, it may be more conducive to a regularly scheduled class online or at your local yoga studio.

 

2. Your Yoga Preferences

You don’t just have to consider what gaps in your knowledge you might have when looking for the best teacher training program. It’s also totally acceptable to just focus on what you like. There may be parts of yoga you love and parts that you don’t. If the program you’re in focuses on parts you don’t enjoy, you won’t be as passionate about it and probably won’t do as well.

If there are certain styles of yoga you enjoy the most, find a course that focuses on them. While every instructor should have a balanced syllabus that meets requirements for discussing philosophy, anatomy, and the like, most teachers will still choose to dedicate slightly more time to some concepts and styles than others. So, if you’re seeing a program that focuses mostly on the Hatha style when you prefer the restorative style, it won’t be right for you. The syllabus should challenge you, but it should also excite you!

 

3. Program Credentials

The credentials of the program and the instructors are important. You want instructors who are experienced and properly certified. In the yogi world, that means looking for a program that’s Yoga Alliance-certified. While you may be able to learn and grow from a yoga program that lacks this certification, you may not be able to actually become a yoga teacher afterward.

The Yoga Alliance is an international governing body for all-things yoga. They have outlined all building blocks they believe are crucial for a yoga teacher training program. When you take one of their certified programs, you can be confident that you’ll complete the course with all the skills necessary to become a fantastic yoga teacher.

 

4. The Yoga Facet That Speaks to You

One of the best things about yoga is how multi-faceted it is. It’s physical but it’s also intensely spiritual. When you’re a teacher, it’s vital that you are as knowledgeable on both of these aspects as possible, but there may be one aspect that you prefer over the other and want your future yoga class to focus on. Your online yoga training school is a great opportunity for you to go even deeper on the part of yoga that speaks to you the most.

On the other hand, if you don’t feel you are very familiar with one of these aspects, you might want to go to a program that focuses a little extra on that aspect in the syllabus. This will help you meet the needs of your future pupils in a much more effective way.

 

YogaRenew: The Online Yoga Teacher Training Program That Has It All!

YogaRenew is passionate about training the next generation of yogis all around the world! Our online courses are convenient but they are also comprehensive, taught by some of the best, most experienced yoga instructors. We have courses for everyone’s schedules and needs. You’ll come out having a superior understanding of yoga and feeling more love than ever for the discipline.

 

Your dream of becoming a yoga teacher awaits. Sign up today!

07/09/2021
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10 Ways Yoga Teacher Training Will Change Your Life

By Yoga Asana, Yoga Teachers

Yoga is a powerful thing. If you practice it regularly, you know that. But having the knowledge and skills to teach yoga to others is even more empowering! Here are ten of the top benefits you too can experience when you get through an online yoga teacher certification program.

 

1. Reconnect with Yourself

Although you’re taking this class to eventually help others learn yoga and strengthen their technique, yoga teacher training begins as something you do for yourself. Investing in yourself is important. If you’re busy in your career or constantly caring for your kids, what you want may always end up on the backburner. But when you’re in a yoga teacher course, you are your own first priority. This is an opportunity for you to learn more about yourself and maybe see yourself in a whole new light. If it’s been a while since you’ve been feeling like yourself, your yoga course may help you rediscover yourself.

 

2. A New Career Path

Maybe you’re just wanting to become a yoga teacher for fun right now or you’re hoping it can be a side hustle. But with patience and determination, you may be able to make yoga teaching your full-time career! If right now you’re caught up in an extremely hectic career choice that seems to be draining the life from you, online yoga training will be an absolute life-saver. It will renew your purpose and motivation in life.

 

3. Improve Your Yoga Technique

A yoga teacher training course is like a masterclass for yoga lovers. It’s reaching beyond the basics, going to the most advanced moves, and forcing you to put in the time and effort to master the craft. The practice you put into your yoga will strengthen you, make you more flexible, and overall make you more fit.

 

4. Become More Confident in Your Own Skin

Another unexpected benefit of yoga teacher training is how you will become less focused on your physical appearance. When you’re in yoga training, you can’t be too occupied with your hair, skin, and other aspects of your physical appearance. You’ll learn to let go of that and be comfortable breaking a sweat—makeup-free, messy bun, and all! While this can be intimidating at first, it can also be empowering. You’ll learn to not only accept your body but also fall in love with it.

 

5. Learn Something New

Constantly learning is an important part of life. It helps you grow as a person and become more well-rounded. As an adult, sometimes it’s easy to put learning on the back burner and just go through the motions of everyday life, doing the same things day in and day out. But when

you’re taking online yoga training, you’re forced to be in learning mode. You’ll learn many new things and that will help you grow as a person in general, not just as a yoga teacher.

 

6. Enhance Your Yoga Routine

Even aside from teaching, taking a yoga teaching course is an amazing way to just learn more about yoga. You’ll learn new techniques and advanced poses that you can incorporate into your own yoga routine. You’ll learn more in-depth information about your body’s anatomy, which will help you get the most out of every yoga routine.

 

7. Connect with More Yogis

No matter what you love, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of connecting with others who share your passion. But finding people with those common interests can sometimes be difficult, especially if you’re in a small town. When you’re taking a yoga teacher training course, you will be expanding your yoga network. You’ll be able to talk about your passion with people who really get it and build valuable friendships that may last a lifetime. You can also benefit from those relationships when you’re a yoga teacher and could use some advice.

 

8. Strengthen Your Self-Discipline

Self-discipline is an incredibly valuable life skill. Taking a course, especially something like yoga that requires so much dedication, helps you strengthen your self-control. This kind of self-control can help you in other areas of your life. It adds structure to your life and gives you a concrete goal to work toward. This is especially beneficial if you don’t have many other goals you’re working toward at the moment.

 

9. Become a Master of Meditation

The art of yoga is about so much more than just downward dogs and warrior poses. Yoga is also an excellent way to learn more about meditation and breathwork. Meditation is such a powerful tool that everyone can benefit from, even those who don’t regularly practice yoga. It’s the perfect way to re-center yourself and tune out the many, many distractions that our technology-obsessed culture offers us. Meditation is also not a one-size-fits-all exercise. There are many ways to go about it, and a great way to learn more ways is by taking yoga teacher training.

 

10. Learn a New Way to Help Others

If you’re passionate about yoga, you know just how many benefits it has for your spiritual, emotional, and physical wellbeing. When something is this meaningful to you, you want to share it with others—hence the fact that you’re’ in a yoga teacher training program.

The tools that you need to coach people into becoming masters of yoga are taught in these courses. Because of this, taking a course is a great way to learn how to help others using your talents! You’ll feel extra good about yourself knowing that these skills will help you help others and make an impact on the world, one yoga session at a time.

 

Sign up for Your Yoga Teacher Course from YogaRenew

Does yoga teacher training sound like something that will enrich your life and put you on a new and better path? If so, you should sign up for YogaRenew’s online yoga teacher certification courses. We make becoming a yoga teacher an exciting learning process. Because our courses are online, they are convenient for people with all kinds of lifestyles.

07/09/2021
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