My Radiant Hot Yoga Teacher Training experience was a powerful one.
When Darlene first asked me if I was interested (the studio is my home away from home and I practice 6-7 times a week), in participating, I hesitated. I had never thought of becoming a yoga teacher. Psychology is my passion and a private practice is what I am pursuing. She told me that doing the Teacher Training could deepen my own practice. Now THAT got my attention. That, and the fact that I could share the experience with my daughter, Sienna. I knew the benefits RHY had brought me, but seeing the changes in my daughter, from never exercising to loving her yoga practice, her healthier life style choices, and her self confidence skyrocketing. But what the most profound change in her was the emergence of a spiritual side. It was like watching a miracle unfold right before my eyes. So I signed up thinking, I’ll just deepen my yoga practice. Two weeks before it started I suffered a traumatic eye injury that left me with extreme double vision and dizziness. I thought about backing out but I didn’t want to disappoint my daughter. Darlene’s Teacher Training saved me. There were days after the eye injury that I couldn’t leave the house due to the double vision. Darlene showed me how to patch my eye correctly. I initially felt awkward and vulnerable around a group of women I had never met other than in class. I was at my most raw and vulnerable. These women carried me through the training on the days that were tough, but I was still expected to step up and not just sit in the corner and watch. I found myself counting the days until the weekend when I could immerse myself in learning the benefits of the postures, taking class in the heat, having lunch with the group of women that I was quickly becoming attached to. We were an interesting group. All different ages, occupations, some single, some married with children. We shared a common bond: Our love for the Yoga. Our love and respect for Darlene and the other teachers. We took turns struggling. Some days I struggled and other days I was the Comrade. All of us were. The beautiful part was that we learned that frustration didn’t have to be negative…. it meant we were on the verge of a breakthrough! We cheered each other on when we did well, we encouraged each other when we felt nervous, we helped each other process difficult things in our lives outside of the studio. Many of these women I consider good friends today. We have a bond that it so strong that as soon as we see each other we light up. In my 13 years of living in Newport Beach I have never experienced a group of women like this. Darlene painstakingly put together a program that addressed so many different components. We learned about Anatomy, the importance of breath to movement, the benefits of the postures. One night a Chinese Medicine doctor came to speak to our group on nutrition….. WOW! was that a beneficial seminar. We learned about our different Chakras and what Dosha we are. I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge about my self just from learning about the Chakras. Most importantly, I started to really understand what Darlene meant by Yoga’s ability to “Peel back the layers.” I started my practice for the physical benefits….. to get a great workout and sweat. What I experienced in Teacher Training was a new depth to my practice. I feel more connected to myself emotionally. I have more clarity. Then a spiritual side sprang up. I now had the unity of the physical, mental and spiritual all in one. It still gives me chills when I think about it. I am forever grateful to Darlene and the other teachers for such a life changing experience. I would encourage anyone who is even thinking about doing the training to do it! It is an experience you will love and take with you forever.
