5 Unexpected ways a yoga teacher training may change your life

If you've been considering a yoga teacher training for a while now, you might have certain expectations of what it will be like and what you will get out of it. Your practice will deepen, you'll study yoga philosophy and you'll learn how to teach a yoga class. But, there are some surprising ways that participating in a 3B teacher training facilitates change and new possibilities in our lives. At 3B we encourage you to go deep, to think about what you really want from this life and how you want to show up for others. Here are 5 ways you might experience a shift in your mindset and your life:

1. Learning to use your beginner's mind.

If you've ever taken one of our classes you may have been asked to do this - forget what you know about yoga and stay open to the possibilities. Beginner's mind is a Zen Buddhist concept that encourages us to embrace not knowing. You may think you need to be an "expert" before signing up for a training. But if you were an expert, then why would you need us?. What we prefer you come with is passion, curiosity and receptivity. Eventually, we start to look at the whole world this way! 2. Improve relationships. When we start to prioritize ourselves and our personal growth, we are better able to be present and hold space for others. Think about how you feel after a vacation or a massage - refreshed and energized. We have to put our own oxygen masks on first and teacher training is focused solely on your own personal growth, development and well-being. 3. Connect to your creativity. Yoga is more of an art than a science. Many of our teacher trainees have said that they love TT because it asks them to use a different part of their brain that they don't use at work. Composing a dharma talk about something that you feel passionate about, preparing a playlist and choreographing a sequence - things we start to do in teacher training start to really get those creative juices flowing. You may find yourself discovering a new creative passion or reigniting an old one. 4. Discover you had more time than you thought. Life is crazy. Family, work, running a household, school. Where would 200 hours possibly come from? Amazingly, committing to a new project forces us to prioritize and make the time for what we really want. In fact, after participating in our 200 hour training, former 3B TT grads have been inspired to go on to train in the harmonium and chanting, to further their training in restorative and yin yoga, and teach children in schools. 5. Deepen your compassion. Starting something new can make us feel vulnerable and that vulnerability is a reminder of the struggles we all face. In the sutras it is said that compassion is the key to peace, whether that's towards those we love and even those with whom we struggle. Teacher training is a rich training ground for cultivating compassion for ourselves and others. Our next 200hr Teacher Training starts Sept 8, 2023. Visit the "Training" page on our website to learn more and join us for a Q&A session on Thursday, June 22nd at 8p. Pre-register here. For any burning teacher training questions that can't wait shoot us an email at hello@threebirdsyogastudio.com.