Since Yoga Found Me
Yoga found me in 2013, and now, on the cusp of 2025, so much has changed. After more than a decade of practicing as a student, I became yoga-certified at the end of January 2024. I had been wanting to go through yoga teacher training for a while—not so much to teach, but to deepen my own practice. One of the teachers I admired is brilliant in anatomy and body science. She created content for all yogis, but at the time, she also offered anatomy programs designed for yoga teachers. I was eager to take her courses, but I wasn’t sure if I had the foundational knowledge that comes with teacher training.
It was during the tail end of COVID when I discovered an online yoga teacher training program that was much more affordable than others. I had been following the direction of others for so long, but I really wanted to learn how to lead my own practice. Words can’t describe the joy in my heart when the curriculum opened up to me. I was so excited to learn about human anatomy, how to move the body, and how to create a yoga flow that I skimmed through the yoga philosophy sections just to get to the "good stuff." Silly me. Everything about yoga teacher training is good—but it would take some time for me to realize that.
When I started the course, my work hours had been cut, so I had plenty of time. I got off to a good start, but as work hours picked back up, my time for the program became more limited. It took almost two years to complete the training and earn my certification. I’ll admit, it was a bit embarrassing how long it took. My work schedule fluctuated, which affected my attention span and commitment. One of the challenges was that the program was online, and I had to submit videos of my flows for review. Acquiring the equipment (turns out all I needed was a ring light for my iPhone) and finding the time and space to film proved trickier than I expected. There were several re-takes involved.
At the start of 2024, I was participating in a 30-day meditation challenge on Insight Timer. One of my goals was to finally earn my teacher certification, which I shared with the group. Pushing myself to find time and space to film my final submission, I was so proud to announce that I was a certified yoga teacher on the last day of the meditation challenge. Reading other people’s stories, goals, and words of encouragement was inspiring. It felt so good to participate in and engage with a community, even though we were all scattered across the globe.
While I now have a better understanding of human anatomy, how to cue asanas, and how to craft a vinyasa sequence, what’s stuck with me the most is yogic philosophy; the very part I had rushed through. The philosophy is based on the 8-Limb Yoga Path: yamas, niyamas, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. In very broad strokes: the yamas and niyamas guide how we should interact with ourselves and the world; asana is the physical practice (what most of us think of when we say "yoga"); pranayama is breathwork; and the last three limbs combine to form meditation, which ultimately leads to bliss or enlightenment.
It wasn’t until after completing my teacher training that something really clicked for me. As I revisited my notes, the 8-Limb Path (particularly the yamas and niyamas) began to make sense. I decided to do some independent study, which deepened my personal practice. There are so many interpretations of these teachings, and at first, I felt overwhelmed. I leaned heavily on Desikachar’s The Heart of Yoga, especially his interpretation of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, as my main reference. Eventually, I found a teacher who practices and teaches yoga-inspired living based on the yamas and niyamas. She has a beautiful way of adapting these ancient principles to the modern world.
As 2025 approaches, I still haven’t started teaching. While I’ll admit that some procrastination is at play, I’m honestly not sure what I want to teach yet. I don’t feel 100% qualified to teach the things I practice, but I also understand that’s a limiting belief. Thanks to online yoga offerings, I’ve been fortunate to practice with teachers from all over the world, learning different breathing techniques, meditation practices, how to engage the lymphatic system, the neuroscience of yoga, how to activate the chakras, and so much more beyond the basics. The truth is, the obstacles between me and teaching are imaginary. I’m a little scared, and that’s okay. Obstacles don’t have to be barriers; they can be jumping-off points.
Through crafting my own yoga sequences, I’m discovering that my style is a bit playful. While I enjoy Sun Salutations, I love experimenting with peak poses and warm-ups, figuring out where we’re going and how we’re going to get there. And Savasana is still my favorite.
It’s easy to look at what someone else is doing and think, That’s what I have to deliver. But that’s another limiting belief. Everyone has their own yoga style. No one is better, just different. And that’s what makes yoga so beautiful. It has space for all of us.
Cultivating Chill hopes you found the content informative and helpful. If you have any questions or want to share anything, please feel free to leave a comment.
Disclaimer: Cultivating Chill is a space where we explore various topics about yoga, yoga science, and all the yoga things in-between. As a result, there may be content that may not align with personal points of view or beliefs. Neither Cultivating Chill nor any authors are trying to judge or claim authority on a topic. Cultivating Chill is a safe space to share ideas, information, and more about yoga–we are exploring and growing and open to trying new things.
Please feel to take what speaks to you and leave the rest.