Yoga teacher training begins in 3 weeks!
After on-and-off contemplation of a career in yoga over the past 5 years, I finally am ready to commit to a yoga teacher training course. I researched my options for schools in San Francisco that will allow me to continue my day job, and at first I didn't find one that excited me. Then, a few weeks after I'd let go of my aggressive search, the yoga studio I've been attending for over 3 years announced its own 2006 teacher training course. I quickly realized that I wanted to do it and I decided to sign up.
My first-ever yoga class was in 1999 when I went to weekly introductory classes for one month at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco in the Outer Sunset district. I continued to go to classes there for the following year, at a frequency of about once or twice a month. Then in 2001 I moved out of the neighborhood, and it took me almost a year to find another studio I liked. I began classes at the Piedmont Yoga Studio in Oakland, CA. The style of classes there are Hatha as opposed to Iyengar, and I enjoyed the more fluid nature of those classes. I moved again in late 2002 back to the city (San Francisco), and that is when I found my current favorite yoga studio: Yoga Tree. There are four locations of this studio in different neighborhoods of San Francisco. So, although I've moved 2 more times since beginning classes there, I have been able to continue with the teachers I like, because they teach at multiple locations. Another benefit of this studio is that they offer different styles of yoga; there are Iyengar, Hatha, Hatha Flow, Vinyasa Flow, Yoga for pregnancy, and Restorative yoga classes.
I explored different teachers and styles, and I discovered that I most appreciate a slower-paced yet challenging Hatha Flow class taught by Dina Amsterdam. She begins her classes with Yin Yoga poses, which are passive poses that are usually like holding a stretched but relaxed position for a long time (5 minutes). We do a few of these poses, and then move into flowing Yang poses, where the heart rate rises and the sweating begins. At first it was difficult for me to sit through the Yin poses. My mind was active and I felt agitated by sitting still in a slightly uncomfortable stretch. However, after practice, I love the Yin poses and I feel their benefits.
In January 2003, I made a resolution to attend at least one yoga class each week. Sometimes I would not feel inspired to attend a hatha class, and so I would instead treat myself to a Restorative yoga class taught by Darren Main. Throughout the next 3 years, I continued with my dedication to yoga. In the fall of 2005, I increased my frequency of classes to 2 or 3 classes a week. I also began trying classes at different studios in the city and researching teacher training courses. I bought some yoga books, CDs and DVDs and started to practice at home regularly as well to learn more about yoga philosophy and the Sanskrit language.
Now that the start of the teacher training program is 3 weeks away, I plan to attend as many classes as I can each week, and to practice at home on the days that I don't make it to the studio. I am very excited to be obligated to do so much yoga. I look forward to being in great physical shape, as well as being in a community of other yoga enthusiasts. I plan to continue to practice with my band, New Telepathic Friends, twice a week, as well as work at my 9-to-5 job 4 days a week. When I think of all that, it seems like a lot. But I trust that it will be wonderful.
My first-ever yoga class was in 1999 when I went to weekly introductory classes for one month at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco in the Outer Sunset district. I continued to go to classes there for the following year, at a frequency of about once or twice a month. Then in 2001 I moved out of the neighborhood, and it took me almost a year to find another studio I liked. I began classes at the Piedmont Yoga Studio in Oakland, CA. The style of classes there are Hatha as opposed to Iyengar, and I enjoyed the more fluid nature of those classes. I moved again in late 2002 back to the city (San Francisco), and that is when I found my current favorite yoga studio: Yoga Tree. There are four locations of this studio in different neighborhoods of San Francisco. So, although I've moved 2 more times since beginning classes there, I have been able to continue with the teachers I like, because they teach at multiple locations. Another benefit of this studio is that they offer different styles of yoga; there are Iyengar, Hatha, Hatha Flow, Vinyasa Flow, Yoga for pregnancy, and Restorative yoga classes.
I explored different teachers and styles, and I discovered that I most appreciate a slower-paced yet challenging Hatha Flow class taught by Dina Amsterdam. She begins her classes with Yin Yoga poses, which are passive poses that are usually like holding a stretched but relaxed position for a long time (5 minutes). We do a few of these poses, and then move into flowing Yang poses, where the heart rate rises and the sweating begins. At first it was difficult for me to sit through the Yin poses. My mind was active and I felt agitated by sitting still in a slightly uncomfortable stretch. However, after practice, I love the Yin poses and I feel their benefits.
In January 2003, I made a resolution to attend at least one yoga class each week. Sometimes I would not feel inspired to attend a hatha class, and so I would instead treat myself to a Restorative yoga class taught by Darren Main. Throughout the next 3 years, I continued with my dedication to yoga. In the fall of 2005, I increased my frequency of classes to 2 or 3 classes a week. I also began trying classes at different studios in the city and researching teacher training courses. I bought some yoga books, CDs and DVDs and started to practice at home regularly as well to learn more about yoga philosophy and the Sanskrit language.
Now that the start of the teacher training program is 3 weeks away, I plan to attend as many classes as I can each week, and to practice at home on the days that I don't make it to the studio. I am very excited to be obligated to do so much yoga. I look forward to being in great physical shape, as well as being in a community of other yoga enthusiasts. I plan to continue to practice with my band, New Telepathic Friends, twice a week, as well as work at my 9-to-5 job 4 days a week. When I think of all that, it seems like a lot. But I trust that it will be wonderful.
posted by Anonymous @ 11:29 AM
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