From Student to Guide
Since we are offering a yoga teacher training with Shanti Yoga Training School at Live Oak Yoga in January 2025, I thought it would be a good time to share my personal journey with the yoga teacher trainings that I have done. Yoga has always been more than just a physical practice for me. It has been a lifeline, a grounding force, and a path to self-discovery. When I first unrolled my yoga mat years ago, I couldn’t have imagined the journey that lay ahead—a journey that has now led me to become a yoga teacher and studio owner.
The Calling
Over the years, yoga evolved from something I did to something I lived. I started practicing yoga as a way to deal with stress and the poor sleep schedule that I developed during medical school. Sometimes it just felt like exercise, but there were moments on the mat when everything else faded away—the noise, the worries, the endless to-do lists. It was in those moments I realized yoga was more than just poses; it was a tool to connect with myself and the world around me. The seed of teaching was planted when I began to practice at Shanti Yoga Shala with teacher Nathalie Croix. I loved how she led a class, and helped me grow, how I felt challenged and confident.
Taking the Leap
When I learned about the 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training program offered by Annie Carpenter's Smart Flow School in partnership with Shanti Yoga Shala, something clicked. It was the right time. The program’s emphasis on alignment, intelligent sequencing, and the foundations of Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga resonated deeply with me.
Signing up wasn’t without its doubts. “Can I really do this?” “Will I be a good teacher?” But yoga has taught me to trust the process. So, I took a deep breath and leapt. I knew I wanted to teach, as my medical career has been largely based in education. Teaching is a calling for me.
Unexpected Time, Continued Growth
I did my first 200-hour training because I knew that I wanted to teach. When the pandemic hit, and I had unexpected time on the weekends, I was able to complete my 300-hour training with Shanti Yoga Training School. I didn’t need to do another training. I had already been teaching for several years, and I own yoga a studio. I really wanted to do another training. For me, it was a luxury to study, read, and discuss new concepts because I wanted to, not because I had to. It was a privilege to sit in the studio with other yogis who wanted to learn with me and share their ideas and personal experiences. It was intimate.
Looking Ahead
A yoga teacher training is just the beginning. If you’ve ever felt the call to deepen your yoga practice or share it with others, I encourage you to listen. The path might not always be easy, but it will always be worth it. Yoga has given me so much—peace, strength, resilience—and I want to share that gift with others. Whether it’s helping someone find calm amidst chaos or guiding them through a pose they never thought possible, I love to create a space where people can experience the importance of yoga.
To my teachers, my peers, and everyone who has supported me on my yoga journey—thank you. The story is still unfolding, and I can’t wait to see where it leads.
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