When I started my yoga journey a couple of years ago I really only saw it as a way to keep fit and get strong – I had no idea how much more there was to learn about yoga and how much I would discover about myself.
During the January lockdown 2021 I decided I needed something a little more and that’s when I stumbled across the Yogafurie teaching program. I was so nervous about starting the course and how I would manage the study with a young family. Worried I wasn’t experienced enough and that I couldn’t do a headstand! During that first morning of the first course weekend I realised how wrong my worries had been – I had wound up with an amazing group of other yogis who all carried the same nerves and passion.
My study and practice took off in a whole new direction which I wasn’t expecting. Those weekends on the course were my sanctuary away from a very busy life, a place where I could go and just focus on myself and yoga.
The group I was with along with all of the teachers at the studio and guest speakers were so infectious with their passion and so interesting to listen and learn with and truly cared about our journey and the things they teach.
We were all given such incredible support and encouragement throughout our time with Yogafurie. I was given some amazing opportunities to grow as a teacher and as a practising student. I got a chance to teach classes solo during the last few weeks of the course which gave me the confidence I needed to push me over the finish line!
Each weekend was planned with such care and such thought – some amazing highlights for me such as the 108 sun salutations, the nidra and yin workshop (as someone who wasn’t a huge fan of this style of yoga I was surprised to have gotten so much out of this!), the fascia modules with Nick Pepper which were just so interesting and all of the teaching practices over each weekend but also all of the group discussions about yoga theory, life and being a yoga teacher.
All of these experiences helped to make me feel so prepared and excited for my final exam and assessment week. We were all so nervous about that final hot yoga class, but I was so pleased to hear that everyone came away from that final class feeling so happy with what they had achieved.
Joining the yogafurie teacher training course completely changed my life – I made friends for life, learnt so much about myself and achieved some incredible feats! I will definitely miss my time there learning and practising together with my sangha, but I feel so ready and so excited to continue my yoga teacher journey for years to come. I’m so grateful for the experience and couldn’t be more glad that I took the leap of faith and chose to study yoga.
Written by Ainsley Besant
