Jess Weatherley-Fisher
Yoga Teacher Training Bristol Reflective Blog
In Summer 2021, I became unemployed for the first time. Unemployment had always frightened me and looking back I think that fear stopped me making healthier choices as I told myself having a job was better than no job at all. I had internalised a rhetoric of my childhood – ‘success is climbing a ladder and leading a team’. Well, I reached that ‘goal’, but hadn’t anticipated the struggle of raising two daughters with a partner who also had a stereotypically high-powered job and us both reaching burnout.
So, when my organisation hit an economical downturn and redundancies were being murmured about, I decided to put my name in the hat. Even though this decision lifted a weight immediately, it was replaced with dread and a constant niggling question: ‘what am I going to do with my life?’ It was around this time I read a lot about ‘self-care’. Meditation was a word I read constantly and yet didn’t really know where to begin – the vastness of its potential felt too overwhelming. One book I read advised to look at what you return to time and time again – perhaps the answers can be found in what you enjoy. When I mulled this over, I realised the only things that I returned to time and again were singing and yoga. I was already in a choir and content with the joy it brought me. Yoga…I wanted to understand more about why I loved it, what it was doing to my mind and body. And who knows – maybe I could teach it?
I very quickly found the Yogafurie 200 hour yoga teacher training course in Bristol. I’d done a few classes at their Bristol Yoga studio and liked the vibes and the friendliness. After a call with Ed, and his reassurance that I could take this on, I signed up. Luckily, I had redundancy money to pay for it and it seemed like a perfect choice – 11 weekends over a year to help keep my mind and body grounded in a time of uncertainty and overwhelm!
From day one of my Yoga Teacher Training, it didn’t disappoint. Meeting these fabulous women – our sangha – made it feel like there was magic at play. Lots of us had interesting stories for how we ended up there and it felt like there was a collective force of excitement, trepidation, and a hunger to learn amongst us, which we were going to explore together as we took on this incredible challenge.
And it really was a challenge. I don’t say this wanting to put people off, but the Yogafurie 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training course is robust, thorough, intelligent – all the things you should want it to be so that you qualify with the confidence and knowledge to guide others through their yoga experiences. There were months in between the weekends I didn’t manage to do much study. I always prioritised my yoga practice and learning as much as I could about the breathwork, the meditation techniques, and the poses – how to strengthen my body when in them, how to transition with balance and confidence between them, my alignment, using my breath to release tension, stretch a little deeper, and hold a pose for longer.
But inevitably the reading and theory caught up with me and the last few months were intense to say the least, with a lot of learning. The difference for me, compared to other times in my life when I’ve had an intense spell of learning, is that with yoga it’s something I truly enjoy, find fascinating, and want to help others to feel the way I do about it. When you learn with passion, interest and purpose, it’s a completely different experience.
Would it have been easier to take this on if I didn’t have a young family – yes. Would it have been harder to take this on if I’d been working full time – yes. You do need to carve out time for this course – for home practice, for reading, for assignments – I think the best part of 8 hours a week I would recommend for this on reflection.
I think it was about halfway through the course when I started to wonder if teaching yoga classes in Bristol was something I would want. For our cohort – we did a small amount of teaching practice each weekend and after a while, it felt easier, less scary and I realised I actually enjoyed doing it! I didn’t commit myself to anything until the course was over. My partner is part of a Cross Fit gym in Bristol and when overhearing members wanted yoga as part of their membership, he told the manager I was nearly qualified and might be interested. We met for coffee and the rest is history! I teach one class a week at the moment. I’m building my confidence and learning bucket loads each session, and I hope to offer public yoga classes in Bristol once I can get my class planning more efficient!
Yoga isn’t a career for me as yet – I don’t think I would want to put pressure on something I enjoy so much to be how I earn a living – however it’s a hobby with potential to become one element of a hybrid working life. I now work two days a week using my skills in communications and marketing, but in a much less pressured environment and I love it! I’m so glad I faced the fears I had – my life is richer for it – even if not in monetary terms!
I can’t recommend the Yogafurie 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training course enough for anyone who’s wondering if the training is for them. You’ll meet an incredible group of people, who you’ll likely become great friends with, and be taught by an array of experts in areas such as facia, Sanskrit, history of yoga, anatomy, kirtan, meditation, yin yoga, among many others.
And most importantly it’s fun! You’ll discover so much about yourself and if you allow yourself, find or enhance your existing lifestyle to live with more peace, joy and comfort.
Find out more about how this Yoga Teacher Training course in Bristol could have a phenomenally positive impact on your life. Follow this link to discover more and book a meeting with Ed, Course Leader.
