During the pandemic, I did my 300 Hr yoga teacher training online with Rise + Vibe Yoga. What better time to do it--we couldn't leave home or go out anywhere because we were on quarantine, and I needed a dedicated yoga practice to help me manage my anxiety and stress during the uncertain time. I graduated a few weeks ago, and am now an RYT 500!
Now, quarantines have lifted and many studios across the globe are reopening. But with coronavirus still raging, I don't know when I'll ever feel comfortable enough to teach in a studio, much less attend a retreat or another YTT.
If you feel the same, an online YTT is a great option (and an option through 2020, according to guidance from Yoga Alliance). You can learn from the comfort and privacy of your own home, which for me was a safe and convenient way to extend my training.
The great thing about doing YTT online is that during a time of isolation at home during quarantine, I became part of a community of people having a shared experience. We gathered virtually every morning from our homes across the world and shared stories, messages and notes. It helped me feel less isolated during the quarantine.
We had daily live sessions via Facebook Live starting at 6 am, before my family woke up for the day. The training ran for a 12 week period, instead of an intensive 12 hours day for three weeks. Learning online at your own pace means you have to be more self-disciplined to tune in and concentrate on the lessons. But if I missed a lesson, I could access the videos anytime. I could review sessions, like a relaxing yoga nidra class or the morning mantra sessions, whenever I wanted (often at night after my daughter went to sleep).
The biggest benefit to training online was fun to have my daughter watching the videos along with me, exposing her to ideas like chakras, mantra and pranayama early. She listened to the lessons along with me, a nice change of pace from Peppa Pig and Sesame Street. I love exposing her to yoga at this young age, as I feel the benefits will help her become a more compassionate human being for years. And nothing is cuter than hearing a 3-year-old say "om gam ganapataye namaha."
If you've wondered if an online YTT would work for you, I say consider it. I found it hugely beneficial and convenient, and loved being a part of a like-minded community while continuing my yoga education--all while staying safe at home with my family. More information on the one I completed with Rise + Vibe can be found here.
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