Straight from the Heart: Why I Did Shree's Anusara Teacher Training

Written by Jessica Addeo

Joining Shree’s Anusara Teacher Training in the fall of 2015 was a completely unexpected decision. I had already done a prior teacher training and was not currently teaching (or planning on starting to teach) yoga. Furthermore, my life felt busy and full, I had just changed jobs in my full-time career and was newly married. However, every time I went to class and heard Chaya or one of the other teacher’s mention the training something pulled at my heart. I decided to take a leap of faith and sign up.

 I could tell you that in the training I learned all about yoga anatomy, yoga philosophy, yoga postures and the tenets of Anusara yoga and all of that would be true. The leaders of the training at Shree are talented, capable, and experienced teachers on every level. But what I learned about most, what made the training worth it, was myself. At the start, I felt shy about the fact that I had done a training previously; mostly because I didn’t feel like a “yoga teacher”. I didn’t want to make the others in the group uncomfortable and I knew from experience how awkward it can feel to try and teach out loud for the first time. As the weekends went on I literally grew more comfortable in my own skin, felt braver to say what I knew out loud and slowly began to develop a new level of self-confidence. I stepped into my role, found my voice, and found people to share it with. That was what kept pulling at me every time the training was mentioned. My heart was asking me to do this.

 In addition to all the learning and self-exploration that the training evoked, the sense of community, the wonderful people I met and developed relationships with, stand out as a huge reason why you should consider joining. Every weekend we shared a meal together Saturday night, sitting around a blanket crossed legged in the studio left me feeling so completely nourished. Although it is hard to take a weekend out of our busy lives and dedicate it primarily to yoga, I guarantee you won’t feel depleted. Every weekend, no matter how tired, how many other things I had going on outside of yoga, I walked away feeling so full and thankful. To have found a space to not only practice the yoga that I love, but to also get to share myself with others and go deeper inside myself, was an invaluable life experience.

At the end of the training we were all required to teach a class. This was by far my most favorite part of the course. I was not the only one cultivating my own voice, we were all doing it and all supporting each other simultaneously. Hearing the fellow members of our group teach a class and sounding so much like themselves and like “real yoga teachers” was moving and unforgettable. Yes, doing a teacher training is about yoga, but it is about so much more. If any part of you is curious about the training, listen to your heart. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

See what some of the other graduates are saying about their experience:

“I started my yoga teacher training with the idea to go deeper into my practice, physically and spiritually: the search for my real me. What I discovered on the road during these 9 months was not only how much I love Anusara yoga (the style Shree yoga practices and teaches) but also how much I want to spread this love by teaching myself. The way Chaya and all my other teachers lead our group through these magic and challenging times still amazes me with its professionalism, depth, understanding of what we need as students and as human beings, complexity, and infinite joy. For me each teacher training weekend was like a mini yoga retreat: studying, practicing, being with people I fell in love. Now, a year later our group of new teachers is still together, supporting each other, enjoying teaching, getting together once a month. We are a Kula, community of the heart.”
- Emi Fendian

“The Shree TT was one of the most meaningful and challenging things I have undertaken. It was transformative.  The expert teachers who guided us through the year have a level of understanding that is rare even among the most accomplished teachers, and this is the best preparation you can get to prepare you to teach this complex discipline. In addition, the ties that formed between people in the group are lasting and have helped sustain me in my first year of teaching. Studying this material is a life-long pursuit, but you will search far and wide before you can find another teacher training program that will prepare you for that journey in the way this one does.”
- Amy Nolan

 Shree is offering a Teacher Training September 2017- May 2018. This training is not offered annually, so this is a special occurrence. It will be co-taught by Chaya Spencer and Rachel Dewan, both ERYT 500 and Anusara Certified teachers. Email Chaya to reserve a spot at one of the upcoming free informational sessions @ chaya@shreeyoga.com   

·       Monday May 22 at 12:45 PM

·       Saturday, June 24 at 1:00 PM

·       Sunday, July 16 at 1:00 PM

·       Monday, August 14 at 7:30 PM