"When the program was over, I was on my own with my newly earned certificate (and very green teaching skills). Teaching a class on my own was a sink or swim situation, and I did a lot of sinking as I tried to figure out how to actually apply what I had learned without any guidance. Fortunately, I was determined enough to keep venturing into the water. I started teaching at Cambio in 2009, and here I received an amazing level of support and mentorship from many people in this teaching community. I honed my skills in sequencing, adjusting, language, and I over time I learned to teach with confidence and grace."
Extended YTT Co-Coordinator and Senior Teacher, Suzanne Mariska shares her experience in becoming a yoga teacher and how it inspires her in leading incoming trainees as they take their first steps on this journey. Continue reading Suzanne's unique experiences and this practice that leads you inward.
Are you interested in becoming a yoga teacher? Or in doing training to deepen your own practice? What about sharing your YTT experience, or anything else that you'd like to see on the Yoga Living Project? Whatever it is, email Austin at
The Path Leads Inward – Why I Love Teaching Yoga Teachers
I took yoga teacher training in 2005 because I liked yoga, and because I was looking for something more meaningful than the daily grind. Although the yoga classes I had taken were physical practices, I had the idea that there was more to yoga than just the poses. I knew I felt different after I did yoga than after I took other exercise classes, and I wanted more of that feeling. I wanted to know why it was different, where that feeling came from, and how I could feel it more often.
That 200 hour teacher training was one of the hardest things I had ever done in my life. I worked hard and learned a ton, but the most challenging part – and also the best part – was the journey into my own mind and heart. It’s hard to put this part into words – that’s why you hear people summing up teacher training is “transformational” and “life-changing”. I think it’s because the knowledge acquired through yoga requires practice, and the practice of yoga on this level leads to an inner awareness that’s difficult to describe. And it’s something many people never even get a glimpse of.
I took my teacher training several years before Cambio Yoga opened our doors. When the program was over, I was on my own with my newly earned certificate (and very green teaching skills). Teaching a class on my own was a sink or swim situation, and I did a lot of sinking as I tried to figure out how to actually apply what I had learned without any guidance. Fortunately, I was determined enough to keep venturing into the water. I started teaching at Cambio in 2009, and here I received an amazing level of support and mentorship from many people in this teaching community. I honed my skills in sequencing, adjusting, language, and I over time I learned to teach with confidence and grace.
Working with Cambio’s trainings over the last 8 years, and now co-leading the Extended Teacher Training, I’ve watched hundreds of students grow in their own amazing ways. Their self-awareness deepens, their practice opens up, their teaching skills develop beautifully, and their confidence levels rise to new heights. And they don’t have to sink like I did – there is always someone to help out with encouragement and to help refine your skills. The mentorship support provided to Cambio trainees and to teachers – new and experienced alike – surpasses any program I have taken or taught in.
This is why I love these trainings so much! There are so many support systems in place, both formally and informally, in a culture that is truly invested in everyone’s success and personal growth. The work we do in yoga may be physical, and may be guided by an instructor, but the true work is to follow the path that leads inward. To facilitate and witness this deepening and awakening in another person is a true gift.
You don’t need any special ability or knowledge to take a teacher training course. At Cambio, we believe yoga is for all bodies and all people, and we embrace a wide diversity of students and teachers alike. All you need to follow this path is a love for yoga, a love for learning, and a strong desire to grow. If you want to teach, you will be ready. And even if you don’t want to teach, your practice, your self-awareness, and your inner connection will be deeper than ever before.
Do you want to know more? I love to hear your thoughts and questions, and to talk with you about yoga! Everyone has a unique path in yoga, and we can help point you in the right direction. You can reach out to me at
Photo by Missy Romero :: missyromero.com
