I initially enrolled in Yoga Teacher Training because, at that time in my life, yoga had become my lifeline. I was holding on by a thread, one breath at a time and yoga was the only thing that was getting me through that tough time in my life. I needed yoga to get through the day. I took yoga teacher training so I could take yoga with me, wherever I might be. As I went through my training and deepened my practice, my life began to change in very unexpected ways. I started to become aware of the things in my life that didn’t work for me; people, activities, relationships, etc. This new awareness allowed me to close doors and walk through new opened doors. And as I did this, my life began to morph into something more beautiful then I could’ve ever imagined.
I was a software engineer and yoga brought me to birth. I'd never given birth before, so birth was not something I thought much about. But I followed the call, one step at a time. I enrolled in Prenatal Yoga Teacher training, attended my first birth and began to teach. I started with 1 prenatal yoga student. Each week it was just her and I for 6-months. I wasn’t discouraged or upset, for whatever reason, that didn’t bother me one bit. I was loving the work.
Over that year my class grew quickly and I really began to see the potential of my prenatal yoga class. The format was community based. We sat our mats in a circle. No head of the class, no front row or back row. All attendees equal. As we moved we got to know each other, each woman shared about her pregnancy journey, questions, fears, and daily highlights or struggles.
In the circle, we moved together, connect our minds to our body, connected mother to baby, and sister to sister. We laughed about the journey and sometimes we cried. We shared triumphs, frustrations and learned from others successes.
We formed connections that are so rare today. We called it a Mama Tribe, with the groups staying together as friends for many years to follow. For me, creating and holding that sacred space filled my cup completely. I learned that giving is also receiving. If I was having a terrible day, dreading teaching, I would always leave the mat feeling happy, full and content.
Prenatal yoga is not building contortionists. It’s not leading students to handstands or helping them to twist into amazing binds. Prenatal yoga is helping people through the most sacred transformation. Holding sacred space as women slowing transform from maiden to mother.
Are you being called to become a Prenatal Yoga Teacher? Join our next training. Learn more here.
Interested in attending Prenatal Yoga at Enso? Register here.