Hear from an 889 Yoga Teacher Training Graduate!

By Leah Lutz, 889 Yoga Teacher Training Grad, 2017

Yoga has long since been a guiding passion for me, but this happened gradually. I still remember my first year in the practice, when I kept my watch within view, and iPhone turned on beside my mat, sometimes longing for the class to be over, and always readily accessible to the outside world!

Fast forward four years, and you could find me taking high-level classes all over town, with top instructors, most days of the week, no concept of time whatsoever. But even this routine was starting to feel monotonous. Don’t get me wrong, I still love group yoga classes and invigorating teachers, but I’d reached a point where I wanted something more.

Sure, I’d acquired a good level of knowledge concerning alignment, was both stronger and more flexible, not to mention apprised of the mind-body-soul connection, but I yearned to delve deeper. Probably, I wanted to teach (yoga has given me so much on the spiritual plane and emotional front, that I aspired to share these gifts), but I craved a broader yogic understanding regardless of this goal.

So I was pleased to learn one of my favourite studios, 889 Community, geographically convenient to me in midtown Toronto, offered a well-designed teacher training program, allowing for such growth, with a focus on Vinyasa-based asana practice (my preferred style of yoga). Here was my chance to cross to the other side of the river!

I could hardly wait to dive into the wide range of modules offered, as they promised to uncover some of the more mysterious aspects of the dynamic flow classes I attended. The fact that there would also be a generous nod to personal creativity and a reverence for nature, was simply the icing on the (plant-powered) cake!

In both the Restorative Yoga and Meditation modules, I would discover what it feels like to truly catch and quiet one’s breath – cherished life skills – while the Anatomy module proved to illuminate on a scientific level.

In the Philosophy of Yoga, I felt no less than intellectually reawakened studying such ancient texts as The Yoga-Sutra of Patanjali and the Bhagavad Gita (Scott Petrie a capable and captivating instructor, adding immeasurable heft to 889’s curriculum).

Finally, I “got” the zen joke where the young Buddhist says to a great teacher on the other side of a wide river “Oh wise one, can you tell me how to get to the other side of this river?” To which the great teacher responds, “but you are on the other side!”

No doubt the best part of the program for me was the final module, the Teaching Practicum and the Final Exam (including a filmed demo). These two components allowed for the synchronization of everything I’d learned in the preceding classes, exploring for the first time my own potential as a future yoga instructor.

Directly following graduation, there was the opportunity of teaching community classes at 889, which I did while subbing elsewhere, helping me to get my “sea legs”. During this time, and afterwards as a Toronto yogi and instructor, I’ve found myself most grateful for the existence and integrity of 889’s Yoga Teacher Training program, its fantastic teachers, and my fellow students, without whom the experience could not have been had, let alone shared.

Namaste!

Leah Lutz

Certified Yoga Teacher