It was a magical and challenging journey – from day one of arriving in the dark after a long flight delay with a new fellow TTC friend until the final boat ride back to the mainland island and return to the US.
The teacher training course (TTC) is 200 hours of instruction – hatha yoga, meditation, spiritual philosophy, and anatomy. Every day the schedule is the same:
| 6:00 – 7:45 am | Morning Satsang (meditation, chanting, and lecture; or silent walk) |
| 8:00 – 10:00 am | Asana and Pranayama Class |
| 10:00 am | Brunch |
| 10:45 – 11:45 am | Karma Yoga (serving the ashram) |
| 12:00 – 1:00 pm | Bhagavad Gita/Chanting Class |
| 1:00 – 2:00 pm | Break (or Karma Yoga) |
| 2:00 – 4:00 pm | Main Lecture (yoga philosophy and psychology or anatomy and physiology) |
| 4:00 – 6:00 pm | Asana and Pranayama (teaching methods) |
| 6:00 pm | Dinner |
| 7:00 – 8:00 pm | Free Time (or Karma Yoga) |
| 8:00 – 10:00 pm | Evening Satsang (meditation, chanting, and lecture, concert, or special event) |
‘Satsang’ means a gathering – every morning and evening we meditated together, chanted kirtan, and in the Bahamas center, it included fantastic evening and morning lectures from both ashram teachers and world-renowned speakers, writers, leaders, and artists. Some days (ones without the threat of rain) we took silent walks along the beach and we meditated and chanted as the sun rose along the ocean.
They were long days, but somehow on about six hours of sleep I felt energized and rested most of the time. I usually need about eight hours of sleep in my daily life at home, and so this was astonishing to me. Don’t get me wrong – there were days of total exhaustion and when I felt like my mind and my body could process no more information, movement, or sitting cross-legged for any longer. We sat on the ground for over seven hours every day! This was one of the hardest teachings of the course for me – to maintain good posture and stay focused while my knees or back were screaming to lay down.
The training was the ultimate test in discipline – and I was further tested as my karma yoga assignment was the roll call for our group of 45 international students. Everyone at the ashram had a karma yoga task – and as a TTC we each had at least one hour per day of karma yoga. A new Australian/British friend and I carried clipboards and were responsible for checking our fellow TTCs in and out of every session we attended each day. This meant I had to be EARLY to everything – and if you know me, that is not one of my strong suits 🙂 Ultimately, I enjoyed this karma yoga as I was able to learn the names of everyone in our group and was able to challenge my chronic lateness in general.
Now if you are thinking to yourself – why on earth would you do this? For any moments of discomfort or anxiety of running late – there was so much to the course that made up for this. Namely, the food. Ohhhh, the food. The ashram prepares fresh ayurvedic brunch and dinner every day – vegan/vegetarian clean, delicious food – that is cooked by karma yogis volunteering their time. For the exception for only a couple days – my digestion and body functioning felt the healthiest it has ever felt. Every day there was a complete spread of salads, incredible vegetable dishes, homemade bread, granola, and yogurt, along with fresh fruit and herbal tea. Another test involved not overeating – imagine sitting in a warm room for a lecture with an overfull stomach of food – the temptation to nap is way too strong!
I haven’t mentioned yet one of the key reasons I chose to study in the Bahamas – the OCEAN! Falling asleep to the sound of the waves, walking along the beach at sunrise/sunset, and being able to take a quick swim during breaks made the month one of the most enjoyable experiences. We had one day off per week, and you best bet that I was in the sand and water for the better part of those days 🙂
Finally, for me this yoga training was more than being able to do a headstand or backbend and be able to teach others – it was continuing steps on a spiritual journey that is deeply personal. Although its roots are in Hinduism and the classic texts depict Hindu gods and goddesses – Sivananda Yoga does not attempt to convert anyone to a Hindu, as you must be born a Hindu to call yourself one! All people regardless of religion or creed are welcome – it is a personal choice to how one understands and defines God or the Divine. What I was searching for in a yoga training was a foundation in yoga philosophy and to find a connection within myself of body, mind, and spirit. I hope that I can continue to build on what I learned in that month of February – through movement, stillness, and breath.
Narayani Yoga 