Online Yoga Teacher Training Will Continue For Now
I’m so sorry to see all the outbreaks and lockdowns around Australia this week. I hope that you are all coping okay and that you and your loved ones are all safe and sound. With this new round of outbreaks I’m reminded that we are not nearly ‘back to normal’ yet, so as I make plans for the next few yoga programs I have decided to continue to keep all courses online into early 2022.
Two main reasons that I am sticking with online teaching for now are:
- Travelling to Australia is near impossible right now, and I can’t justify my place on a plane when there are 40,000 Australians needing to get home.
- Last minute lockdowns are really stressful for everyone, but especially for students having taken time off work and away from home/family, paid for accommodation and travel etc., and having to switch last minute back to online, possibly getting stuck in quarantine/lockdown, or worse, at risk of being exposed to Covid.
A few reasons why I’m really enjoying teaching online and I’m comfortable continuing this way include:
- I’m getting the chance to share yoga teacher training with students who I wouldn’t normally get to study with – including people living in regional Australia, people with responsibilities that don’t allow for a full-time intensive, people with disabilities/accessibility issues, caregivers, and people who normally don’t find a 12-day face-to-face intensive accessible.
- I am seeing students’ learning experience is as good as, or in many cases, even better than the face-to-face intensives. There is more time and space in between sessions to process, integrate, and explore the subject matter. Everything is recorded so you don’t miss out if you have to miss a session. And, while there is more self-study, students can find their own pace, their own study style, and have all the support they need via email and one-to-one Zoom sessions.
- I am seeing less injuries. Face-to-face intensives are hard on bodies. Not just doing too much yoga each day, but also the demands of sitting on floor for long periods. I’m finding that students are experiencing less of the aches and pains of teacher training, and having a more positive physical experience overall.
- Finally, I’m learning from each course how to provide support and community so that we don’t miss out on the friendship, fun, and conversations that are at the heart of yoga teacher training. Our new Philosophy Club, and Virtual Yoga Classes are two ways that we are staying connected and cultivating community.
So, with all that being said, our next online YTT program is now open for registration. Our Zoom intensive will run from Oct to Dec and students can get started in their Online Studies and community groups right away upon registration.
From there, our next online YTT program will begin in January 2022, and I’m planning for a May 2022 intake as well.
Fingers crossed we all go ‘back to normal’ sooner than expected. But, for now, to allow people to plan ahead, to know what to expect, and to have a greater sense of safety in training, online will continue to be our ‘normal’ for a while longer.
If you have any questions, want to express your interest in an upcoming YTT program, or wish to chat further, please do drop me a line anytime and I’ll be here to help.