YTT- The Path Unfolding
Greetings MyYogaPal and Fightmaster Yoga Communities.
Happy New Year!
It’s been a minute since the last blog. Duke and Kristina, and other helpful people have been busy working on the Fightmaster Online Teacher Training. This New Year’s first blog is about Erin Donovan’s journey to becoming a Yoga Teacher. She continues to manifest a being who continually opens herself up to the possibilities of what the universe offers for her growth.
I’ve been a huge fan of her writing and this recent blog she wrote reinforces why I connect to her through her soul baring honesty and how eloquently she expresses herself.
The theme for this month’s blog is Be Curious, Be Courageous, Be Creative
YTT- The Path Unfolding
by Erin Donovan- CHC, E-RYT-500
People are surprised when I tell them I didn't plan on being a yoga teacher. It happened organically.
While in college, I worked at a studio to take free classes. A teacher training was being offered, but I didn't even think about it until one day, the owner offered for me to take the program. I thought it would simply give me a deeper understanding of Yoga and connection to myself but little did I know that amazingly kind gesture sent me on my path.
I loved the YTT. It was a relatively large group of us—mostly women, but a few men. The instructors were knowledgeable and kind and taught me so much about how to move safely. As I practiced from this perspective, I began to really understand the connection between my mind and my body on a deeper level. I was the youngest in the room, but I felt so empowered. Once I completed the YTT, I thought that "maybe" I would teach at some point, but I still wasn't sure.
After graduating college with a degree in psychology, I relocated to NC, intending to apply to UNC for their Masters in Social Work. I knew I wanted to help people. There was very little Yoga within 25 miles, and there was no option for daily practice. I began to go to gyms to see if they were interested in offering classes. I got laughed at repeatedly. In 1999, Yoga still had a deep stigma of turbans and chanting. I decided to get my aerobics certification and used Yoga poses as the "stretching and core conditioning" portion of my classes. It was a huge hit. Within 3 months, I quit my full-time job and taught 4-5 classes a day. Over 2 years, I faded out the aerobics and solely taught Yoga, finally opening my own studio. Almost 25 years later, I never did go for my Master's degree, but I feel I help people every day. The universe had a different plan for me, which I could have never planned for myself.
Over the years, I have taken over 2,000 training hours. Some I would do again in a heartbeat, and others, on more than one occasion, walked out halfway through because their ego was front and center, and I felt they were looking for a performance rather than a heart-centered practice. It's all one significant learning experience, and I have learned to take a piece from each person of what feels wonderful as a student and what feels judgmental. Being the person at the front of the room guiding people safely through their bodies and emotions is a huge responsibility, and it is an extreme honor to be a part of it.
What drew me to Lesley was her realness. Her commitment to her student's mental well-being and her constant desire to remind us that we don't have to be perfect. After all, if you trace Yoga back to its lineage, it's not about the poses. It's about healing yourself from the inside out.
Erin Donovan in Parsva Sukhasana