There is no doubt that mental and physical well-being are two major benefits of yoga practice. You learn to be fully present at the moment and live without any worry. The regular practice of yoga helps you connect with the world around you and develop more awareness. Yoga is the best way for you to get away from the distractions of daily life and dive deeper into knowing the true self.
If you have been practicing yoga for some time and want to advance this knowledge then doing a yoga teacher certification is the right decision to take. A yoga teacher certification from a Yoga Alliance certified Registered Yoga School goes a long way in helping you master this sacred art.
Unfortunately, there are some yoga schools that operate more on the principles of consumerism rather than helping you connect with the deeper self. You need to watch out for some red flags like;
Too Much Intensity of Practice
During yoga practice, you practice specific postures that help you develop physical awareness in a positive manner. But, you need to remember that too much intensity during the practice will usually stress out the body too much.
You need to ensure that a yoga pose does not exceed the optimum level of intensity during practice. Do not fall victim to the trend of extreme yoga classes especially if you are just starting out.
Too Much Authority
To have a guiding and helpful teacher during the yoga session is one thing, but having one that thinks they are know-it-all is another.
For example, a yoga teacher who forces you to go deeper, or not give the choice of body adjustment during a particular yoga pose is someone you should avoid at all costs.
On the other hand, yoga teacher training makes it clear that the feedback from your body is the ultimate authority during a yoga session.
Pay Attention to the Objectification
You should know there are unscrupulous individuals who can exploit your shortcomings like a poor body image. There are instances where yoga is not practiced as a way of healthy living but something that helps you with just weight loss.
A yoga teacher certification on the other hand requires total acceptance of the body with all its imperfections.
Much Focus on Form and not Performance
If the yoga teacher focuses more on how a particular pose looks, then they are likely to ignore how your body feels during the practice. The aim of a yoga class is not to make you practice each same asana to perfection but also about comfortably practicing each pose.
In other words, you should focus on how the body responds during a particular Yoga asana rather than just on how flexible you want to become.
Suppressing the Emotions
Emotions are physical in the sense that you need to let them out physically. Suppressing your emotions is never a good thing to do, as it can cause mental health issues. The modern yoga practices focus much on suppressing the emotional state, which is unhealthy.
In western nations, the practice of yoga focuses much on positive thinking by trying to suppress underlying emotions like anger or regret which is harmful to the individual. A yoga teacher certification on the other hand never requires that you suppress emotions whether positive or negative.
Conclusion
Learning yoga helps you not only master the body movement and balance, you also learn to calm the mind and think clearly in stressful situations. A yoga teacher certification can help you master yoga on a physical and mental level. Yoga provides you the tools for not just personal growth but also the confidence to share this sacred knowledge with others.