Graduating from Yoga Teacher Training

Show up bigger and cultivate vitalism daily

Yesterday I graduated from my 200 hour yoga teacher training and personal development course lead by Amber Campion out of Santa Cruz, CA www.ambercampion.com

As I am still processing the experience, it is difficult to put it into words however I will give it a shot today!

After a year of weekly private yoga sessions, countless yoga classes, personal training, and a lifetime of experiences I decided to step out of my comfort zone and enter a yoga teacher training in March 2015. I was super excited to be part of it, for my practice Genuine Chiropractic www.genuinechiro.com to be providing the education on anatomy and physiology, and really to see how I could improve my personal yoga  practice. I underestimated the journey I was about to take and how profound of a life experience it would end up providing. I was not clear whether or not I actually wanted to teach yoga but saw it as an opportunity to increase my knowledge since I take care of a lot of yoga teachers and students each day in my chiropractic office.

Well, everything happens for a reason. The past six months has been quite the journey for me personally and each member of our little tribe. It brought out shadow sides, revealing parts o ourselves we keep hidden, run away from, and deny existence to. It forced us to go in deep, become vulnerable, and practice hard but with intention. It was emotionally fatiguing, physically demanding, and spiritually intense journey of self-exploration and personal development. Like anything truly worthwhile in life, you MUST word on it and practice daily. This training was a constant reminder of that important lesson and provided just enough structure to guide us but also enough room to be creative!       

Our tribe of 9 became so close over the months and formed lifelong bonds that can never be broken. We held each other when someone cried and found that through break downs, break-ups, we could all help each other recognize the break through. It is only the break through that allows us to move forward on our clear path and to live the life we have imagined.

We learned that there is not always an answer, not always a cure, but there is always a lesson. Sometimes the lesson is not clear to us, but a member of your community or tribe can point it out and provide guidance. That is exactly what we did for each other, which allowed for expansion and heart opening. Acknowledging that shadow side, bringing it forth and then shedding light on it… but only if we chose to do so. Amber reminded us over and over that choice is always our next option. It was only in our last moments together yesterday that I realized how profound the journey from dark to light had been for me over the past six months.

To my tribe: I thank you for pulling me out of just being “Dr. Elizabeth” and helped me find “Bethy” again. They say we are the sum of the five people we spend the most time with, and I am so proud to have spent so much time with each of you. My heart misses each of you already but knows that you are each going to be absolutely amazing yoga teachers! I cannot wait to take your classes over and years and to see how we can collaborate together on projects.

I am so thrilled to start this next chapter now and to add yoga teacher to my list of certifications… but even more so, to my dearest memories. In each moment, in each breath, we have an option to move backwards into our shadow or to move forward… have a break through… and to shed light on the world? How can you show up more for yourself each day? In doing this, you will be able to show up more for others and to help them cultivate vitalism in every aspect of their lives.

Namaste,

Dr. Elizabeth Wisniewski