First, there was the regular stress of our modern lifestyle: go-go-go, a million places to be at once, and a million things to accomplish at the same time. Most of us were already uber stressed out, trying to maintain overly full schedules and overly ambitious to-do lists. Then COVID hit, bringing with it waves of fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and strife.

A massive financial crisis; violent protests across the nation; a hyper divisive election season; and now another round of holidays, all while still dealing with the aforementioned crises. Whew. As my stepmother says “We’re all breathing the same air”, meaning that we’re all intimately connected and affect one another, whether we choose to recognize that or not.

Even if 2020 has brought blessings and needed change, we are biologically impacted by the suffering of those around us. It’s like how trees affect one another: we can’t escape it, even if we’re in a great space. And many of us are directly in the midst of suffering ourselves.

It’s a lot, and that stress, anxiety, and depression does a number on our bodies – and our minds!

Yes, practicing yoga can help with these challenges; but Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) can teach you how yoga helps. It explains the “science behind the magic” and gives you an enhanced ability to utilize these tools by understanding how they work; when to apply them; and how to maximize their impact.

YTT allows you to not just feel better in the moment yourself – it gives you the ability to make other people feel better, and to help them too. Even if you’re not teaching, you’ll naturally share your new found knowledge with your family, friends, and circles, meaning that the positive impacts of your yoga will extend far beyond your own mat.

In addition, you’ll experience yoga more deeply for yourself. Even if only for your own stress management and wellbeing, YTT empowers you to go far beyond just taking classes into having greater control over your health journey. You’ll learn how to better take care of your body and support it during times of stress, whether that’s the everyday intensity of our post-COVID lives… or getting through the rest of 2020 and all that it has brought to our doorsteps!

We’ve got one more spot left in the middle price tier – and a few more virtual spaces open for our 2021 program. Click here for more details about the program, or email us with specific questions: ytt@waynesvilleyogacenter.com

Leigh-Ann Renz

Leigh-Ann has been practicing yoga since 1997 and teaching it since 2005. She is attracted to fluid vinyasa styles, including moon salutations, and loves to geek out about yoga “off the mat” – such as how the philosophies behind the physical postures can enrich our journey, both for ourselves and for others. She is honored to co-teach the 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training program at Waynesville Yoga Center, and loves facilitating healing services to the community. A writer, dancer, massage therapist, creative marketing nerd, and proud Mom, she can be found travelling, enjoying the rhythm of the seasons, or soaking up the natural world when not working.