Falling in Love with Yoga: My Journey in Yoga Teacher Training
After thirty years of dabbling in yoga — attending classes here and there, rolling out my mat when life felt overwhelming — I thought I knew what yoga was. I liked it. It was a reliable tool for stress relief, a way to stretch and breathe and feel a little more human. But I didn’t love it. Not yet.
That changed over the past eight months.
I recently completed a transformative yoga teacher training at the Be Free Healing Center in Fort Collins, Colorado, led by one of the world’s gifts, Melanie Lighthouser. What I thought would be a deep dive into asana — the physical postures — turned out to be a full immersion into the heart of yoga itself. This wasn’t just a training. It was a spiritual excavation, a cultural education, and a personal awakening.
Beyond the Poses: Exploring All Eight Limbs of Yoga
From the very beginning, it was clear that this training wouldn’t be limited to perfecting downward dog or memorizing sequences. The curriculum was rooted in the full eight-limbed path of yoga as outlined in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali:
Yama (ethical restraints)
Niyama (personal observances)
Asana (physical postures)
Pranayama (breath control)
Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses)
Dharana (concentration)
Dhyana (meditation)
Samadhi (absorption or bliss)
Each limb was treated with reverence and depth. We didn’t just learn about them — we lived them. We practiced them on and off the mat, in our relationships, in our reflections, and later in our practice teaching.
One limb that profoundly impacted me was Svadhyaya, part of the Niyamas. It means “self-study,” and it became a guiding principle throughout the training. Svadhyaya asked me to look inward — not just at my habits and thoughts, but at my conditioning, my privilege, and my place in the world as a white woman learning and preparing to teach a sacred tradition that originated in South Asia.
Cultural Awareness and Responsibility
One of the most powerful aspects of the training was its emphasis on cultural humility and responsibility. Yoga is not just a wellness trend; it’s a spiritual tradition with deep roots in Indian philosophy, religion, and history. As someone outside that culture, I had to confront the uncomfortable truth: yoga in the West has often been stripped of its context, commodified, and appropriated.
At Be Free, we didn’t shy away from these conversations. We leaned into them. We examined the history of colonialism and its impact on the transmission of yoga to the West. (One text we read was “Embrace Yoga’s Roots” by Susanna Barkataki. I highly recommend this book for all teachers and students!) We explored the difference between appreciation and appropriation. We asked hard questions: How do we honor the lineage of yoga while making it accessible? How do we avoid perpetuating harm? How do we teach with integrity?
I’m deeply grateful for the space that was created to explore these questions. It wasn’t performative or superficial — it was embodied. We were encouraged to examine our biases, to listen to voices from the South Asian community, and to commit to ongoing learning. This wasn’t a checkbox to pass the course; it was a lifelong vow.
Falling in Love with the Philosophy
If I had to pinpoint the moment I fell in love with yoga — not just the practice, but the philosophy — it would be during our sessions with Ahbi. His teachings on yogic history and philosophy were nothing short of mesmerizing. He brought ancient texts to life, weaving together stories, sutras, and spiritual insights with clarity and compassion. (Side note: Ahbi leads Yoga Temple at 8am on Sunday mornings at Be Free. This weekly class dives into the transformational teachings of yoga: pranayama (breathwork), meditation, philosophy, mantra, and more. It’s amazing!)
And then there was Jayu Das. His mantra session was pure magic. I’ve been drawn to chanting before, but I was never sure how to approach it. Under his guidance, I felt something shift. The vibrations of the mantras moved through my body like waves, awakening something ancient within me. I began to chant not just with my voice, but with my heart.
Teaching from the Heart
As the training progressed, I began to see yoga as a living tradition — one that requires devotion, discernment, and deep respect. I learned how to teach from a place of authenticity, not performance. I deepened my understanding of how to hold space, how to listen, and how to guide others without imposing.
I also learned how to say, “I don’t know,” how to step aside, and how to elevate voices that have been marginalized. I learned that being a yoga teacher isn’t about being an expert — it’s about being a steward.
Integration and Gratitude
Now that the training is complete, I feel both full and humbled. I’ve gained tools —sequencing, anatomy, cueing — but more importantly, I’ve gained perspective. I’ve gained reverence. I’ve gained a deeper connection to myself and to the lineage of yoga.
I no longer “like” yoga. I love it. I love its complexity and its capacity to heal and challenge. I love that it’s not mine to own, but mine to honor.
To anyone considering yoga teacher training, I offer this: find a program that doesn’t just teach you how to move, but how to listen. Find a program that honors the roots of yoga and invites you into the full spectrum of its wisdom. Be Free Healing Center did that for me, and I will carry its teachings with me always.