It’s a radical concept – but what if we could become more excellent yoga teachers simply by taking excellent care of ourselves?

There’s lots of yoga classes, and yoga teachers.   My blog is directed toward teachers who aspire to be excellent yoga teachers.   Excellence is intentional, and a long-term investment.   People  who believe yoga training, education conferences and retreats are too expensive and not necessary to teach yoga, are correct if there’s no value on the quality of the teaching.   Excellent yoga classes are taught  by  teachers  who have walked a path that has taken them outside their comfort zone, transformed them and inspired them to pass the experience along.

I believe training that involves travel; and Retreat experiences assist in the growth of beginning yoga teachers.

I get it.  I saved for three years to afford my first teacher training.  My resume reflects serious financial investment.  While, I was inspired by my trainings at White Lotus, Ananda Expanding Light, Kripalu, all done in retreat — the travel expenses and time away from my children was a hardship for my family.  When I created my 200hr Yoga Alliance teacher training course the training was designed to be convenient for people who have jobs, families, etc., and so it is done in weekend intensives.   Local participants come from home — but those from out-of-town stay in hotels.  I have found the time away from home, though less convenient and more expensive, for some participants was an important factor in their personal transformation.  Though convenient, running home between yoga workshops and unloading the dishwasher stops process.  Staying within your self, alone in an unfamiliar coffee shop or hotel room, holding calls from work, limiting check-ins with family is powerful.  So powerful that participants in my training, who live driving distance have chosen to stay overnight in Mankato.

I completed my 500hr RYT through White Lotus Foundation.  The entire program was done in retreat.  As an experienced teacher, familiar with burn-out, the value of this sunk into my bones.

Janine Gustafson

Janine Gustafson leads a workshop at her beautiful studio, Yoga Okoboji

When co-director Candy Bell and I created our 300/500hour RYT Yoga Alliance Advanced Teacher Training,  I knew we needed an aspect of Retreat.  It would be too costly for the entire training to be done in retreat — and Sun Moon remains our training “home,” but the program begins and ends in weekend retreat.  Our program, entitled “Wellness & Leadership,” addresses two issues for experienced teachers: Burn-out and the need for opportunities for teacher commiserate with their skills.

Email me, sunmoon@hickorytech.net, and commit to a Fall Yoga Teacher’s Retreat,  with comfy accommodations and gourmet vegetarian meals at The Oakwood Inn; and workshops with Janine Gustafson, at her beautiful studio, Yoga Okoboji.  Retreats are essential to excellence in teaching yoga — and you benefit the moment you commit.  Studies have shown that the CNS (central nervous system) health benefits of vacations/retreats occur prior as we look forward to the event, during and after, as we revisit memories.  Setting an intention for excellence in teaching yoga, committing  to a Retreat as a foundation to make it happen is what our Okoboji Teacher’s Retreat is all about.  Our theme is “Deep Level Wellness,” all yoga teachers are invited.  You do not have to be interested in joining the 300hour “Wellness & Leadership,” program, but the Retreat is the first step if you do.

Retreats are essential to excellence in teaching yoga — and you benefit the moment you commit.