Yesterday, 12 teacher trainees wrapped up their final weekend of in-studio training for Twist Yoga’s 200 hour teacher training program. It’s an understatement to say that Heather and I are beyond proud of every single trainee’s willingness to work hard, take a look at their own fears and risk vulnerability.
It’s all too common –and so very human– that we think we’re are not (insert adjective here: Loveable, Pretty, Strong, Smart) enough. Maybe we unconsciously create our own metaphorical yardsticks of belief. Maybe we invest in someone else’s beliefs.
Either way, we hold them up as gospel, and then (of course) fail to measure up against them.
For teacher trainees, many question their own ability to be a knowledgable/strong/likeable enough yogi. To help them assess their “enoughness”, over the weekend, we ask them to complete this quiz:
1. How many hours per week should a yoga teacher practice?
A) 14
B) 7
C) It depends
D) Both C and D
2. Mastery of which key pose is the level of initiation for successfully teaching yoga?
A) Tadasana
B) Savasana
C) Full Wheel
D) Crow Pose
3. Mastery of which key pose is the level of initiation to successfully teach yoga at the national level?
A) Headstand
B) Handstand
C) One Handed Handstand
D) Foot Behind Head
E) None. I will never be good enough to teach at a national level.
4. What is the highest acceptable percentage of body fat yoga teachers may have?
A) 2-5%
B) 10-13%
C) 14-20%
D) 32%
5. Which of the below names is the most appropriate spiritual name for a yoga teacher?
A) Karuna
B) Karuna-ananda
C) Anything that ends with “asté ”. Like “Thomasté .”
D) Joan
6. Which is the acceptable diet for a yoga teacher?
A) Vegetarian
B) Vegan
C) Raw
D) Gluten Free
E) Wine and cheese
7. What is the minimum number of Chaturanga Dandasanas that is acceptable to teach in a 90 minute class?
A) 0
B) 10
C) 20
D) 49,000
E) Enough to prove to your students that their teacher is beyond a badass.
8. Which is the single most effective method of hatha yoga?
A) Restoratives
B) Bikram
/ Hot
C) Vinyasa
D) Ashtanga
E) None of the above
9. What is the largest size in Lululemon Wunder Unders that is acceptable for a yoga teacher to wear?
A) Negative Zero
B) 0
C) 2
D) 4
10. Which is an acceptable morning beverage for a yoga teacher?
A) Decaf latte with soy milk
B) Kale smoothie
C) Hot water with lemon
D) The dregs of last night’s bottle of wine
E) Nothing. One should fast until their morning practice, which needs to happen every fucking day, otherwise you suck as a yoga teacher.
Was that quiz ridiculous enough to make my point? My point being that we all create these subjective kinds of “truths”.
But upon closer examination, we find these beliefs aren’t true at all.
Absurd, even.
Take the questions on the quiz. Sure, they are deliberately tongue-in-cheek, and look absurd on paper–but I’ll bet I’m not the only yoga teacher who has believed at least one of them!
In our 200 hour teacher training program, Heather and I continually ask trainees to examine their own limiting beliefs – their own and the ones they’ve inherited – about what it means to be good enough. Not only around the field of teaching, but with regard to every day life: Being a good enough parent/friend/spouse/professional.
And, over the five-month training, we find that trainees no longer believe what they once thought to be true.
And THAT moves us to tears.
Ted, Sarah, Tricia, Meredith, Emily, Patty, Shannon, Gretchen, Stephani, Jane, Karie and Jessica: Bravo! We believe in you.
Talk to us:
What kind of limiting beliefs have held you back? What kind of experiences have you had bumping up against the limiting beliefs of others? What did you once believe to be true that you no longer believe? Email us or begin a discussion on our Facebook page!