Baby Steps| Beginning the Journey as a RPYT

Last Fall I took an 85 hour certification to become a Prenatal Yoga Teacher. It was not something I had planned, but rather one of those things that divinely fell into place. Going with the flow, paying attention to the signs, and listening to my intuition has led me to become a RPYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher) something I never thought I wanted or needed. 

In my first teacher training, we learned a few things about teaching prenatal students. But it wasn't enough for me to feel like I could offer prenatal students coming to my regular classes as many options as possible to get the most out of their experience. Coupled with the fact that I kept receiving mixed messages about what to do and what not to do with mommies, I was not fully confident in my ability to teach them properly. 

Then one day I noticed that a studio I teach at was offering a prenatal yoga teacher training. Always on the lookout for professional development opportunities, I did some research on the program but found the time and money commitment didn't match my schedule. So I passed on it. I felt good about this decision. Besides, to be honest, I never saw myself as a prenatal yoga teacher in the first place. 

At this point I had decided to leave my job and start teaching semi-full time. I was picking up more classes, which meant new students and different types of people coming to class. It was great, but I always got nervous when new mommies came to class. My friend Brittanie mentioned she was working on a Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training with April Puciata. I was interested. I looked into this program and once I read the description I knew I wanted to take it. Something clicked. My gut said "yep, this is right for me," but still, I hesitated. Again, I didn't know if I was cut out to be a prenatal teacher. I had never been pregnant, though many of my friends had been and although I understood the mechanics of pregnancy and delivery, there was still so much I was not aware of. My mom never talked about being pregnant and so my own birth story was a mystery. From what I have learned it was challenging for her. For very personal reasons I will leave it a that.  

Leave it to the Universe to give me the kick in the ass when I need it. I went to my normal Open to All class one day and wouldn't you believe of the eight students that were there, nearly half of them were pregnant! They were all students I'd seen before, but never in one class! This was surely a sign. Okay, Universe I got it. I will take this training. I signed up that week. 

I'm so glad I did. I learned so much more than I could ever had imagined. As a woman I felt empowered with knowledge I'm sure I would have missed when it came time to start my own family. As a yoga teacher, I learned new information that supports my regular classes too, making them even better. April is an amazing teacher and much of what and how she teaches resonated with me. I made new friends and challenged myself. I did something I never thought I would do. I became a Prenatal Yoga Teacher and I love it! 

There's still so much to learn. I continue to read up on the subject, talk to other prenatal teachers as well as friends and students. And I realized that I needed this training not only for teaching, but on a personal level too. So many of my fears about pregnancy were because it had always been kept as a mystery to me. Like I said, my mom never wanted to talk about it and that's okay. Now, with a little knowledge in my back pocket I am even more in awe and open to this very natural and fundamental process of life. It's amazing! 

And so, I leave you with this thought. Whenever you are faced with an opportunity to grow and you shy away, ask yourself "what am I scared of?" "What is really holding me back here?" The answers are more than likely deeply personal, but that doesn't mean you should hide from it. Rather, I encourage you to give some space to your thoughts, sit quietly, listen to your intuition, pay attention to the signs around you. Make an informed decision, and when you do, go forth with confidence that you are on the right path. You may just discover new things about yourself and an amazing world you never thought imaginable.