and we got to the end of the training

Or a beginning for…

Week four of the training at Nydum went very fast.

Probably too fast, to the point that after leaving Nydum, I had to find a quiet space to start embracing the necessary rest I needed.

In my situation, I would have never been able to jump on the plane right away and fly back to my everyday life.

I know it is a luxury, but I suggest taking one or two extra days after the month-long transformational journey to allow that yoga to happen, like in the Savasana that close all our practices

I see a yoga teacher training as a molecular deconstruction and re-assembly of all of our dimensions in a more sustainable shape or form.

Hence I took a bit of time to write this last blog post.

I am still giving time to the physical body to rest and repair after the training. In a few days, I will be taking a led Ashtanga class in a Studio I usually attend to see how my body reacts and slowly but surely, now and then, I will let Ciara's voice recording lead me in practice. I will also sprinkle some Mysore style here and there, and in small incremental steps, the body will adapt to the demand of growing a paced yet steady practice.

By reading my first three blogs, I am sure you picked that week one had impacted my physical body, week two on my mental, while week three was all about the emotions that bubbled up during the various morning practices.

This fourth week was for me all about the psychology of the transformation process that threaded the background of these four weeks. I never picked that up during the first three weeks, as I probably had to develop more self-awareness. Still, there are many models to reflect upon this, and they all present four stages: for me, it was one week, one stage. We will see which model works best in the coming days.

The morning practices were still intense, and somehow my body knew we were at the end. I had minor pains here and there, and it just took more patience to lead the body in the Surya Namaskara A and B. We also enjoyed two Vinyasa sessions, and one of them meticulously choreographed, was all about rhythm, ending up with an outdoors' Ecstatic Dance session blessed by the morning sunshine.

The week's Teaching Methodology experiential sessions were all about the art of adjustments, a valuable tool to master with practice.

In one of the workshops, we explored a reflective journaling tool to deal with emotions by improving external and internal dialogue.

I also loved the Partner Care experiential workshop, which revealed the power of touch in Savasana.

The Ayurveda class has stimulated everybody's interest and highlighted the importance of providing lessons aligned with the students' constitution. Complementing this class was the last day's Vinyasa flow wrapping up the Ayurveda's type concept in a three-part session. We all loved this true gift before leaving Nydum.

The very useful "What's Next" session provided plenty of suggestions over Teaching once back home, Continuing Education's hours and further Teacher Training.

Oh yes, the assessments.

No wonder the week went so fast. Here I have a suggestion the teachers continuously give you: study daily the material presented to avoid gasping all information down at the end, and all will go well. Nevertheless, there was plenty of study time during last week.

You will also have the opportunity to teach a one hour class to some of your peers. Assembling your final class starts already on week three but in a progressive fashion following the suggestions given during the Teaching Methodology's classes. You will be more than ready by the end, trust me.

Would I recommend Nydum Ashtanga Vinyasa 200h Yoga Teacher Training? The answer is yes!

I would recommend it not only to whoever wants to seal a few years of diligent practice by becoming a teacher but also to those who want to awaken the yogi within. I am personally already teaching other styles of yoga, and I have chosen Nydum to explore the Vinyasa style for which I believe Ashtanga practice is propaedeutic. I was out of my comfort zone, and from there, I learned.

Nydum is the place where I attended the Pre-natal Yoga continuing education teacher training, and Amelia, the deus ex-machina of Nydum, has a wealth of experience not only in teaching but also in picking dedicated and influential Lead Teachers for guiding the students in this valuable journey.

It has been an absolute pleasure and honour to write this four-post blog and find space for it on Nydum's website.

Thank you again, Amelia, Ciara, Edu, Anna and all my dear fellow students, for the continuous presence and support granted during these four weeks. This journey was made possible by each one of you.

With heart

Sal