My story in Progress:
Recently I've been inspired to embark to Rishikesh, India to learn yoga from the source and receive my 200 hour yoga teacher's certification.
Suffering from severe scoliosis with a titanium rod in my spine after spinal fusion surgery, I spent most of my life thinking that my dream of teaching yoga simply wasn't possible. I discovered Kundalini yoga and I was amazed how accessible the poses were, the level of which my spirit lifted, and the spiritual nature that was awakened from within my being. I began a disciplined daily practice of Kundalini yoga and my dream of teaching yoga emerged once again.
Searching for schools, I discovered that it seemed like a much better option to go to India to receive my certification. I could get my 200 hours, be completely immersed, learn from the source, and have my food and lodge accommodated all for less I would pay in the states (including my ticket). It was a great idea.
During my search for Kundalili schools, I came across a book called Confessions of an American Sikh where the author, spending several years close to Yogi Bhajan (the founder of modern Kundalili yoga), completely tears Yogi Bhajan and his teachings apart. He had been involved in several lawsuits, exuded aggressive behavior, lied about his lineage and teachings, and was ultimately not a genuine teacher. This discovery left my world spinning. The entire foundation of my practice had been based on a lie.
Believe it or not, this is actually a common thing within the community. So many seekers become swept up in sacred teachings that they become to naive to the true essence of those teaching and left susceptible to be taken advantage of. The teacher/student relationship is a sacred one where one should be comfortable enough to completely let go. Finding someone who can fit these standards can be extremely difficult thus I have outline some helpful advice.
Know Your Teacher/School:
Unfortunately with situations like traveling to India, it can be difficult to really know what you're getting into. A legitimate guru should have a concrete spiritual lineage and be able to attest to a personal experience of awakening. When you find a school that seems fitting, read any and all reviews. Look through course outlines. Reach out to some of the people who have studied with in that school or with that teacher. Are they strangely more expensive than other similar schools in the area? Do they do anything to help their local community? Are they founded by the same "yogi" who also founded a similar school down the street? Are they asking you to pay under the table? Do they have strange attachments to their guru/founder that one might compare to being "cultish"? etc. I found a few different schools and emailed some questions, and the one with the more understanding the response was the school I leaned towards. You can tell a lot about a teacher/facility by how genuinely understanding and accommodating they are to a student's individual needs and concerns.
Often times we simply run into the problem that a guru is still human, thus remains a shred of the ego and rarely escapes the human condition. Being a guru, often times they will try harder to hide this shred, only aiding in its growth. It is important to find a teacher who is honest with their students, as well as with themselves.
Know Your Method:
If you want to teach a specific style of yoga, think about what it is about that style that draws you towards it. I wanted to teach Kundalini because it's focus on the spine/chakras, easy poses, and spiritual nature. I now realize that most of the things that I describe define yoga itself before it became westernized. The only exception would be easy poses, but, yoga being such a broad practice, there will always be poses more difficult or easier than others. Many western varieties that seem "especially spiritual" are just profiting off what traditional authentic yoga already is.
Follow Your Heart:
Spiritual schools and gurus are always susceptible to negative allegations by those that don't understand. When discerning the truth from the lies, follow what feels legitimate to you. Pay attention to signs of potential teachings that correlate with synchronicities you may be experiencing, or even dreams that you've had. Often times the right teacher will find you if you remain open.
Don't Give Up:
I could of easily given up one yoga altogether after I learned about Yogi Bhajan's Kundalili yoga and many likely do in this situation. Instead I took it deeper, thought about why I really felt drawn to teach yoga in the first place. When we become discouraged in the spiritual community and fail to find anyone who is truly authentic, often times the only is answer is to become authentic within ourselves and find where that feeling leads. Currently, I am looking for schools that teach a deeper, more traditional style of yoga and hope to be heading to India the beginning of next year.
I hope my advice is worthwhile and wish you luck on your incredible journey.
Namaste!
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