My Reality Show Vice
One of the few reality shows I like is Biggest Loser. It’s equal parts shock and inspiration. It’s shocking to see how much these contestants weigh and to hear their stories about how they got to where they are.
Mostly it’s inspirational to watch what these individuals accomplish in a day, week and month.
In the premiere this past Sunday, one of the contestants (picked from 1000s of applicants) quit the show. She didn’t make it one week. In my opinion–ok, in my judgment–she completely effed up a golden ticket to change her life for the better. Not only that, she effed it up for someone else who would have gladly taken advantage of the opportunity.
What does this have to do with yoga teacher training and lightening up in January?
EVERYTHING!
Be a Biggest Loser
So many people believe becoming a yoga teacher is about learning how to teach.
It is.
And so much more.
When you decide to do teacher training you’re pretty sure it’s going to be life-changing, but you have no idea about how much self-work goes into the process. Like those on the Biggest Loser, they know they’re going to have to eat right and exercise, but few are prepared for the internal work required to create lasting change.
. . .which is the hardest and most important part of the whole process.
Along with the premiere of Biggest Loser this was also the first weekend of the new session of yoga teacher training. The first weekend is primarily focused on what the course entails and introducing the basic concepts of philosophy. The rest of the time is spent uncovering what inner-work needs to be done in order for them to feel confident, competent and worthy of teaching.
Did you get that?
Newbies are mostly concerned with not looking or sounding stupid, and being good enough. I spend months subtly building up their beliefs, showing them all makes and models of teachers, giving them permission to share their love of yoga with others, and proving to them that the world needs exactly what they have to offer.
Biggest Loser contestants must shed old patterns and beliefs if they want to permanently shed inches and pounds. Participants must learn to become different people in different bodies, and for many of them, that’s more terrifying than stepping on the scales on national TV.
Teachers in training must also release limiting beliefs in order to step fully into their ability and potential as a teacher. They must be willing to let go of what they think is the right way to be a teacher and accept that they are exactly right as they are.
If those brave contestants can take their shirts off, step on to a humongous scale and broadcast to the world how much they’ve abused their bodies…..certainly you can find the courage to do something equally as scary AND tell somebody about it.
