Post YTT Re-Integration Tools: 9 ways to bring your practice home

Post YTT Re-Integration Tools:

9 ways to bring your practice home

A 21 day yoga teacher training immersion provides the time and space necessary to cultivate huge life shifts, break old habits and patterns and cultivate new healthy ones. It is a way to break out of your comfort zone and explore living in a more mindful and intentional way. This type of life experience may be quite different than what you experience at home.  As it took some adjusting to adapt and immerse fully into the yogic lifestyle, it too will take some adjusting to return to daily life while maintaining the tapas (discipline) to continue your daily Sadhana (spiritual practice).

1.  Wake up to Beauty – Sing, Chant, Pray, Smudge, Start the day with love

 

At our YTTs and retreats, we are fortunate to live in close communion with nature., waking with the sun to the music of the birds. At home, take a moment at the beginning of your day to offer gratitude to whatever beauty, opportunities and potential the day brings. Beginning your day in this way sets the tone for the rest of your day. Changing your alarm to nature sounds or ambient music is also a nice way to ease into the morning with more mindfulness. Any other ways that help you connect such as chanting or smudging are welcome ways to invite in intention and avoid going into autopilot.

 

2. Commit to your Sadhana – Spiritual Practice

 

The rhythm and consistency of practicing daily at the YTT sets the foundation to witness progression and growth. As you return home, continue this commitment to your sadhana by creating a daily schedule for meditation, yoga and other practices.  Setting a schedule promotes accountability and cultivates the discipline required to make big life changes. However, it is important to have fluidity, not rigidity. One of the key aspects of self-realization and transformation is a steady practice.  

 

 

3.  Sattvic Lifestyle – Purity and Clarity

 

A YTT immersion is a safe container to experience a Sattvic lifestyle without the many temptations experienced in the default world.  When returning to your daily setting, surround yourself with a sattvic lifestyle of moderation by eating healthy foods and choosing healthy activities to maintain a clear, calm and connected energy. Remember that yoga is a lifestyle practice and continue exploring ways to practice Ahimsa (non-violence), Conscious Living, and Mindfulness and make changes to those things that no longer serve you.

 

 

4.  Sangha – Community

 

Actively seek out a community that supports you and inspires you on your path of spiritual growth. The world is transient and always moving, likewise we are always changing as individuals.  Cultivate mutually beneficial friendships that come from the space of the heart. Energy is contagious so be conscious of the energy you share with others and the energy received in return. Put out what you would like to attract and be sure that the people you surround yourself with are feeding your soul’s highest alignment.

 

5.  Bhakti – Devotion

 

We view yoga as a spiritual practice, as a path to self-realization, union, bliss, conscious connection, deepened awareness and mindful living. In our YTTs, we explore different paths to Union beyond yoga asana such as freeform movement, song, dance, chanting, kirtan, ceremony and more! We experience what it’s like to drop the mind and channel all of our human emotion into the emotion of devotion. As you return home, continue these practices to maintain a heart centered connection. It can be as simple as journaling, creating art or poetry, singing or dancing.

 

 

6.  Right Wrongs – Disperse Negative Energy

Make amends with any wrongdoings or negative energy that you are still holding on to. Creating space in this way frees your energy to focus on your deepest intentions and to manifest your heart’s desires. Each moment carries with it a new opportunity to arrive in the present with positivity and lightness.

7.  Personal or Group retreats – Fill your cup up

Continue your personal transformation by setting aside time and space to reflect, study and practice self care. Joining a group retreat may rekindle the energy and inspiration you experienced during your YTT. Likewise, simply taking a day for yourself at home to focus on self love and intention setting may be just what your soul needs to shift your perspective and stay committed to your path.

8.  Release and Manifest – Practice Ceremony

 

 

We often experience huge energetic shifts throughout a YTT as we explore ceremony and practices around letting go, emerging with more lightness and clarity. Do not be surprised if some heaviness and emotions return when you get home. This is a continual process!  Continue to release what set you free and use ceremony to resume the cycle of release and manifest.

 

 

9.   End Each Day with Love and Gratitude

Outside of the YTT setting, you may experience many obstacles and challenges as you journey through life. However, invite yourself to return to the heart as you close the day’s energy. Simply offering gratitude for the day’s lessons and insights will provide perspective and growth opportunities. Soften into the heart center to return to your true essence.