On day two of my advanced yoga teacher training, I was shocked at how refreshed and energized I felt when I hopped out of bed half an hour before my alarm was set to go off. The resistance and exhaustion from the night before were completely gone.

We did a longer yoga practice that day, including some qi gong. The only qi gong I’d done before this was in Yo-Step by Lawrence Biscontini (A step aerobics/yoga/pilates/tai chi/qi gong fusion, if you can imagine it), so it was nice to get the more traditional experience. It’s such a refreshing and stimulating warm-up.

For me, the mantra we repeated that had the most meaning for me that day was, “I am willing to be with myself as I am.” Throughout the practice, Dina paused to ask us “What’s happening now?” referring to the states of our bodies, minds, and emotions, and “How is that for you?” I found I was better able to answer those questions with presence and non-judgment if I repeated this mantra to myself. Using these questions really helps bring your attention back to the present moment, so I have definitely added them to my yoga toolbox.

When I left the yoga studio that evening, I felt energized, but when as soon as I got home and sat down on the couch I realized how tired I was. It had been another day of mental marathon running. But, given the mental exercise from the previous day, I was a little stronger and didn’t feel as drained as I did the night before.

This post is part of a series describing my experience with the first module of my advanced yoga teacher training (RYT500).
Advanced Yoga Teacher Training
Day 1: Resistance
Day 2: Acceptance
Day 3: Breath
Day 4: Emotions
Day 5: Energy
Day 6: Asana
Day 7: Transformation