[00:00:00] Foreign. [00:00:11] Hello and welcome to Deep in your Yoga practice. I'm Lauren Leduc, owner and founder of True Love Yoga in Kansas City, Missouri and I'm also the founder of our 300 hour yoga teacher training program, which is what I want to talk about today. So if you are a yoga teacher looking to level up, this episode is absolutely for you and it's called is a 300 hour yoga teacher training right for you? So we'll talk about who this training is for, what students actually learn, how it differs from a 200 hour training, and what makes the True Love Yoga program truly unique. So this is a little bit different episode because enrollment for our next 300 hour advanced yoga teacher training officially opens tomorrow. [00:00:53] Over the past several weeks, we've talked about lifelong learning. We've heard from one of our current students, analysa, and I've received so many questions about the program itself. So today's episode is simply an opportunity to answer those questions for you. And whether you are actively considering advanced teacher training or you're just curious about what happens after a 200 hour, I hope this gives you a clear picture of what advanced study can look like. So why does a 300 hour even exist? A 200 hour yoga teacher training is typically considered the standard for an introductory yoga teacher training. It's what one needs to go off into the world and teach yoga. Oftentimes people do them to deepen their practice as well. A 300 hour is optional and it's advanced. So it's for those who want to continue and deepen and expand their study in a systematic way within a community. [00:01:50] So a 200 hour teaches you how to teach yoga safely and effectively, while a 300 hour teaches you how to become the teacher that only experience and time and cultivated practice can create. So while there is a lot of content and a 300 hour training, it is more about refining teaching rather than simply accumulating lots and lots of knowledge. [00:02:13] It's about going deeper, asking deeper questions. It's very much about building confidence and discernment, moving beyond scripts, moving beyond copying our teachers, and really honing in on what makes us unique, our own voice and our own skills and mastery. 200 hour gives you a map, so to speak. 300 hour teaches you how to operate outside of that map. So who is this training really for? [00:02:41] This training is for someone who has completed a 200 hour training who absolutely loves learning, especially within a cohort who wants to refine rather than just collect certifications. [00:02:55] It's great for someone who wants to become more confident. [00:02:58] Who wants to know the why behind the what why behind what they teach, who feels ready for the next layer, who feels ready to expand, who feels ready to be nurtured through a mentoring relationship, and who wants to lock in to their particular voice and maybe niche. It's definitely not for someone looking for an easy program or someone who's looking for a quick search certificate or who just wants to study Advanced Poses Although we offer study in poses that are more difficult during some months, it's not the main focus of the training. It's not for memorized sequencing or for shortcuts either. It's for curious, lifelong students who want to be considerate, knowledgeable, confident teachers for life. So what do we actually study in this program? We study many topics actually, but I'll split it into a few general themes. One would be refining your teaching. So this is through things like advanced cueing, through honing in on your voice and using it skillfully on presence, the ability to read the room, energetic awareness, adaptive teaching, and trauma awareness. [00:04:13] So this allows you as a teacher to become very present and responsive and resourced instead of prescriptive. So there's not always a script to follow. [00:04:24] Instead, you're given tools and discernment so that you can respond to the moment and to the student in a skillful way. Another theme we study is advanced Asana. And advanced doesn't always mean difficult, of course, but we talk about things like intelligent progressions, arm balances, inversions, backbends, how to modify postures in a lot of different ways, including in chairs, using hands on assists and adjustments in a variety of settings within a variety of practice types, as well as therapeutic applications of yoga. So besides Vinyasa Yoga and Hatha Yoga, which we study in our 200 hour program and we continue to study in our 300 hour program, we also specialize in the study of Yin Yoga, in restorative and myofascial release Yoga Nidra as well, and advanced Vinyasa sequencing. Another theme we cover is philosophy. And philosophy is embedded into virtually every lesson of this training. It is integrated into every other aspect of yoga as well. So we integrate the Yoga sutras, the Bhagavad Gita, subtle anatomy, chakras, ethics into actual classes and workshops and retreats and experiences. The philosophy helps shape the way you teach, informs your choices, and is the through line in all of your offerings. So philosophy in the training is integrated within asana and anatomy and sequencing and teaching refinement into the study of chakras into everything we do. It's a very important part of what we do and we try to make it as practical and tangible as possible. Another theme that comes up which makes this training differ from a 200 hour is we focus quite a bit on the business aspect of of yoga. We talk about and play with branding and marketing, pricing, private sessions, retreats, workshops. We talk about legal considerations and financial planning because this is definitely for teachers who want to be able to expand yoga into either their full career or part of their career and do it in a way that is unique and skillful and clearly communicates to others what they have to offer. We focus quite a bit on your unique value as a teacher, what you love to offer, who you serve, and how to effectively communicate and shape your offerings to and for that audience. We also talk about things like podcasting and public speaking, retreat planning, financial literacy, community building and sustainable professional development. [00:07:09] This is a part of the training that fills a gap in a lot of yoga teachers. Knowledge is very practical. It can sometimes feel a little scary or icky, but I think that we do it in a way that feels very authentic and meaningful and will be fruitful for the rest of your career no matter what you're doing. Another theme, and this also differs from a 200 hour is leadership. So this is one of the biggest transformations that our 300 hour students make. They become less performative and more authentic. [00:07:42] They become less concerned with perfection and more grounded in their teaching. They're better listeners, they are more intuitive, they become so much more themselves. And it shines as they teach. You become both forever students and leader and in a way that is sustainable and ethical, inspiring and humble as well. So how does this training work? Well, it goes over a full year, so the next one will be January through December 2027. [00:08:13] And we do it in three learning phases, so in three three month chunks or blocks. And we've intentionally built in breathing room between those modules. So you get weekly self paced lessons on teachable. So every week we drip out usually between six and eight lessons and each month is themed on a particular chakra. So the lessons dripped out go with that chakra and we cover so many topics that have to do with that. For instance, month one is all about foundations, the root, chakra, strength and stability. [00:08:50] And everything we do is meant to serve and support that foundation. Besides the self paced lessons that are unteachable, we have monthly Sunday immersion. So we get together once a month on Sundays and do intense, beautiful hands on work together. So that's usually an asana workshop and hands on assist Together it's deep dives of philosophy or business, brainstorming, maybe public speaking, anything that serves that month. So again we have three three month modules. One that goes January through March, then there's a break in April, then we have May through July, a break in August, and then September through November with graduation in December. Each module builds on on the last and in my opinion becomes more light and fun as it goes. You also get three private mentoring sessions with me. So each of these modules you'll get also a one on one session with me and we can brainstorm workshop. Just chat in any way that you want. These have been all really fun and really different with my 300 hour students this year. And it's been really nice to get to know everyone on such a personal level and to be able to support their yoga practice, their teaching, their career in a very tangible way that is effective. You also get 12 months of unlimited True Love yoga membership with this and lots and lots of community support. [00:10:20] We have a Slack group where we are constantly communicating. There are a lot of prompts in the lessons to post to Slack, so there's a lot of sharing of ideas and brainstorming together as a group. There's also a lot of opportunities for support throughout the year. I invite our 300 hour teachers to come provide hands on assists for for some of my classes and workshops. And that's always such a great learning experience as well. So it's a very beautiful way to integrate into the community, to get lots of practical experience and to level up your teaching. The training is also very flexible. Not everyone is always on the exact same lesson or week. Sometimes people feel behind or sometimes they work ahead and in the end everyone gets what they need in the time that they need it. This isn't about checking boxes. It's about this personal and professional development that is meant to be integrated over time and that you can come back to over and over again since the teachable content is there for life. So I think this program is very special and different and holistic. Very, very complete. I'm not trying to create teachers who sound like me. [00:11:33] I am trying to help cultivate their own unique self and voice and nurture that and to draw out this beautiful sense of authenticity within them for them to see it themselves and for this confidence to grow around that. I'm seeing that month after month in the 300 hour training and it's just so much fun. It's such a special thing to be a part of as I see everyone hone and uncover their own voice. I feel a sense of awe and pride. Another thing I think is special about this program is it's very fun. Like, it's just fun to learn all of the different topics and it's so fun to get together with other yoga teachers. So every Sunday session just feels like sleepover vibes where we're connecting and chatting. But it's also this professional development environment. So to me it strikes this really nice balance where we can learn and grow and laugh together and cry sometimes, whatever we're needing. I do want to answer some frequently asked questions that I get. One is, do I have to teach? And the answer is no. I will say if you are currently teaching, it can be helpful because you can do some of the lessons, so to speak, while you're actually teaching students. You can integrate what you're learning into the classroom, but you certainly don't have to. Can you do it for personal growth? Absolutely. You're going to learn so much in this training that I think serves many aspects of life and various careers, not just yoga. Can you work full time and do this or be a mom and do this or be busy and do this? Yes. I will say that it's a pretty full on training, but it's designed to be really flexible. So if you work full time, if you have kids, if you have other commitments, you get to schedule these modules and this learning in your own time. Another question is, what if I don't feel advanced? And I'd say that you don't have to, that this training is an advanced training because it helps get you to an advanced level. So 200 hour is foundational. You come in with this foundational knowledge and a curious mind and open heart and you'll likely feel both more advanced and more of a beginner's mind as well toward the end of the training because there's always so much more to learn about yoga and about oneself. So I don't know if any of us ever feel, quote unquote advanced, but I will say you don't have to feel that way to, to be in the 300 hour. So some might ask, what if I graduated years ago or last year? And I'd say both are completely fine as long as you have your 200 hour certification. We spend some time on foundations, so there is time to brush up on your knowledge. And it's really not about having a certain amount of years under your belt. It's just about feeling a sense of readiness within your own being. The last question would be, how much time should I expect each week and I would devote probably a few hours, somewhere between three and five hours a week to your study. Sometimes more, sometimes less. [00:14:30] Sometimes there are classes or workshops included in the weeks, so I always recommend looking ahead at the week and scheduling your time accordingly, putting it in your calendar and making a sacred appointment with yourself. So setting the time aside to do it and also to not be too rigid about how it's being done. I like to listen to lectures while I take walks or clean the house or drive at times. [00:14:56] Sometimes I have to go back and look or watch things. But I think there are a lot of different ways to fit this type of learning into your life and it doesn't have to be sitting at a desk for two hours. So if you've listened to this episode and found yourself thinking, well, maybe this is my next step, I would encourage you to stay curious. We have a free guide on our website. Am I ready to become a 300 hour yoga teacher? You can download that, you can read through our curriculum, ask questions, feel free to email me. You're also welcome to schedule a conversation with me if you'd like. And Enrollment opens tomorrow, September 1st for our January 2027 cohort. And if you enroll by November 11th, you'll receive $1,000 off through our early enrollment pricing. I also want to say that next year we'll talk more about this on the podcast, but we are hosting a perinatal training as well. So if you're interested in working with folks who are pregnant or postpartum, that training is for you. And it's also available as an add on to this training. So you certainly could do the 300 hour and the perinatal training. You also are welcome to do our 200 hour if you're not a teacher yet and the perinatal training next year. So if you are signing up for 300 hour, look for that and add it on if it speaks to you. And again, we'll be talking more about it on the podcast later. But whether you decide to join us or not for this 300 hour training, I hope today's episode reminds you that yoga is a lifelong practice. We never arrive. We simply continue showing up with curiosity, humility and a willingness to learn. I'm so happy to have this time to connect with you and I hope I get to work with you more deeply through this 300 hour training. So please reach out if you have any questions. Until next time. Om Shanti, Om Peace.