Teacher Training

“I signed up for the Hothouse Yoga teacher training because I had given up on myself. My past traumas and low self-esteem, all were taking me down fast. The messages I received my whole life about being a strong black woman were internally tearing me apart. I wasn’t happy, I was hurting. I wasn’t strong, I was reaching out. Masking it all with laughs and big smiles. I was at a place that I had never been before. I was so low that the only way out of that spot was to do the damn work. So began my relationship with yoga. I never thought I would find something that makes me feel completely balanced internally and externally. It has been my stability, my release, most importantly, yoga has healed me in ways that will rock my family DNA, for generations to come. True healing starts within and extends its branches to those around you. My branches have been extending for the past 6 months now. I will be forever grateful to Hothouse Yoga and the branches that they extended to me. ”

“I signed up for Hothouse Teacher Training because I wanted to meet new people, I wanted to deepen my practice (even though I didn’t really know what that meant at the time), and I wanted to have something to look forward to amidst a year when personal connections had become obsolete. On the first day Maureen told us, “Anything that can come up that will keep you from showing up will happen, and you need to show up anyways,” and she was absolutely right. Whether I went into a weekend feeling weighed down or lifted by whatever new thing life had thrown at me, I always left each Sunday afternoon thanking myself for signing up for this program, thanking the other women in the program who were constant models to me on what it is to show up for yourself, and thanking Maureen, Darcy, and all the other instructors at Hothouse for their encouragement and support. When I began practicing yoga, it was a means of escape-and still is sometimes-but the guided meditations and empowering words spoken throughout the 7 months turned yoga into a new way to confront and relieve uncomfortable feelings and emotions. Hothouse Yoga has become a space where I can step into a studio and know everyone by name, or not recognize a single face and feel confident, comfortable, and able to take up space-and I could probably count on one hand the number of rooms I’ve stepped into and felt that. Hothouse Yoga Teacher Training did deepen my practice (hello handstand prep!) but it also deepened my relationship with myself, and helped me find trust in my body, gentleness in my mind, and compassion in my heart. ”

“Teacher training has been such an amazing journey for me. I cannot believe it’s over! Looking back, I have had multiple life-changing events occur during these weekends. From the first weekend in October when I got engaged, to the weekend in December when I found out that I wasn’t accepted into dental school, to the weekend in January when I accepted my first job! Somehow all of these events fell on TT weekends. Clearly, there have been lots of ups and downs over this 6th month period. This training with Darcy and Maureen has definitely elevated my yoga practice, but what has been most beneficial to me is how it has trained me mentally. I have learned to love myself and appreciate my body. I may not be able to throw myself into the biggest/most exciting poses, but I have learned to accept that and appreciate the strengths that I do have. Maureen and Darcy have also taught me that I don’t need to be going 100 miles per hour 24 hours of the day! I have a go-go-go personality which often causes me to feel super overwhelmed. This training has made me realize that sometimes it’s okay to take a break because sometimes we need it both physically and mentally. Maureen and Darcy have truly made this training intentional and personal and have made me feel so loved and valued. They both share a plethora of knowledge when it comes to yoga, but also a crazy intuition that allows them to read us yogis. I’m excited to implement what I have learned into the practices I teach and I know the lessons I have learned during TT will be reflected into all aspects of my life.”