As our 200 Hour TCP comes to a close here at MBody, we’ve asked our participants to share the story of their experiences in this training program.

This is Angel’s story!

We’re one week out from graduation in our 200 hour Teacher Certification Program (TCP). As I recover from our most recent weekend together and reflect back on the process, I realize that TCP (especially TCP with Mark White) is a lot like trying to hold Utkatasana.

Utkatasana starts out easy enough. It’s challenging, but not tooooo challenging. Then my yoga teacher *cough-Mark-cough* adjusts my alignment.

“Shift most of your weight into your heels.”

I think, ‘Oh, ok, that’s a little harder, but I can do this!’

“Pull your upper arm bones back.”

‘Oh, wow! That’s tight. I’m really working it.’ I’m probably starting to sweat. My legs are starting to shake. Maybe I’m starting to check out a little… ‘Why is it so hot in here? It’s cool at my house. There’s TV at my house. Wonder how Sherlock faked his own death…’

“Sink your hips even deeper.”

And THAT’S where the pose starts. Right about here, I start to get angry. Sometimes I want to punch someone. Sometimes I want to cry. Sometimes I just want to ease up a little, shift my weight, come out of the pose for just a moment. Sometimes I want to head for the door. Then the instructor reminds me to breathe, and asks me to “Stay”.

I’ve learned that the reward is in the staying. That temporary anger at the pose, at the heat in the room, at the yoga teacher, it all gives way to something so much better. The relief upon release, when I do finally switch to a new pose, is beautiful. Yeah, sure, I’ll be sore for like a day (or a week) afterwards, but when the soreness fades I’ll be stronger, my legs (and ass) will look and feel better and I will have a sense of confidence and accomplishment for sticking with something that was genuinely hard for me.

So, I HATE Utkatasana. But I love what it does for me.

TCP… it’s just like that. It’s intense and the instructors are there to challenge you. Mark and Frank are going to teach you to find your edge and to challenge yourself, and then they’ll remind you to breathe and ask you to stay.

It’s the hardest, best thing I’ve ever done with my life (next to having kids), and it’s not even over yet. Sometimes I hate it! But I love what it’s doing for me.