“Hey Babe, I think I want to become a yoga teacher,” I said to my husband on an ordinary day in 2019. This came as no surprise to him since I had just finished an Astrology mentorship and an energy healing program the year prior. I was seeking. I was in the midst of a career change, spiritual unrest, and trying to find my way as a new mom. I needed answers, direction, purpose. 

If you are in the orbit of Vira Bhava Yoga it’s likely you are also someone who fancies themself a seeker, someone who likes to learn and think outside the box, someone who is continuously on a quest, often shedding skins and rising from the ashes. . . Well then, fellow explorer, please allow me to share some of my favorite things about Vira Bhava Yoga and why you might want to consider diving into the waters of teacher training. 

It’s Tantra, Baby 

Most of us know the numerous health benefits of yoga. We know that moving on the mat can help us become calmer, perhaps flexible, less stressed, and more embodied. So let’s move past the obvious. What makes Vira Bhava different? For starters, the school is rooted in Sri Vidya Tantra philosophy teachings. Tantra is loosely defined as “to weave.” Feeling yourself being drawn to learn more about how to perfectly align your body in Downward Facing Dog? Great! You will learn that and then you will learn why it’s bullshit. As a student of VBY, you go beyond Asana. You will learn the magic of weaving together opposing forces, what it means to witness the expansion within the contraction of life and how to find Joy within suffering. Here is a video of Kelly going deeper into the meaning of Tantra. Or you can listen to this podcast episode. 

Making Your Mess Holy 

September 25th, 2020 

Felt rushed. Wanted to get a good practice in before river woke up. Felt myself being overwhelmed, not knowing where to start or what to do. Thought about reading while doing my hip openers so that I could be more productive. 

September 28th, 2020 

Really didn't want to practice today. Morning sickness had me feeling just like staying on the couch, but my spirit wanted to get on the mat. I'm noticing how much slower I half to go throughout the movements so that I can articulate what I am doing. I think it's probably a good thing that I"m slowing down my practice. Still having a hard time with Half Moon. My pregnant belly is getting in the way of forward folds. 

September 29th, 2020 

Wish I had more time to practice today but 15 minutes was all I could manage. My body wants to flow and sway and I feel myself wanting to move through the movements fast. I'm really trying to slow down and talk through the movements. Feeling impatient, but trying. Still wobbly on Half Moon and need some more moves to incorporate into my flow. 

September 30th, 2020 

Tried practicing longer, River wasn't having it. 

These four journal entries were made during my training with Vira Bhava Yoga (VBY). I ambitiously signed up for teacher training hoping that it would be an anchor during the rocky seas I was trying to navigate. I knew it would hold me accountable for self-care and if I’m being honest it was a great excuse for some extra “me-time.” Sorry, babe, I can’t. I gotta finish yoga homework . . . this assignment is supposed to be done while soaking in a bath. (haha) I thought by the end of it that I would graduate feeling accomplished with a handy-dandy blueprint to teach others about the practice. While both of these turned out to be true, I discovered far more than I signed up for. 

I didn’t know it at the time but I was learning about the divine paradox or what we like to call at VBY, “making your mess holy.” I was 6 months pregnant, raising a two-year-old, and in the process of writing my first book. My life was chaos. But it was this very chaos that I learned to love rather than fear. Throughout my training, I was taught to “sit with it”. This teaching style of honoring all the good, bad, and everything in between has been a healing balm on some poisonous roots of religious upbringing. I can now hold beauty and pain at the same time. Drag me to the bottom of the ocean of depression and I’ll find some shells to make a stunning necklace. 

Living Yoga: The Journey is Never Over. 

It’s challenging to be satisfied as a seeker because it is the exploration that gives us life. We follow our heart and sometimes we fall but eventually we get up and blaze a new trail because that’s what we do. We seek. We hunger for new sensations, discoveries, and growth. At Vira Bhava Yoga you are taught how to LIVE YOGA. It’s not a one-and-done thing. Ever. You learn tools to help you excavate through layers of stories and life experiences. You travel trails and follow threads. You explore history, bodies, feelings, shapes, and more. You are encouraged to keep learning, keep digging, not only by your teachers but from your peers. And when it feels like you have reached any sort of destination, you are taught to turn around and try it again. “This time what would it feel like if you . . . .” You are training to teach, but VBY instills the message within you that you will forever be a student of the great mystery. The journey is never over.

A Warrior Heart 

As a student of Vira Bhava Yoga, you commit to having a warrior’s heart. Or maybe it’s better phrased as we commit to practicing yoga intentionally, even when it’s hard, especially when it’s hard. Founder, Kelly Golden, talks about this in many of her talks. (Here is a good one.) Being a warrior means fighting for something instead of against something. It’s a simple shift that can move mountains. Everyone is battling something. Daily struggles are a part of being human. At VBY you not only learn how (and why) to show up when it is hard, but you also gain the skills required. If you are willing to do the work, you will be molded into a resilient, loving human who knows the fight is worth it. This very teaching helped me overcome postpartum depression. 

Community 

Entering into Vira Bhava Yoga was like coming home to a big, long-lost family. And it just keeps growing! My cohort is something that I will treasure forever. We all went through so much together. I had a baby. Others moved across the country, changed careers, navigated college during a pandemic, and found new love. Gathering and sharing in Satsang quickly became a highlight of the month. We learned, cried, laughed, listened deep, pushed ourselves, and embraced all the messiness of life together. The amazing thing is that the camaraderie doesn’t end when your training is over. VBY has monthly meetings, live classes and more so that you are never alone on your yoga journey. If you are someone who thrives in community (don’t we all) then rest assured, you will feel at home with Vira Bhava.

Learn more about Vira Bhava Yoga’s Online 200hr and 300hr Yoga Teacher Training Programs, with sessions beginning in January & July. Scholarships available.

Amber is a mother and writer who is passionate about sharing the practice of yoga with anyone but especially those who are in the dark and need help finding their light. Amber lives in Marshall, NC with her husband and two children. Practice with Amber.