2024 YTT Graduate, Counselor

Boozhoo, my name is Caitlyn Taylor, recent graduate of Svalja Yoga Teacher Training! Adding trauma conscious practices and movement to my toolbox as a counselor was a huge motivator in signing up for YTT. I learned so much more than I could have imagined! 

One of our first workshops was learning safe alignments for downward dog and the workshop was three hours! I remember thinking I’m not sure if I can do that or this at all! I wasn’t “in shape” or practicing yoga regularly before YTT. To my surprise though, I was able to do it all. Having learned  the proper alignments and where to shift my weight, transformed these poses. That three hour workshop was the foundation and preparation for other important yoga shapes, as we delved into sun salutations the very next day!  YTT would zoom in on these seemingly small things (one yoga pose) and then  zoom out to these seemingly big things (yoga sequences) and it was truly mind bending as my body was so much more prepared to do these movements! Yoga is for every Body was a belief shared often at YTT. 

The YTT curriculum explored so many ways of learning inside the studio and out in nature! The curriculum explored and gave access to many ways of learning, there was never just one way, there wasn’t any expectation to push harder or do better, We were given the freedom to explore Yoga in a way that worked for us. What we were able to give to ourselves and the program was more than enough, even when that looked different each time we showed up. 

Yoga isn’t just this hip fitness class, it’s culture and tradition and healing. This YTT does a beautiful job honoring and acknowledging the sacredness of Yoga. They don’t claim to be owners or experts of, they give gratitude for these teachings and being able to practice.  As an indigenous woman, this acknowledgement is so important. It showed me that this place was safe. 

The guides always brought me back to myself, to trust my intuition, to bring forward ideas, to honor my body and what I needed throughout YTT. 

The guides always expressed gratitude for what we brought to the learning space! YTT is collective learning, we all learned from each other! Very reminiscent of my indigenous culture and how we learn and help others learn! This collective learning space was so important to me because it eliminated any perceived power structures and created safety for me! Svalja really walks the walk! 

They seemingly thought of everything we might need to be successful in offering yoga, from business tips, professional pictures, and opportunities to teach at Svalja!

YTT was so much about yoga but also so much about getting to know and love myself and building community! Just being able to show up as my authentic self each weekend, learning, and finding connection with an entire cohort of people was a gift! Showing up and building community with and for ourselves was beautifully woven into this YTT and all that Svalja does! 

I was reflecting on a friendship recently, full of gratitude, and I thought of YTT!  I have this practice, these connections, and an entire community of love thanks to YTT. 

YTT was and is one of the best experiences of my life thus far, and that experience didn’t end when I graduated YTT, Svalja continues to support, encourage, and provide opportunities for growth! 

I am so grateful for YTT, Svalja, and cohort 7! 

With my Yoga Teacher Training, I hope to create and share space with others, foster connections, and build community through movement! I especially hope to create spaces for children to learn and grow! My goal is to weave yoga practices with my anishinaabe practices! I hope to create a safe place for learning and relearning what has been lost! The Anishinaabe community is working to revitalize our  language through so many creative ways, and I hope to contribute to that by weaving our language and culture with movement and all that yoga is! 

2024 YTT Graduate, Pharmacist & Professor

As soon as I attended my first class at Svalja (Yin & Healing Cello), I knew this was the community for me. It was so welcoming, inclusive, accessible, and supportive - in greater depth than I ever experienced prior. After one more class I was inspired to enroll in the YTT to deepen my yoga knowledge and practice. The training has had a profound positive impact on my life and the lives of those around me. I’ve been able to incorporate so much of what I’ve learned into the way I live and my interactions with my family, friends, students, patients.,clients, and strangers; it’s hard to say how far the positive impact has gone. I enjoyed the teachers’ support, my cohort of peers, and cannot wait to continue my growth with the Svalja community. I am forever grateful.

How I arrived at Svalja

I had very limited prior experience with asana practice, and had been doing guided meditation for about a decade. Several months prior I had an injury affecting my ability to exercise and even walk! A friend invited me to come to a yin class at Svalja, and from her description, it sounded accessible - wow! Was it ever. I have never felt so warmly welcomed into a space. The class was incredible - the first time I attended a class where I was encouraged to wholly listen to my own needs/body and act accordingly - letting the shape “get into me” rather than striving for a particular “right” shape. Encouraged to press the edges when desired but not experience anything painful. So many options available to accomplish this. This inspired me to attend again. It felt so good and I couldn’t wait to spend more time in this community.

How I arrived at YTT 2024 Cohort 7

During my second class I had this wave of ease and thought “this is the community I want to be in.” During this class (yin with healing cello!) I learned about the trauma-informed YTT. It had never occurred to me to attend a yoga teacher training given my inexperience with asana and no plans for ever teaching yoga (which I knew of at the time as asana - studio classes). Listening to the description I thought - what a great way to learn more about the ethical underpinnings of yoga, deepen my practice, and make sure I avoided cultural appropriation. So I was fortunate enough to have the resources and time to sign up!

My YTT experience

Transformational in ways expected and unexpected. It offered a safe “container” for deep reflection and growth in community with others while learning about the Yamas & Niyamas, depth psychology, asana, appropriate biomechanical movement, mudras, meditation, mindfulness, connecting with nature, and wholebeing wellbeing. How to be inclusive and accessible and open to the interconnectedness of us all. The pace and variety of activities were timed well, and the environment supportive.

How it’s impacting my life in “all the ways”

For me personally, this is all still unfolding. Loosening, letting go, non-grasping, loving, openness - has helped me live more with more contentment and ease. Stable and at ease. Strong and at ease. My nervous system regulated. My ability to make space for others ever expanding. Non Judgment. Peace. Tranquility. It’s helped me connect with people (family, friends, students, patients, clients, others) and support them on their own journey of learning without trying to fix/solve/save. I’m more comfortable with myself - all of me, and this clearly helps others be themselves with me. I’m more connected with my students, as I’ve focused more on them as humans than on transmitting information. I’m able to better connect with patients and clients in ways that have allowed them to open up to me so I can better support them. My relationships with everyone have been enhanced - even strangers in the grocery store or on the street - I have more of a connection and interaction with.