What are graduates saying about the YTT program?

"The YTT program provided a perfect immersion and solid foundation in all aspects of Yoga. This program has given me the confidence and inspiration to spread the gift of Yoga. There is so much to gain from participating in this program. The asana charts, apprenticeship, practice teaching, reference books, the discussions of philosophy and living your Yoga off the mat were all great. The guest speakers were extremely knowledgeable and so willing to pass on their wisdom. Danielle, your organizational structure is perfect and your enthusiasm for living Yoga is so inspirational and contagious. I can’t say enough about this wonderful experience you have set up for us. I have been personally transformed in this program and am excited to embrace every experience I can to know more about Yoga and therefore myself." - Andrea G.

"I had taken other yoga teacher training classes prior to taking True Nature’s teacher training, but I hadn't taught until graduating from True Nature YTT because I didn't feel fully prepared. I began teaching the month after graduating and continue to teach on a weekly basis. Danielle's instruction focuses on each student's personal and professional development as a yoga practitioner and yoga instructor. From leading insightful discussions about the various texts to requesting that each student begin to teach the others nearly immediately, Danielle's instructional style helps students evolve into compassionate, competent, and confident instructors. I truly respect the way she "walks the talk" as a yogini and her willingness to share her humanness and continuing evolution with her students – She is completely accessible as a yoga teacher and a person. The asana charts are incredibly helpful in constructing my yoga classes. It's wonderful to have a wealth of information on just a few pages with the option to dig deeper into the texts cited. I often refer to the benefits column when responding to the needs of students and include those asanas in future classes. The in-class observations are a wonderful opportunity to learn about the apex model for class construction. I am able to refer to my favorite classes later and modify the openings, cues, transitions, and closings that most spoke to my heart so I can most authentically speak to my students' hearts. The assigned readings and discussions helped me to deepen my personal practice. I reflect on some aspect of yoga every day. The sense of community that evolved during the training and my deep appreciation for each individual who traveled the YTT journey with me was profound. Months after the training, we continue to gather for fun, friendship, and the opportunity to continue to learn from one another." - Donna D.

"I signed up for the Teacher Training Program with the intent of deepening my personal practice and learning more of the physiological and philosophical aspects of Yoga. I wanted to know why I felt so good after a class. My physical practice has been deeply transformed. I now have an arsenal of modifications for postures to fit me and my anatomy. Any frustration I used to feel in different Asanas has been alleviated by understanding how my body works in Yoga. Highlights of the program for me were the workshops. It was great to be able to spend a whole day on one particular aspect of the Yoga tradition. The Meditation workshop with Rev. Tom Kelly, and the Ayurveda workshop with Alisha McShane were my favorite. These two individuals have such a passion for what they do that it is inspiring to spend time with them. And if you want to know anatomy and how it applies to you and your practice, Justine Shelton is by far San Diego’s queen of anatomy. The recommended and required reading, coupled with the Asana charts we discussed at length, are all great tools for learning to effectively teach Yoga. These tools will help you instruct beginners as well allow you to hang with the pros. It’s incredible how much this training has transformed my life, from my personal practice, to the bonds of friendship with my classmates. We get together regularly to keep the energy flowing. It is for me a real sense of community, which is something I’ve been searching for since the day I moved to California. Along the way, this journey took me to a new realm of possibilities that I had never imagined I would discover. It was during my training that I answered the age old question, “Why are we here?” The answer, for me, is to help others discover their true nature. This is why I decided to start a non-profit organization to help people in recovery programs, through Yoga and Meditation. It’s a long process and a whole new journey, but one that’s worth taking on. And the reason why I feel so good after class? I’ve discovered it is because of the balance created between the union of relaxation and effort. This is something I could never put into words until after my training. Danielle had a vision, and has made it come true for herself, and through that made some of my visions come to life. She is truly a Guru in every sense of the word. I quietly thank her every time I step on my mat, and every time I sit in silence, bringing myself back to my own True Nature." - Jon M.

"I really miss the program a lot! I would say those 5 months were probably the most enjoyable days in this lifetime. I found the required reading to be great and loved Donna Farhi's teachings. Inviting various teachers for workshops was wonderful, too. While a lot of Teacher Training programs have a specific "tradition or style" of their own, this one isn't biased. There's no "this is the only Yoga that is authentic" attitude, so that is great! Alignment clinics with Justine and the asana charts helped me to improve my personal alignment a lot. Now I can apply the knowledge to teach my students. In addition to detailed alignment in the poses, I learned a great deal of Yoga practice off-the-mat. The program includes how to deal with day-to-day stresses and ultimately how to live a yogic life. We also practiced and discussed "mindfulness" in the program and I believe that prepared me to teach Yoga in an authentic way." - Mayumi S.

"The True Nature Yoga Teacher Training program deepened my belief that I'm on the right path of my life journey. It proved very well to me who I really am without any doubt. The YTT program is like the first step of that magic ladder which is actually the way of becoming Bigger Self. It gave me the glue to put two parts of my character together - my passion for painting and my love for movement like a beautiful spiritual dancer. The YTT program boosted my creativity, imagination and led me to painting chakras and better spiritual pictures. This enlightenment from inside revealed to me what each pose is about. I think it will help me in my yoga teaching career to boost the creativity, spirituality, and physical fitness of the students I'm going to serve. I was always a high energy person, but this program channeled my energy in the right direction. I see more clearly what I want to dedicate my life to. It is teaching people how to heal, to grow through yamas and niyamas, and become physically stronger. The program gave me the right tools to inspire people for their personal growth and how to embrace the world with love." - Larisa O.

"I learned so much in this program, much more than I ever expected. Being a part of the True Nature YTT has enhanced my life overall. Learning the Sutras has given me new tools to meet the challenges of my everyday life. It has also brought me a new appreciation of my own faith. Being a part of this program has taught me to look at life through new eyes. My yoga practice has now gone beyond just the asanas. I had such a great time being a part of this program. I am sad to see it end, but also excited to get started on my new venture into sharing yoga with others. The highlight of the program was relationships I developed with my fellow students. These ladies will be in my heart forever and my friends for life. I feel so very well prepared and ready to teach yoga. Danielle provided a well-rounded program that covered ALL aspects of the yoga tradition. I am ready to share my knowledge of yoga with others with confidence." - Angie M.

"The True Nature YTT program prepared me to become an effective Yoga teacher by including lectures that spoke to my desired areas of interest. I started the program hoping to learn how to teach Yoga to small children. After attending the Kids’ Yoga seminar I felt inspired and motivated to learn even more about teaching children. A beautiful thing happened, however. Throughout the program I also learned how to teach a variety of other class formats. Observing the sequencing of gentle, therapeutic, children’s, introduction, and intermediate classes gave me the tools and knowledge to write my own class outlines to use when I teach. I will now, not only teach a children’s class, but three other styles as well. Whether you are interested in specializing in a particular area of Yoga or teaching an array of different classes, the True Nature YTT offers you the instruction to go and make a difference on this planet. Until committing myself to the TN YTT program my personal practice of Yoga was, at best, sporadic. Now, after studying the benefits of having a steady home practice, attending a lecture with a master meditator, and learning how to set up a sacred home sanctuary, my personal practice has blossomed into a special quiet time just for me to either invigorate or rejuvenate. It is a time that I cherish and look forward to each day. I don’t think that I would have taken this important step in my Yoga practice were it not for the gentle yet inspirational nudge I received from the True Nature Yoga Teacher Training program. Thank you, Danielle. I also loved learning about the tradition and history of this ancient art. I enjoyed tremendously, Donna Farhi’s inspirational book, Bringing Life to Yoga. I found tremendous value in attending all the lectures by the guest instructors specializing in various fields such as nutrition, gentle Yoga, meditation, spinal health, Ayurveda, restorative Yoga, etc. Most importantly, I cherished the camaraderie that grew between the teacher trainees. We became a family and I know that the deep connection we now share will remain strong for many years to come. Danielle, your program was outstanding. Thank you for allowing us to learn and grow in such a nurturing and safe environment. Thank you for your patience, organization, and balanced guidance. My dream is to some day be as inspiring a teacher as you are." - Evelyn W.

"On the first day of class I was delighted with the attractive tote bags and notebooks awaiting us. All the written material we received was well designed and informative. I was totally impressed with Danielle’s teaching style. She has a thorough knowledge of the material she is introducing and an easy, confident manner of presenting it. I thought bringing in other teachers to present the various aspects of the program made the classes especially interesting. Our “field trip” day was a filled with adventure, fun and learning. I truly enjoyed coming to know the other students in our group. For me, as a “senior,” being with younger women was quite pleasurable. Before entering the program, I had not ever thought about practicing Yoga at home. Occasionally, I would go to my clubhouse and practice Yoga by watching a DVD with some other residents. I never found this very satisfying. It never occurred to me to develop my own Yoga practice. I just wanted to attend Yoga classes at Yoga Vista with a teacher. After entering the TN YTT program and finding out that developing my personal asana practice was one of the course requirements, I was dismayed. I had no desire to do this and kept putting it off. As the program progressed, and I needed to prepare for “teach-backs” in class, I was forced to do some home practice. Gradually, I discovered I didn’t mind spending 10 – 15 minutes doing some poses. Now, having practiced teaching a 45- minute class several times on my own, I’m beginning to enjoy being my own teacher. Developing a meditation practice was much easier. In years past I’ve meditated sporadically without ever being very consistent. After Tom Kelly’s class in meditation I was inspired and began to meditate every morning. Through all the lectures, readings, discussions, class observations of teachers and personal class participation, the various aspects of yoga were gradually absorbed. While I still have much to learn, I feel confident that I have enough knowledge to begin teaching." - Reva B.

"The True Nature YTT program deepened my personal practice of Yoga on so many levels and I feel extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to enroll in this program. It strengthened my practice on a physical level and provided the foundation for learning and understanding asanas. Throughout the program, my spirituality has grown to a profound awareness and will continue to flourish. A bonus in the True Nature YTT program is the guest instructors who present in a particular topic of expertise. I found Ayurveda extremely fascinating and intend to explore this practice further. I truly respect the knowledge and enthusiasm Justine has in so many areas of the Yoga practice, especially the anatomy and prenatal lectures. The amount of time spent observing classes has been a powerful tool in that it reinforced how to design a class and the appropriate poses to teach students with different levels of experience. This program has inspired me to continue learning about what life has to offer and how I can be a part of the amazing teachings of Yoga. The program Danielle has put together is something I wish the world could experience. There were so many opportunities to meet people “from many walks of life” which truly completes the YTT program." - Jennifer B.

"The True Nature YTT program gave me a large base of knowledge of yoga poses, philosophy and history, which makes me feel truly qualified to teach it to others. I have a much deeper understanding of alignment in asana, when to do them and in what order, and more importantly, the reason why we do asanas and the philosophy that goes with it. The reading assignments were wonderful. I never thought “I’m not going to use this” and I didn’t get bored with it either. The group fieldtrip was really fun and the wonderful community that we built as a group supported my personal growth. While I always had a passion for Yoga, the YTT program gave me a constructive, solid way to progress and learn more. Danielle is an awesome leader, organizer and teacher." - Mary F.

“I began my training at True Nature School of Yoga because I felt so at home at the Yoga Vista studio and I wanted to deepen my practice. What I actually gained was so much more than I even hoped for. Danielle instantly created an environment where all of us trainees could bond and grow as a community as well as individuals. Her passion and enthusiasm for yoga is wonderfully inspiring to yogis of any level. Throughout the program we learned to bring out the inner teacher in ourselves as well as in our future students. I feel that what I learned about the true meaning of yoga will always be a part of my daily life on and off the mat, and it gives me the tools to always try to be a better person.” - Melanie W.