By Sherry Bechtold

In considering the topic of Finding Your Voice, I felt it more than appropriate to ask some of my fellow students to express their feelings, thoughts, observations about their own experience in the YTT program.  Their remarks appear in quotes throughout this article.

<em>“ As we progress though this training, the respect and gratitude I feel toward our teachers grows.  It is my intention to find and nurture my own fledgling voice so that their gift to me can become my gift to others.”</em>

Right from the start of our Training Program, we have been reminded how important it is to ‘find your own Voice’.  Initially, I took that to mean the voice with which we would instruct our future students, should we decide to teach.  The words we would choose to cue postures, our individual styles, using our knowledge to create classes that suit our own abilities and also are appropriate for those looking to us for guidance.

<em>“As I dive deeper into the teacher training I come to realize that it's not how ‘bendy’ you can be. It's about being in alignment and personal growth.”</em>

Over the past couple of months, we have waded into the deep waters of  ancient and modern wisdom from great minds, great spirits, great hearts - sifting through philosophies, concepts, and approaches to what is known as a Yoga lifestyle. We are absorbing information, gleaning values and beliefs that will become part of who we are.   Throughout this process, I’ve become aware that I am developing a much broader perspective of what it means to find your Voice - the verbal and nonverbal expression of your true Self.

I have come to believe that Finding Your Voice is grounded in Finding Your Truth - the crowning glory of self exploration and study.  Who am I, what do I believe, what are my core values, where do I find Peace?  What brings me Joy?  How do I find the center that allows me to face each day with equanimity?   And, just as important: who am I not and what no longer serves me?  What do I need to let go of?  We seek these answers for ourselves, and in the discovery, we find our Truth.

This is truly the work of a lifetime ~ isn’t it?  We struggle through data and experiential overload, considering various options and paths, hopefully, hearing ever more clearly the music that calls us to sing it with our own Voice.

More often than not, we explore alone.  But, for us, in this brief segment of our lives, we are in the good company of like minded seekers.   

<em>“We are helping each other to emerge from our cocoons, to blossom, and prepare each other to spread our wings and fly. This is the true spirit of Yoga. And we are blessed to be able to experience it”.</em>







