Sue Mackenzie-Smith is one of our MerryBody Yoga Teacher Training graduates. She is one of the very first to be certified and now she’s already teaching Corporate Yoga classes in Brisbane!
To be part of Sue’s journey has been the greatest honour. When we first started the Yoga Teacher training, we asked Sue what her intention was going into the online program. For Sue, initially, it wasn’t even about becoming a Teacher, that simply happened as Sue journeyed through the course…
“My intention at the beginning was to live with internal peace. To live and experience life in a state of peace. To let go of judgement – of others and of myself. To release myself from comparison. I believe that I am well on the way to maintaining this as often as possible.”
Here’s the amazing Sue…
We know that being a Yoga Teacher Training delivered online can be something many question. With over a decade of experience in the online business realm, combined with our experience in both in-person and online Yoga trainings, we’ve crafted this program with a specific goal in mind. Our intention was to create deep connections, despite the digital medium. Reading the feedback from our graduates, it’s truly rewarding to see this vision come to life.
As Sue mentioned to us “I loved that I could do it anytime, anywhere and at my own pace. And the feedback was always so positive and uplifting.”
A Yoga Teacher Training gives you so much. After completing the course you’ll become certified to teach Yoga all over the world with a recognised Yoga Alliance certificate! But really, this is just scraping the edges.
We asked Sue what her greatest takeaways from the Yoga Teacher Training were and she explained that there had been many…
“I have learned to love myself more, be myself, and to be authentic. This has been a time where I thought I would just learn more about Yoga – the history and how to do the poses more effectively. But this has been so much more, and will continue to resonate through me and with me as I keep practicing and learning. It is my lifelong commitment that is never ‘done’.”
Hear from Sue…
Like many of our graduates, the first 3 weeks of training were filled with many AHA! moments. Probably the biggest one being that Yoga is so much more than just the physical practice (the postures). However, when we asked Sue what her favourite part of the training was, she couldn’t just list one! In fact, Sue loved the qualified and diverse Teacher Training Faculty she was able to learn from…
“I have been fascinated learning about the history, the 8 Limbs, the Yoga texts and the deities from such a creative, imaginative and beautiful soul as Andrew (Philosophy teacher). I loved the easy to understand way that James (Physiotherapist and Anatomy Teacher) explained the body, bones, muscles and movement. I learned so much from Emily (Naturopath and Physiology Teacher) about the different systems that make our bodies function, and the mind-body connection that is both philosophical and now scientific. I was fascinated by the strength and flexibility of Martina (Handstand and Inversion Specialist), and found that just watching her practice/teach I learned more and was motivated to really lean into the poses. And finally, Chara (Ayurvedic Practitioner and Yoga Therapist) was my first introduction to Ayurveda and has left me with a thirst to know more. These teachers were so thoughtfully chosen and made the journey so interesting.”
It’s exciting to see Sue now, just 1 month after becoming certified, teaching Corporate Yoga classes in Brisbane, Australia, updating her business (Achieving Happiness) with guided meditations and more! It’s even more exciting to see how Sue’s entire way of living has transformed and evolved…
“I have learned to catch myself thinking about the future or the past and to gently guide myself back to the present. I am mindful about everyday tasks, to do them with love and purpose. I now plan each day when I will do my meditation, my Yoga practice, my reading. I have used my new breathing practices to move through anxiety, difficult conversations and burnout.”
A Yoga Teacher Training really can provide so much more than a certification. From our own experience of completing trainings, it feels like you walk in one person and walk out another. They always provide opportunities to uncover and discover more about yourself and how you wish to live this one amazing life.
We will leave you with a few last words from the AMAZING Sue!
“Yoga has taught me inner peace. Yoga is part of my life, and I am a Yoga practitioner. I now see myself as a Yoga teacher in two different fields. I do believe that I can teach 30 minute Corporate Yoga lunchtime classes. But my longer term goal, that does excite me, is teaching over 60s how to move, focus, be mindful and live their lives in a body that is not restricted by aging, as I have learned to do.”
“I am so grateful to have found Carla, Emma and MerryBody. The work that they have put into the course, plus the time given to all of us who have now formed such a strong bond, is amazing. My life is so much better for what, and who, I now know.”
And Sue, we are so grateful for YOU!
If you’d like to learn more about our upcoming Teacher Training cohort, head here! Or reach out with any questions, we are here to help!
Always merrymaking,
Emma + Carla