Sophie Boucher our Teacher Training Manager interviews our graduate Zinah Mangera-Lakew. Zinah graduated her 200hr in December 2021 as part of our BIPOC scholarship program. Zinah is now a full time yoga teacher teaching for MoreYoga and other studios. In this conversation, Zinah shares her experience of taking the 200hr with MoreYoga and her journey into teaching.
Thank you so much for taking the time for this conversation Zinah. I would love to hear more about your background and your decision to take the leap into a 200hr training. At what point did you know you wanted to take a 200hr.
“I come from a dance background and I was always exposed to Yoga. I probably started to go to yoga once or twice a week at the beginning and then I went through a journey of doing healing work where I started going to Yoga about, 4, 5 times a week, and it just suddenly became really important in my life. And I think from that exposure, and having a regular practice, and then coming from a movement background where I was doing teaching work it felt like a natural progression and a place to deepen my practice and learn.”
Was there anything about taking a 200hr that made you nervous?
“I still wasn’t sure that my practice was strong enough, I think, no matter how much experience you’ve had, you will feel like that. Because it’s feels like the big unknown. I kind of thought to do a teacher training you had to be know how to be a teacher already. I think that’s probably why I didn’t do it sooner as well, because I kept thinking you had to be at a certain level before you could undertake a training. Now, I know, it’s so much more than that. And it’s so much more than the postures and the physical practice…I think, yeah, very quickly. You realise, like, Oh, it really isn’t about who’s the best at a back bend, or who’s got a handstand, that stuff just doesn’t even like come into it, really.”
Did you have any breakthroughs on the training or moments or realisation?
“I just have one very clear memory. It was a huge breakthrough in a meditation practice that we were doing, and I was one of those people who didn’t meditate before because I can’t switch off that. I’ve got Adhd and I can’t switch my brain off by sitting still. This course was a breakthrough for me, for meditation and the importance on it, and I did not expect that to happen. It was like a missing part, something that I really needed, and I didn’t know I needed. I felt so supported and held by the teachers in that vulnerable space, it was such a great thing. it was a very caring atmosphere.”
Is there any specific lessons that resonated you that you’ve taken off the mat?
“Yeah, definitely. I remember with one text that we were reading. it was living with the Sutras, I think, and when we were reading that text we had really good discussions in the group about how we could take it into our every day lives. We had Luana, who was one of our teachers on the course. And she was really encouraging of letting the teachings influence our lives. She said think about how this could be transformative and the things that you could do to live the teachings. Don’t just let it be something you’re learning about. In order to fully understand it you need to embody it in in your in your life as well and then you’ll understand it in a much deeper level. It made me think deeper about taking vegetarianism more seriously and living with non-violence ahimsa.”
Do you remember teaching your first class? How did it go? What was your experience?
“I was so convinced that everyone would know that it was my first class. I was really nervous! I kept going over all of the advice that I was given, there’s so much so little nuggets of advice you get from from your teachers about being a new teacher, which was really helpful.
I think, as a new teacher things can go wrong. You might mess up but its not the end of the world, it really isnt. I remember at the beginning, I was so hypercritical myself, like Oh, my God! I didn’t do 5 breaths like everyone can ask for their money back or something!
But it was actually okay. It was fine, and I really enjoyed it. I think that was the main takeaway. I realised I love this even when I’m messing up, and getting things wrong.”
Is there any advice you would give to someone considering enrolling in a Yoga teacher training?
I would say go to the open day so you can get a sense of the training, and ask questions if you have them. Also know that its ok to not go to a strong Vinyasa or Rocket practice 5 times a week. You really don’t need that. When you get to the training, you’re going to be going on this journey of discovery so if that interests you just go for it.
Ok final question! What does your teaching look like now?
In the beginning, I was doing so much studio teaching and gym teaching, and that started to wear me down a little bit, especially if you’re only teaching, quite strong dynamic practices. I took the time to like, step back and, look at how I wanted to teach, and what that looks like for me in my life.
This year I’m getting a lot more into like running workshops and building to do my first retreat on my own, which is crazy! it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.