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I’ve been pondering enrolling in another yoga teacher training. But as much as I long to be a part of a community again and to dive deeply into the philosophy, history, asana, and anatomy for a second time it’s really hard to commit to spending another $3,000 + to get a certification I already have! So I’m going to keep pondering it… but in the meantime, I’ve been reliving my first teacher training by perusing the books I used in teacher training (and laughing at the notes I made in the margins). And I’m also discovering some really fantastic tools that are helping me to become a better teacher, too.

Here are a few of my current favorites.

Yoga for Healthy Aging
Unfortunately, I do not have a photographic memory or a background in healthcare. Now, I know the basics–the parts of the body and contraindications for poses that my teachers refer to again and again–but a lot of my anatomy and medical knowledge went out the window shortly after I got my teaching certificate.

The Yoga for Healthy Aging blog has been a godsend! It’s written by a team of experienced yoga teachers, including medical doctors Baxter Bell and Timothy McCall. It has practical anatomy as it pertains to yoga as well as lots of new, fascinating yoga studies explained in a way that even someone with absolutely no medical knowledge can understand it. I love love LOVE that they have their posts labeled so when I need to reference something like arches of the feet or the shoulder joint, I can find all the posts pertaining to it in the navigation on the right hand side.

Teachasana
This is a website by yoga teachers for yoga teachers, founded by my friends Nancy Alder and Anna Guest-Jelley. There is lots of great information for teachers here–and it’s great community. I love the marketing content written by the folks at Bizeebee. There’s also a monthly challenge–something to focus your teaching energy on–as well as free online workshops, videos with tips on alignment, etc.

Jason Crandell Blog for YogaGlo
Jason Crandell is a teacher I want to be like when I grow up. He’s clear, concise, and confident in his instructions. More importantly, he knows exactly what he wants his students to take away from each class whether it’s attention to a particular movement or a yogic concept. In his blog for YogaGlo he shares his secrets. 

Yoga Journal Teachers Channel
Its not always easy to to navigate, but if you’re patient there’s a wealth of knowledge here. Whether I’m looking for advice about a particular injury or medical condition, looking to clarify my communication, or want marketing ideas, I know I’ll be able to find good advice written by a seasoned and experienced yoga teacher here.

What’s your favorite yoga teaching resource?