Meditation teacher training: my experience
As some of you might know I have been in a meditation teacher training for the past couple of years at Nederlof Centrum. We were supposed to finish earlier this April though because of the corona virus it is posponed to June. Still I wanted to share my experience with the training with you. What are my thoughts about the training and what did it bring me?
The meditation teacher training gave me the opportunity to get to know different kinds of meditations and try them out. To feel the effect they had on me but also to hear from other students what the meditation did for them. Every class we had something else added to our toolbox that I could use and will probably be enjoying for the rest of my life.
Besides the meditations on their own the training days were just really nice to experience. There was a nice vibe and it felt like a gift to be able to go there every time. I would have like to have had the classes more often so you are able to stay in the rhythm a little more. The time inbetween the training days was just a bit too long every time. Once a month would not have been a bad idea.
The practicing in the practicegroups inbetween the classes was a good way to keep practicing at home. When you are meditating on your own at home it for sure is different from meditating in a group. Sometimes you really need the group dynamics, the strength of the sangha, to keep practicing. Or on the days or periods where meditating really isn't within your reach, to even stay on that pillow. While that was the exact thing I was the least excited about before starting this. Practicing in a group, the pressure that I thought it would bring with it. The fear not to be far enough on this journey and not being able to stay on my pillow. Though I have to say that fear was not usefull at all and right now I am convinced that to practice in a group is a very valuable thing.
Also the fear to sit in front of a group I have faced (quite literally). I started teaching a small group once a week to practice and last November I even sat in front of the entire class. Extremely nerve wrecking but I dit get a lot out of it. No matter how nervous I am, apparently you can't hear it and everyone has their eyes closed, so that helps. When you need it you can just keep quiet for an extra moment, nobody will notice. And just knowing that already helps with the nerves, which will likely not go away entirely for a while. Besides that people are there for their own practice, not to criticize me, so as long as I can give them that practice it is fine. I don't have to know everything and I don't have to be able to do everyting. I don't have to be an enlightened master, I just have to help people in their process and I know now that I can. And if not? Than they will find a different teacher that will be able to help them on their path. When people come to me, it is most likely because I can do something for them and that feels good.
What I did miss during this training was more background information, about the meditations but also the traditions that they come from or are based on. That is something I had expected more of when I chose for this training.
That was it for today. Goodluck with the next steps on your bridge. I wish you all the happiness and an amazing day.
❤ Eva