Teacher Training Insights: Mat and Me

By recent teacher training graduate, Iris Bromet

Certain relationships are quite awkward; others just seem to flow. I still haven’t quite worked out how this whole relationship game works but I do know that I  fell in love with mat last summer. I actually don’t know why, but by now I don’t care anymore. Maybe that is a good thing. My mind does not always have to work out everything! Especially in this yoga world I joined, it seems that the whole purpose is to silence your mind. “Yogas citta vrtta nirodhad”. Sorry, just chucking out some clever quotes, something I learnt at my teacher training at Lumi. So back to mat. Mat has been quite a silent character but utterly supportive and for me that seems to be the foundation of our relationship. He is there when I need him, sometimes he is even there when I don’t need him. Whenever it gets too busy in my head, he grounds me. Whenever I can’t stop talking, I return to him and he shuts me up. Whenever I cry, he is just there. Whenever I feel vulnerable he supports me in just being with me. God I must be lucky and I should pinch myself. Yeah all right, thank you mat for being in my life and thank you for your silent companionship. I talk too much and I process too much in my head – mat does neither but hey, I guess opposites really do attract, and there’s something about this relationship that makes me confident it will last.

Mat convinced me to enroll in the teacher training course at Lumi and I have to say as usual he was right – so annoying because I like to come up with the good ideas! He in fact was more than right. And, as easy going as he is, he was with me every single step of the training. Mat has no ego, something I am working on. I am not good at that, because i love tuning into my little radio station in my head: “Good morning what do you want today, coffee, another yoga legging, did you hear about the retreat in Spain, so much work to do, …oh I am not good at that, leave me alone, …blah blah….” – endless. Mat is different, he just tunes out. He lives right here and now. Not in the past nor in the future. He is to be honest adorable and miles ahead of my game.

The teacher training was a challenge for me as part of it is to understand the here and now. They even have a saying: If you are not HERE you are NOwhere. As a teacher your aim is to bring awareness – whatever kind that is – to your students and you need to be in-tune with your audience and that only happens if you relate to them there and then. No wonder that this was a key lesson at Lumi’ teacher training. Along with many others, of course. Being in the present is being authentic. Being authentic means to not hang onto old patterns you created in the past which you think are your personal matrix. Mat seems to know all this. But what freaks me out, he is not just aware of it, he lives it. He does not pretend to be anything else but mat. I adore him for that. He just exists, grounds me, creates a space in which I stop; he is like a well-being anchor for me, silent, supportive and, now, my constant companion. So he comes with me anywhere I go. Sometimes he can get a little heavy but who cares. Whatever I can do to carry him through life, I will do.  I could go on and on about him …. Ok one more thing – the physical side of relationship. I guess we have all been there – it’s complicated and it is so important. If you don’t fancy each other, forget it, it won’t last longer than a couple of months. Projection is all you’ve got. Well, this sounds quite weird, but I like to work out, a lot. Now it gets embarrassing as I sweat a lot and I like to be on top, especially when I do my power yoga at Lumi’s, I mean a lot. It even gets slippery. But you know what? If mat is with me he does not mind at all. All sorted with a sprinkle of vinegar and a wipe with a towel. I know it sounds weird, odd couple you think, but hey it works. Mat shows me total physical acceptance.  Wooooow.

So, I think you’ve heard enough about Mat and me. We both are very happy and the teacher training at Lumi’s has profoundly strengthened our relationship. Yoga taught us how to achieve a better balance between body and mind. The teacher training at Lumi’s is the heart of our successful relationship and I can 100 % guarantee you, that if you intend to train with Elina and Ari, they will give you all the tools you need in order to achieve as harmonious and happy a relationship with your Mat as I’ve found with mine.

With endless gratitude I would book the Teacher Training course at Lumi’s over and over again. Mat and I are very happy and the journey has just started.

With lots of love

Mat and me

Lumi Teacher Training is back by popular demand for an autumn session starting on 9 Oct to 15 Nov. If you’re thinking about teacher training be sure to come to our open house on Saturday, August 1st to get all your questions answers about the course from Ari, Elina and our brilliant new teachers. All the details are on our website here

Stay tuned for more Teacher Training Insights  from recent grads!