In February of 2011, I spent 5 weeks of my life in the hands of 2 teachers and 14 other students. We broke down barriers, lifted our spirits and our practices, and rose to new levels of, dare I say it, enlightenment? Ok, so merely a taste if you will, just a droplet of amrita to whet our palates. But a transformation, nonetheless, and like I've never experience before. One that took me into India as a more fragile being than when I left it. And set a significant bar in my life for transformation experiences and sincere connection with the self. Yoga is.... Unity.

The Yoga Teacher Training that I chose to do was in North Goa, led by Heather Elton and Emil Wendel. I stumbled, in my dizzying YTT research last November, upon a website unlike any of the others I'd seen so far. Many other websites which advertise credited trainings in India are, in my opinion, laced with fluffy images and descriptions that left me feeling less than satisfied with an ultimate choice. Her website really latched onto me, and I found myself revisiting the detailed description of the training, over and over again.

Heather's strong, defined and masterful practice is the groundwork needed in something as intimate and personal as a Teacher Training. While some would find her nature of honesty and directness to be harsh, I found it to be sincere and appropriate. As a yoga teacher she holds the space with integrity, leaving behind what we California yogis know as the "mindless-banter-purple-light-seeking-yada-yada..." that comforts without fostering growth. Her unwavering guidance helped us to shed the layers into the raw and honest beings we came to see within ourselves. Her conviction to living yogically is honorable, and took my practice to the next level both on and off the mat. To me she was the teacher I had paid to be trained under, and that I had intended to find in the first place.

Emil, the teaching counterpart to Heather, brings us into light with a fluid and delicate meditation and pranayama practice each day. He lays the ground work for the "shift" in your own awareness. A vessel of knowledge in theory, history, and psychology. He shines a light onto realms of living, understanding, breathing, and being a true yogi. Gentile in soul and speech, he is delicate with his words, yet convicted in his teachings. A truly special man of this time. - Ashley Mulligan 

 

Heather Elton and Emil Wendel’s Yoga Teacher Training is real, intense and transcendent. The course has allowed me to incorporate yoga into every area of my life and provided me with the tools to guide others. I was a life enhancing experience. - Ruth Goulding

 

The YTT of Heather Elton moved me, from inside out. The intensity of doing (sometimes) 5 hours of yoga practice a day, plus meditation and pranayama exercises in the early morning does have its effects. The course confronted me with my personal limitations and borders, physically, emotionally and mentally. The challenge was to observe and listen to what was happening, without judging. I learned to start acting instead of reacting, in an honest and truthful way.

Heather’s pure & honest passion and devotion to yoga inspired me to follow my path, to become a great yoga teacher one day. I appreciate (and support) her non-dogmatic approach to yoga: I enjoyed doing the Primary Series in the morning while 'secretly' using all kinds of 'Iyengar props' to align my body in a proper way :). The theoretical/philosophical part of the course was very well introduced by Emil Wendel, who teaches from experience, from the heart.

The inclusion of 'The Business of Yoga' part within the Yoga Teacher Training really added extra value. Thinking about how I would design - and formulate my ideas for a future website was more than a useful reflection exercise. It provided concrete content and nice images I now actually use for my website! How nice is that?

The unique and beautiful setting of the Satsanga Retreat Center, with the luxury of not having to worry about doing laundry, cleaning, cooking, etc. made it possible to move deeply inward. The friendly smiles of all the staff, the delicious Ayurvedic food and nice swimming pool made me realize how blessed I was to be part of the training, every day again. - Zoe Van Mansfeld

 

I’m really happy that I attended your teacher training. I feel that my teaching has improved and that my confidence of my craft has also increased. – Robyn Sawatzky