welcome to our first thoughts from the mat entry. a little about our first contributor...

in 2012, owner claire baer inherited the studio from its original founder and the rest was history. claire is the owner of yoga innovations and was co-owner of yoga innovations collective LLC where she ran all things teacher training for 15+ years. claire was my YTT instructor and taught me a lot, but she often said she learned so much from her YTT students. i thought it would be great to get a peek inside her mind and things that she's learned from YTTs. she's got oodles of wisdom inside her brilliant and chaotic little mind, and i asked her to share some wisdom with the blog. 

10 Things I’ve Learned from Leading Yoga Teacher Trainings Over the Last 15 Years

After 15 years and more than a dozen yoga teacher trainings, I’ve learned that guiding others to teach is one of the deepest practices of yoga itself. Each training reminds me that I’m a lifelong student — constantly humbled, inspired, and changed by the experience. Here are ten lessons that have stayed with me along the way:

1. Embrace the novice.

No matter how many times I’ve led a training, I’m just as much the student as everyone sitting in front of me. The half circle of faces — that little moon/sun/rainbow of curiosity — holds a depth of knowledge that humbles me every time. The discussions, the connections, the insights that arise from our shared space teach me just as much as I’m teaching them.

2. Check your ego at the door.

I’ve learned to keep my ego where I can see her. She still shows up — especially when I’m wrong, unprepared, or don’t have the answers. But if I keep her volume low, everything flows. Even with years of experience, humility is my best teaching tool.

3. I can’t think of everything (and that’s okay).

Even after 14 rounds of teacher training, something always pops up that I didn’t anticipate. In those moments, I have to admit, “I didn’t think of that,” and adjust on the fly. It’s humbling — and freeing. It reminds me that flexibility isn’t just for the body.

4. Fake it until you become it.

Becoming the person you want to be often starts with acting “as if.” At first it feels fragile, like walking on eggshells of your own making. But slowly, those new habits and choices settle in and become second nature. I still make mistakes, but now when I ask, “Why did I do that?” I know the answer.

5. Yoga is so much more than the poses.

The physical practice is only a doorway. Teaching someone how to “point toward the moon” looks different every single time because yoga itself is alive — it shifts with who we are that day. Our training reflects that: it’s as much about awareness, presence, and connection as it is about alignment.

6. I’m not just teaching yoga.

These trainings are part yoga, part personal growth, part business school, and part life lab. We explore everything from spiritual development to marketing to how to hold space for others — and for ourselves. Every season, I look at how I can refine each of those layers.

7. Everyone learns differently.

I’ve learned to say the same thing in ten different ways because everyone hears and processes differently. My teaching continues to evolve because of the feedback I receive. That feedback circle isn’t just helpful — it’s essential. It keeps the program alive and growing.

8. Choose your hills wisely.

A teacher once said during a training — and I repeat it every year — “Half of this manual is true, and half will eventually be proven false. The problem is, we don’t know which half.” That reminder keeps me grounded: be firm in principle, flexible in practice. There are many ways to peel a banana — as long as we’re still eating the banana.

9. Connections are precious.

Each person who’s come through my training has left a mark on my heart and soul. I wouldn’t be the teacher — or human — I am today without them. The relationships formed in those rooms are some of the most meaningful of my life.

10. Teaching yoga is my soul work.

This work fuels me in a way nothing else does. When I feel overwhelmed by the world, I always come back to the same question: “How can I make an impact?” Yoga has always been my answer — a tangible way to serve, to influence, and to connect with my community.

After 15 years, I’ve realized teacher training isn’t about perfecting a curriculum — it’s about nurturing a living, breathing community of learners (myself included). Every round feels brand new. Every face adds something to the journey. And that, to me, is yoga in action.