I asked the students currently training to become teachers at Zéro Gravité to share their thoughts on this experience. Their accounts reveal a journey that goes far beyond simply mastering the poses: an immersion in the philosophy of yoga, a personal transformation, and a redefining of their relationship with the world.
A holistic and personalized learning experience
Several participants were already practicing yoga regularly before joining the training program. Their primary motivation was to go beyond the physical aspect and embrace this discipline as a way of life. The 200-hour teacher training program, spread over approximately seven months, is designed to fulfill this aspiration.
Led by François, a yoga instructor at Zéro Gravité, the training takes place on Friday afternoons and every other Saturday. It is structured around the eight pillars of yoga, offering a balance between theory and practice. The goal is to provide students with a solid foundation, both technically and philosophically, while adapting these ancient teachings to the modern world.
The training covers several key modules, including asanas (postures) and their alignment, the philosophical system of yoga, the subtle anatomy of the body, and, finally, teaching methodology for those who wish to teach.
These lessons aren’t limited to the classroom: François encourages students to incorporate them into their daily lives, thereby fostering their critical thinking and their ability to apply this philosophy to every aspect of their lives.
The program’s small-group format and extended duration are major strengths, allowing for personalized guidance and a gradual immersion into the field. Students even have the opportunity to teach a real yoga class under supervision, providing hands-on experience that helps them understand the role of a yoga teacher.
For the participants, the training was also an opportunity to rethink the role of the teacher. Teachers are no longer seen simply as transmitters of knowledge, but as guides and sources of inspiration who share their personal practice and experience as yogis. As one student noted: “A yoga teacher is someone who shares their practice and their life experiences, and guides others in their spiritual development through the philosophy of yoga.”
A quest for personal growth, above all else
Contrary to what one might think, most students did not enroll in the program with the intention of becoming teachers. Their primary motivation was personal growth: they saw the program as a guide to deepening their practice and self-understanding. For some, however, the idea of teaching emerged over the course of several months as a natural progression of this journey.
“The training gave me a toolkit to continue my practice in greater depth and share it with those around me.”
For others, once these classes are over, they see the teaching of yoga “as a sharing of knowledge that ultimately seeks to unite us—both with all aspects of ourselves and with the people we meet.”
By meeting every week for several months, the students were able to reconnect with yoga’s original essence. In our Western societies, yoga is often reduced to a mere physical activity, far removed from its Indian roots dating back more than 5,000 years. Yet it is, above all, a spiritual and meditative discipline aimed at fostering awareness of the union of body and mind.
In particular, the students explored the Yamas and Niyamas (rules of social and personal conduct) and the chakras to reflect on their identity and personal growth, and developed a practice centered on the eight limbs of yoga as a guide to better understanding their inner and outer worlds. Several of them described it as a transformative learning experience, sharing, for example: “Now, my yoga practice is no longer limited to the mat: it extends to my whole life.” or “The yamas and niyamas—these ways of relating to oneself and others—have been the most impactful lessons for me, since I never imagined yoga would go so deep. I try to practice these two limbs of Ashtanga every day. Learning the eight limbs will stay with me as I continue to explore my inner world and understand the world around me.” »
A word of advice for prospective students
For those thinking about starting a business, one piece of advice comes up often:
“My advice to future students would be to fully grasp the tools that the philosophy of yoga offers for a deeper understanding of oneself, and to take the time to settle into them and grow alongside the training. The teacher training program at Zéro Gravité is much more than just technical instruction: it is a transformative experience, an invitation to integrate yoga as a philosophy of life, and to use it as a catalyst for personal and spiritual growth. Through the inspiring stories of these current teacher training students, the call to join this adventure becomes irresistible!
Thank you to the students in the teacher training program and to François Lacerte for their responses, which made this article possible.
