My Yoga Story

I dabbled in yoga when I was in my 20’s but always had a reason to not get back into it, preferring more physical exercise to burn off the calories I loved eating. Taking body balance classes made me think I was still nurturing my inner self.

Then 7 years ago when my runners hamstrings were pulling on my back so much I could hardly bend, my close friend was dying and my son went home to his maternal family, the load on my back both physically and emotionally felt like it was destined to break me. I decided I had to do something so I returned to yoga.

Thinking that the stretching would ease the stress and tension in my body I signed up for a couple of classes a week. Quickly I found the classes provided some quietness in my mind, as I practiced I found the space to notice my feelings and emotions. My body didn’t give me a whole lot initially, but the space provided in the class started to soften me from the inside. Immediately I started thinking I have to learn to share this with others.

In my role as a nurse I have always noticed that a lot of people I meet that are in a health crisis have had significant stress, social isolation, poor health education, financial instability and a lack of being supported and nurtured. I believe that stress has a huge negative impact on health. I notice as a career amongst my colleagues and myself that it is impossible to care and give from an empty emotional bank.

I noticed when people don’t prioritise their own physical and emotional well being, over time the load of life often gets heavy. There is an impaired ability to find joy in little things, lightness in challenging situations, resilience is replaced with armour, we push things we feel we don’t have time or energy to deal with deep into our emotional and physical bodies. We prioritise everything but ourselves left feeling resentful instead of grateful.

I decided to teach yoga in a way that anybody could come to my classes. I am lucky enough, to have been able to work hard enough, to be able to create a space in my home that allows for small groups a welcoming space …. that I hold for you. An opportunity to come and catch up with yourself, check in, just be. To prioritise and honour yourselves wether it is to stretch, be with other likeminded people, dive a little deeper and closer to yourself, or connecting with whatever place you arrive on the day. A place for you and me to nurture you……….