Is yoga for me? I thought not but how wrong I was…

My story of how I found yoga began when I had completed my 8 month contract as a massage therapist, working on board luxury cruise ships sailing the Caribbean seas. The money I earned provided me with the funds to travel the world and it was in Sydney where I first dipped my toe into the yogic waters.

I was living at a backpacker's hostel in Coogee, when I saw an advert for a local yoga class and attended, mostly out of curiosity. I absolutely loved the class and continued a few more times before it was time to move on again. I made a decision that upon my return to the UK, I would find a local yoga class and continue to practice. 

So upon my return, I sought out local classes and began to practice Hatha Yoga at various venues for many years on and off. One Saturday morning at my local gym, a cover teacher took our class. She taught a completely different style of yoga and I can honestly say I felt like I had arrived in Yoga Heaven. For the first time in a yoga class I was sweating! The instructor was telling us to pull in our bandhas and switch on our ujjayi breath…what on earth was she talking about?! This was like nothing I had ever experienced in my life and I loved every minute of it. 

At the end of the class I asked the teacher ‘What was that’? Which, probably seemed like a funny question now, but I had been seduced into a new style of yoga. My whole body felt alive, I was on another planet, the yogic planet where life felt good, everyone in the class was also on this planet… it was like a natural high, I was hooked there and then. I had finally found something that totally resonated with me, the style of which was Ashtanga Yoga.

I continued to practice and it took me another few classes to finally decide to take myself off to the birthplace of yoga, India. I went there to study an intensive 200 hour Ashtanga course with the Himalayan Yoga Valley in Goa. 

At the point of booking the course I still had no idea if I wanted to teach, however I knew that it would increase my knowledge and deepen my own personal practice. This was tough training, emotions ran high and tears were a daily occurrence.

However after this my love of yoga was confirmed. Going to study was intense but I loved every single of minute of it (even the tears). Upon completion of the course, I decided that I wanted to teach.

Since qualifying I practice yoga most days, I attend workshops and teacher trainings and in 2013, I took myself back to India to study my advanced 300 hour Vinyassa course. This has given me a 500 hr qualification to teach Vinyassa.

Through yoga my life has been transformed in so many ways. My issues of feeling impatient, not being satisfied with myself and my life and always wanting what I didn’t have, eventually vanished.  I began to be in the ‘here and now’. I trusted the universe and became a yoga warrior not a worrier. My relationships improved and every part of my life is now more enjoyable.

I have physically become much stronger and I have taken my flexibility to another level. There are still many poses which I aspire to do but for the first time and at the age of 42, I am able to do the splits!

I now teach full time yoga in and around London and Hertfordshire and teach interactively for online yoga provider www.yoogaia.com. I'm so happy that I attended that first class in Australia as my life is full of abundance and joy. It feels like there is meaning in my life and I have met some truly wonderful people who I didn't think existed.