My first yoga session took place in a village hall in rural Scotland, many years ago. My first teacher was the embodiment of what most believe yoga to represent. To this day, I am grateful my path met with hers. A mutual friend had invited me to attend the class, which I believed to be a fun exercise class. I did not know what to expect as I had not even seen anyone do yoga before. The class was many things, and yes it was fun, but something so much more than anything I could have been prepared for.

I concluded my initial session of Iyengar with a sense of stillness and also great excitement. I needed to do yoga again, the sooner the better was my attitude. During my second, third and perhaps fourth class I could not maintain the ‘resting’ physical position of Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog) let alone pronounce it. My arms would shake and tremble, I would be on my knees more often than sending my hips towards the sky. In other classes I would fall down, topple over, laugh and cry. Every time I knew I was doing something my body cried out for.

I later found myself in Vietnam experiencing an ambient temperature of around 30 degrees, following the direction of a Hatha teacher, who did not believe in drinking fluid during class. This teacher talked about the heart space and opening up our chakras.

I made my way to Australia and was taught by some teachers who had come directly from India to teach at the studio I attended most frequently. The methods adopted by my Indian teachers were rigorous, filled with humour and sincere. My first experience of yoga nidra was in a studio near Darling Harbour in Sydney, although I did not know that’s what it was at the time. In this studio, there was the opportunity to explore many types of yoga. When my teacher of Jivamukti played upbeat music, I was was stunned. How could it be that every type of yoga I explored showed me there was so much more? I was also fortunate enough to encounter a wonderful Yin Yoga teacher who was deeply knowledgeable. After several sessions together, he informed me that ‘he would see me on the circuit without a doubt’.

I think that everyone could see this love I had, a love I embodied when I practiced.

During my time in Sydney, I frequented a book shop where it was encouraged to wander in with a drink, take a seat and pick up whatever text piqued your interest. The Scottish girl in me was having a field day, we just did not have book shops like this where I grew up. Many evenings I spent in this interesting arty (air conditioned) book store with literature on all sorts of topics. I picked up a copy of a book called Eastern Body, Western Mind. My mind was aching to devour this book. At this point, my wide-eyed, globe-trotting, yoga and psychology fascinated mid 20’s self was having fireworks light up my mind and soul.

This was it. It was what linked both my selves together. I was in raptures.

Naturally I then moved to London and entered into a corporate career… Not what you expected perhaps.

I entered into the world of big business, which was diametrically opposed to the way I had been living for years. At this time I completed vocational qualifications, learned how to forecast, developed strategic thinking, worked independently, learned to design and implement bespoke training packages, work with multiple departments with strict timelines on long term projects, coach individuals and senior members of staff in multiple disease areas, and so on.

Whilst a myriad of learning was taking place, yoga never left my life. It has been an integral part of my life for so long. Others saw in me what I did not yet see for myself, for quite some time. Part of my journey is to explore yoga and share it with others. Yoga is so vast and there are so many types and parts of it to explore. I think that what I do with it is what I am most interested in. I love doing handstands, but I do not really want to teach people how to handstand. Yoga in the early days did not even involve physical practice, yet it has become synonymous with the word yoga.

I am interested in helping people explore what yoga has to offer them, with where their body and mind is, right now. I have heard people say that they are not flexible enough for yoga. If the point of yoga was just to become more flexible, it would have not endured thousands of years of devotion.

Yoga is not just about physically working the body, it does do that and the myriad of ways in which it does is simply spectacular. However, the inner journey that yoga takes you on is awe-inspiring too.

Yoga is only about showing up on the mat with whatever you have that day, and leaving the mat as a better version of yourself. I am interested in the changes that take place in a life when yoga shows up. The unfettered joy that begins to seep in, the subtle sleep improvement or the increase in vitality, is what interests me. The burning off of the false self to reveal the authentic you who has been gasping for air all this time, is who I want to bring out.

It is not necessary to stand upside down to improve neural plasticity, reduce anxiety, maintain healthy organs, develop focus and concentration or build strength (to name a few benefits of yoga). Learning how to breathe and giving yourself time to focus on your inner landscape whilst moving your body with intention, is enough of a goal. Wherever you get to is great, just showing up is the best thing you can do.