BAMLife Issue 2 | Página 5

Read more at bambooclothing.co.uk realised early in my life that I was different and spent hours dreaming of far off exotic places. Now looking back, I realise I have always followed my own flow towards what makes me happy and alive. My hunger for adventure took me to sunny California at the age of 19. I wellness, as well as meditation and mindful living classes. I began to take yoga out into the community teaching in schools, universities, hospitals and prisons creating programs that would suit different needs. Yoga and sport has been an emerging theme for high performing athletes for some time now. LA was everything I hoped it would be and more, sunshine, palm trees and interesting people everywhere. I spent five years with LA as my base for travelling and exploring and to a large extent ‘grew up’ there. I started my family there, and moved to England where I had my second son and have lived here ever since. Before I knew it, I found myself teaching further afield working with high-end clients in London and around the world. Moving between my studio clients, private clients – local and worldwide – I became even more sure about what I already knew; yoga practice is for everyone no matter their age, gender, or size of wallet. During this time I started Yoga Life retreats and holidays offering yoga breaks with a twist in the UK and abroad. England is where I found yoga. I had severe back problems and had also lost myself as women do sometimes when they become a mother. I desperately needed some time for myself, tending my body and soul. I found an inspirational yoga teacher and spent four times a week on a yoga mat and witnessed a dramatic difference in myself as a whole. My back got better and my energy levels soared. My whole outlook on life became brighter and lighter than I could ever imagine. The Yoga ‘breaks’ don’t only focus on yoga as I bring in different activities such as walking, hiking, diving, snorkelling, sailing, wine tasting, white water rafting, paragliding and much more. I loved what I saw. There so many opportunities and benefits. By simply spending time away from ‘every day life’ brought so much to the participants and often became a life changing experience for many as they to learned that Living Yoga can be meaningful but also fun! I qualified as a yoga teacher with the ‘British Wheel of Yoga’ and in 2000, developed my own practice, dedicating my practice and teaching to the journey of life – living to inspire people to follow their heart, making choices that effect their body and lives in a positive way. Yoga is a tool for transformation and when practiced in beautiful locations away from distractions it can be a powerful experience, an eye opener giving an extra zest for life. My students often say; “I don’t know what it is but yoga makes me feel better ” and this is it…Yoga is alchemy; this ancient teaching is a finely tuned medicine form which leads to a more joyful way of living, and we all just want to be happy, right? In 2007 I opened the doors to the Yoga Life studio in Eastbourne, UK which was the culmination of a long term dream. The studio has become a sanctuary for so many over the years, offering a wide variety of yoga styles for health and Yoga is alchemy; this ancient teaching is a finely tuned medicine form which leads to a more joyful way of living My love affair with yoga and life keeps fuelling me, keeping my passion alive to continue to develop ways of bringing yoga into all walks of life. 5