01/09/2025
Why?
I often get asked why I practice and teach yoga. After the birth of my daughter, I struggled with PTSD and anxiety. Yoga became — and still is — one of my greatest supports.
Here’s how it has helped me personally, and why I am passionate to share this ancient practice with others:
• Emotional regulation: Breathwork, for example, helps me influence my nervous system state, which has reduced the intensity of emotional ups and downs significantly. The trauma-informed Yin course also gave me theoretical knowledge that helps me understand how my body, brain, and nervous system are connected.
• Awareness and healthier response: Yin has taught me to sit with whatever arises, observe it, and then respond in a calmer and more constructive way, instead of reacting impulsively - adding to the chaos.
• Physical enhancement: After birth my body felt pretty “trashed” because I had lost so much strength. Yoga helped me reclaim and tone my body, losing over 10kg while eating everything I fancied, and at the same time shaping my body into a version I like looking at.
• Achieving goals and a shift in mindset: When I am able to hold a new, challenging shape I get this little buzz … “yeah, I can do that,” which is such a great antidote to feeling low, overwhelmed, and exhausted.
• Yoga as a healthy coping skill: I use powerful yoga shapes to burn off pent-up energy, whether it’s anger, frustration, stress, or restlessness from anxiety.
• Improved sleep and relief from chronic stress: Anxiety often gets me stuck in a mental loop that makes it hard to relax – yet the gentle stretches in Yin release the physical tightness in my body and calm my mind.
• Breathwork: Helps me manage acute stressful situations.
• Balancing shapes: Bring me back into the now and draw me away from unhelpful and destructive thought patterns, while also helping me increase focus and concentration.
• Managing and influencing energy levels: When I feel tired, low, lacking sleep, or unable to relax, I can often convince myself to do some gentle Yin, which then creates the motivation to move into some gentle sun salutes (namaskars), and from there sometimes into more energizing flow sequences. Powerful shapes like plank variations help me burn off pent-up energy such as anger.
• Yamas and niyamas: These yogic guidelines help me make decisions in everyday life.
• Deeper connection with my body: I realize sooner when I become dysregulated, anxious, or overwhelmed, and therefore can respond earlier and better.
• Increase in resilience: I tend to bounce back after a rough patch much faster.
PTSD is no longer present, and anxiety doesn’t control me anymore. When a situation gets challenging, I know the tools I have learned through yoga will help me navigate it.
Why I Teach Yoga
• Overcome limiting beliefs and step outside my comfort zone
• Grow personally and develop skills that can be applied in everyday life, like communication and leadership
• Engage in work that is meaningful, nurturing, and fulfilling
• Support my own physical and mental well-being by showing up consistently
• Be of service to others and contribute to my community
• Share my experience and knowledge in the hope that it can support and inspire others on their own journey
Curious if yoga can help you too?
Book a free private 1:1 introductory session or join one of my group courses:
Yin Yoga in Twizel: starts 3rd September
Yin Yoga in Kurow: starts 9th September
Reserve your spot today and begin your journey!
I look forward to hearing from you,
Sabrina
