Let it be Yoga

Over the previous Christmas period, there were several weeks of no sessions so I had starting using the Wii Fit every day too as I didn’t want to go back to the way I was. One of the activities I really enjoyed was yoga. In late April, I saw a poster in the gym, advertising a yoga class in the same building and knew if I thought about it for too long, I would talk myself out of going (something along the lines of ‘you won’t be able to do it, you are going to hurt yourself, you don’t belong there....’) so I immediately texted the teacher and asked if I could join the following week. On 1st May 2014, I attended my first yoga class and I loved every minute! Even though I couldn’t do some things and it was hard work, for that hour, the constant chatter in my brain slowed down sufficiently enough, I got a glimpse of what could be - and wanted more.

I went hoping for some physical benefits but was not expecting the mental ones! I went every week and soon I found I could be more present with myself than I had ever experienced. Normally my brain was busy doing a dozen different things (going over the past or worrying about the future, quite often both!) whilst my body was doing very little and due to the pain, I had become very good at disconnecting the two. I had never experienced how good it can feel, simply having the mind and body on the same page. That feeling for me is as profound as the feeling of being connected to another person, you know the feeling of love or you have found your missing piece... I have found that I don’t need anyone else to feel ‘whole’ - I just need to connect my body and mind and my spirit or the part of me that makes me ‘me.’ With practice I began to feel an overwhelming sense of peace... This allowed me to connect with others on a very different level.

My health gradually improved physically and I started going to classes twice a week and by February 2015, decided I was going to take complete control over my health and now had the confidence and energy to do it. I took to the internet and didn’t stop until I found some answers. I discovered the Low FODMAP diet for IBS - it was a start and decided to give it a try. Very soon I discovered I had multiple food intolerance’s, but within weeks I was feeling better. My digestive issues improved gradually but strangely, my joint pain was improving too. A month before, I had been taken off the medication for my endometriosis, as I was now having migraines and so the painful symptoms had quickly returned but that too was improved the following month. How could everything be improving by changing my diet? This was a huge learning curve for me and there is still a lot I don’t know or understand about health, but I have learnt that what you consume on a daily basis, has a huge impact on every aspect of your health. What you eat, drink, breathe, think and believe is what you become!

Within just 4 months I had transformed my life, lost over a stone and was almost pain free. I had more energy I knew what to do with and a new zest for life. I wanted to learn new things and take part in life as I had missed out on so much, for too long. With my children grown up and not needing me as much. I quickly enrolled on several college courses, psychology and counselling and loved every minute and my confidence was better than ever. I was finally becoming me and living the life I was meant to have. I went on to train as a volunteer ChildLine counsellor and enjoyed helping others so much.

My hearing was unfortunately deteriorating and I needed two hearing aids but my constant yoga practice helped me to be able to accept what was happening, and I quickly adapted. I could see what I had and how fortunate I was, instead of the challenges I faced. In early 2017, I realised that what I wanted to share with people, was the gift of yoga. The gift of being comfortable in your body, as it is where we live, and the gift of being confident in living your life the way you want to and being at peace with yourself, so you can be true, to who you really are. In September 2017 I started my teacher training on the British Wheel of Yoga 500 hour Diploma with the wonderful Sarah Beck, which has give my practice a much deeper meaning and allowed me to share what I love, with others.

The media may represent yoga as something only young, slim white women in Lycra do on top of a mountain... that might make a pretty picture but it is far from the truth. To quote an inspiring yoga teacher, Judith Hanson Lasater, ‘Yoga is not about touching your toes, it is about what you learn on the way down.’

My goal as a teacher, is not to help you touch your toes but to give you the space where your mind and body can be free of all constraints, allowing you to reconnect, with your true self.

Namaste,

Wendy x