It’s been five years since I came back home. Back to the community that I have been a part of since birth. After living near the Brighton coast for a good few years in my twenties I felt the pull back to the familiar. The new forest, the local friendly faces and of course my loving family. I think I underestimated what a path it would lead me on coming back, and the deep reverence I’d find in not only returning to the community but creating my own Sangha or Kula. A yoga tribe if you like. For me teaching has never been about glorifying myself or trying to take over the world one you tube video at a time. My job as a yoga teacher is to pass down yogic knowledge and create spaces where people can find what they need within themselves to be their truest and most loving self.
The journey within my short time in teaching has led me here. Back here to this village for a reason. I have been told that my love of teaching and sharing the wisdom of yoga comes across passionately. Which is a tremendous compliment to any teacher. My love for India, and yogic philosophy and its teachings began when I was a child at primary school. When I could afford to at 19 I travelled India solo. It’s people, cultures, heritage and energy were everything I dreamed and more. I have, for as long as I can remember been drawn to the pull of seeking direction. Looking to find a higher purpose. Stepping away from materialism, greed and superficial joy and knowing the rewards are hollow. There must be more to life than a rat race right!? I loved art, music and creativity as a teenager and used these to explore my questions, but somehow it began to feel angry, lonely, unfulfilling, and quite dark. I delved into many carers along the way to teaching all with a running theme of teamwork, helping people and creating community-hospitality, childcare, dentistry, healthcare. Still feeling unfulfilled. While on holiday taking some time away in 2017 the idea of teaching my beloved yoga fell into my head. Perhaps I’m the one that is meant to be creating something? I loved every moment of my training journey in Brighton and as I went on training felt more and more sure that I’d seen where my path needs to go.
That passion and drive never wavered. Even during my move back to Wiltshire. Even during and after pregnancy. Even during a world pandemic and raising a child. I’ve never felt inclined to tap the brakes. I don’t think I physically can. I love teaching so much and feel so grateful to have found what I’m meant to do. It feels like responsibility I have. A duty of care to those that step into class to represent such an ancient way of life, in the most accessible and digestible way for that individual yet think of groups needs too, and have fun to boot! It’s a challenge and an honour I may never grow tired of.
The fact I get to share yoga with the community I love is no small thing. This is the village I grew up in; rollerblading, going to local clubs, calling on mates from school, getting the bus to town as a teenager, trick or treating, seeing new year in at the local, renting videos at the village shop. Even the venues I teach fill me with nostalgia every time I turn the key and open them up for classes. In these community buildings I went to playgroup, craft club, had my first discos, countless kids parties, saw in the millennium, and even took part in my first school panto age 4 cast as chief alien! I could go on. The truth is community and a sense of being part of something more than ourselves- it’s not in the walls but within the people.
There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t feel thankful for the wonderful people I get to teach yoga to. Some of them are people that have seen me and my family grow up-my old English teacher, my ballet teacher, mums (now grandparents!) that used to do the school run at the same time as my mum. Some of the people that come to class have just moved to the area- so special that I get to be a friendly face and help them feel like they belong. Some are neighbours, friends of friends, other mums I’ve met at the park or on the school run, the local lovely WI or lover ladies’ group, other local small business owners. Whoever, and whatever circumstance they’ve all felt the pull. The pull to delve deeper. To explore a deeper connection with themselves and open up to being part of something bigger. Sure, it often starts with a need to have a good stretch and improve flexibility, but asana/physical poses are just the gateway- people often come away from class with more than they bargained for. When we come together in a room and simply breathe, meditate, move together, we elevate our whole sense of being. Human connection lies within the essence of our primal needs, it gives us security, a sense of purpose, a path to knowledge and a joy within. Yes, a large part of meditation and self-exploration is venturing inwards and stepping away from the world to hear what your intuition is saying. However, if the base needs of safety, love, and connection are not being met we have a much harder time finding our way there.
It has been documented that the happiest and healthiest people on earth are those that feel they are part of a community. It is all too easy to live in our little boxes, drive off each day to work in a larger box then come back to our box and repeat the cycle. With working from home now so popular some of us have no need to even leave the house. However, depression, anxiety, stress and all the health conditions that come with them are ever on the rise. Perhaps the answer isn’t in a pill, and it’s not in changing our diet or adding a new supplement. Perhaps it’s not that we need to start something new but go back to the joy we found as kids. Our natural instinct to communicate, to connect, and to find strength in numbers. What did we do in the pandemic? When fear fell, we helped our communities, came together, supported our families, cheered on our nurses. What do we spend a large portion of our days doing? Social networking- trying to find like minded people, find a connection, share stories, listen to stories-all things we used to do initially sat around a campfire, or eating together, working together, raising children together. Our love of human connection is ingrained. Our love of hugs, of smiles, exchanging information, helping one another. Ultimately bringing joy, safety, love and compassion to those around us. And as luck would have it bringing that to others unintentionally fills your cup too. It’s the ultimate win win. Community is in its essence what Yoga is all about. I count myself humbly fortunate to be part of and to have even had a part in creating the wonderful community where I live.