I was reminded this week that it has been almost a decade since I left the corporate world. Becoming a yoga instructor was never something I had thought about and yet I find the most peace, the best use of myself in this space.

As I move ever closer to my birthday I am contemplating the days and decades that have passed. Yoga has been a part of my life since childhood. It is a part of the cultural makeup of my country and my family. For some of us, the teachings are built into how we are taught and how we live our lives.

There is reverence and I think that as a child it is easier to connect to that energy than as an adult. It is why I think it very important that families (parents but also extended members and friends of parents) introduce yoga, or some other spiritual practice to their children from as young as possible.

It is grounding, it provides a better sense of self, a deeper understanding of who we are and what our purpose might be. Though we may not realise this until much later in our lives, an early foundation is priceless.

The decision to become a yoga instructor was made following the transition of my mother and with encouragement from my partner.

Over the seventeen (17) year period that my mother lived with cancer, remissions and recurrences and everything in between, yoga was what held us all together. Such an illness affects not just the individual but the entire family. Each member has to choose how the experience will shape their life.

Watching my mother handle her experiences with grace gave me a deeper understanding of how we are more than the physical body. I will forever be impressed by her capacity for joy, of experiencing and sharing joy, even in times of extreme physical distress. When I think of her I think of the strength of her will, of the clarity of her space and her vision.

Until her passing, yoga had always been a very personal practice for me… And then, I found myself wanting to share.

Over the years I have taken part in many training programmes, some traditional, some for certifications. Some that have deepened my understanding, some that have reinforced what I already knew. My focus has been on healing - the courses I have taken allow me to modify my teaching to allow persons of all sizes and abilities to work with their bodies. I have taken courses in palliative care and explored how yoga fits into that kind of care.

I teach publicly and privately, individuals and groups. I fully believe that whomever I am meant to share with, in whatever capacity, will either find me or be found by me. Each class, each workshop, each retreat is its own experience of sharing, of learning and growing together.

It is a journey, with every step building on the foundation that exists from my previous experience with caretaking. Patience. Purpose. Poise.

I look forward to seeing what comes next.

peace,

Renee Arundhati