10 YEARS!!!!! I was prompted of our 10th year teacher training anniversary by my yoga colleague and training partner, Purnima. She posted on social media, “10 year anniversary”tagging me. My first reaction, where did 10years just disappear and why hadn’t I put it in my diary? A frenzy of congratulation messages followed, our Yoga Training WhatsApp group tied us. It was most certainly a very significant life changing period in my life.

Later, checking my old yoga teacher training journal from 2014, dusted off after retrieving it from the loft. I sat for a good hour reading, smiling and laughing of days gone by. There was one afternoon, when Manish said, “I have surprise for you all today.” We being a group of 6 women, from across the globe looking at each other excitedly, the previous days had been long on the mat in the heat of Bangalore, with buzzing mosquitos ready to draw blood. So it was certainly most unexpected. He told us, “today you’re watching the Matrix.” I recall him playing a recording on a video, and not of the best quality!

We all being fans of Keanu Reeves we didn’t question why and what was the connection with our yoga training.

We felt it would be an easy 2 hours, and happy with some relaxed time, with the blinds drawn blocking out the intensity of the midday heat.

We sat in a row on a very upright, hard wooden very uncomfortable seating. Manish had always said the worst invention of the 20th Century was a sofa. We thought this was probably his version of modern living!

We were sort of half way through the film and during that time had tried our best but had failed to find a comfortable position; and then the electricity went down! This we had all become accustomed, these irregularities were part of everyday living. By then Manish had left the room but reappearing. In some ways we were grateful for the energy surge as we could stretch our legs off from the wooden seating.

Manish said, what connection did you make with yoga; I wasn’t sure but Esther, gave a very good repertoire, something like “that humans have the power to change their fate, take individual action, but also make mistakes.” You may have your own take on this! But we all agreed with Esther and were pretty happy the Electricity went down and able to leave the discomfort of the seating and to continue in the studio the next day.

I recalled that at that time, I was still very much a yoga novice in my physical practice and barely knew anything of its rich heritage. Actually it’s very embarrassing how little I did not know, not just about yoga, but about myself. At that time I was aged 47!

Even when my father trained as a yoga teacher at 77, I hadn’t shown much interest. Retrospectively, it makes me think .. WHY??? Although, it was festering in the back of my mind and only when we as a family went to live in India, living in Bangalore for a total of 3years that I knew I would search out yoga 🧘🏽‍♀️. At that time Dad was 83!

There was most definitely a curiosity within me, to seek and learn how to live a more fulfilling life! The 200hr teacher training has given me the tools to do just that!

The training was devised by my teachers Manish Pole and Neetu Singh. It was a 4 week intensive training, Monday- Friday 9-5pm and Saturdays 8-1pm, followed by an optional apprenticeship teaching several classes in the week.

I really really wasn’t up for teaching classes at first, shying away when asked by my teachers for volunteers for teaching. I would try not to catch my teacher’s eye for fear of having to stand in front of a group and lead a session. I often would try and not be picked for speaking in a group, I have to say, I have many traits of an introvert. My fear would get the better of me, waking up in the night, with a knotted stomach, dry mouth, quick heart beat and frequenting the loo with loose motions because of my lack of confidence and nervousness of just the possibility of having to lead a group.

So thankful today, I am no longer that person, I have had a transformative experience and I know this journey is on-going and very fulfilling.

I give thanks for the encouragement of my teachers, especially Manish, guiding me with team teaching and yoga beyond asana and to the wonderful Neetu for pushing me way beyond my boundaries. My peers, especially Purnima. We often would be selected to attend events and I would always say, ‘you do the talking and I’ll do the movements.’ Overtime, I have gathered a momentum and a love for teaching. But it definitely didn’t happen over night and for that reason, I have a deep gratitude & appreciation for my teaching time. It is and has been an absolute privilege & joy 🙏🏽😇🧘🏽‍♀️#manishpole #neetu_yogi #yogabypurnima