I have been feeling drawn to Yoga all this year, but my past experience with it held me back.

Rewind 7 or so years.  I had a 2, 4 and 6 year old and was run off my feet as most Mums are.  I was overweight.  Yoga called me and I went for a session at the local Community Recreation Centre.

Well, it was a horrible experience.  It was the middle of summer and the room was not air-conditioned and boy did it stink!  Then to top it off, the class was a big mix of beginners and experienced people, but the instructor only catered for the experienced side of things.  The result was that I felt like a pretzel, my self esteem took an absolute dive (as I didn’t understand what was being asked of me, nor could I execute it to my satisfaction) and the feeling in the room was not one of love and one-ness (more like someone going through the motions to get paid, rather than having it as a passion).

I went back for another week, just to see if it really was as bad as I felt.

It was.

So, that being my experience, I was really unsure whether yoga was for me.

Fast forward to 3 years ago.

Santa left a DVD under the tree that was for doing Yoga in your living room.  Although this was better than my first experience, I always was unsure if I was ‘doing it right’.  That’s the problem with a screen, it doesn’t answer back (not when you’re sober anyway!).

Fast forward to October 2011.

I was on a special spiritual development type course conducted by a good friend, Marie Henson from Colourful Soul Connections, and the theme for the month tied in with movement.  Marie organised for us to share something near and dear to her heart and so we were to have a day based on Yoga.  We went to see a friend of Marie’s who teaches Yoga (Marg Willcocks).

WOW!  WOW!  WOW!

Marg runs the Greenwood Yoga Academy and it has the only ONLY Nationally Government Accredited course in WA and the 3rd Yoga accredited course in Australia.   Marg is the first person I’ve come across to really live and breathe her Yoga craft, with a passion to pass this on to others, whether they be people within a session or future Yoga teachers passing through her Academy.

As a result, Marg is absolutely amazing at verbalising and demonstrating what movement she wants you to do.  She watches carefully and you are given gentle tips to assist getting in the correct position. If you have an injury, Marg offers ways to do the moves that will not stress the body.  Plus, all the matts, blankets, bolsters, blocks etc that you need are right there and if she sees that you need something else based on how you are holding a posture, well she just goes and gets it and positions it ever so quietly.

I just loved this session and didn’t want it to end.  I didn’t feel overly self conscious and was certainly made to feel special.

If you’re in Perth, north of the river, and Yoga has called you, I would not hesitate in sending you straight to Marg.  I’m rabbiting on a bit here, but I felt so good afterward – actually had to ground myself once I got in the car as I was a bit floaty!

Thanks Marg and thanks Marie too!