Sharon’s Journey with yoga

I started attending Yoga classes as a compulsory part of my Diploma of Shiatsu Therapy while I was in my 20’s. While I enjoyed this, I stopped when I had my first child at 34.

I returned to Yoga 4 years ago after being diagnosed with PTSD.  Attending 3-4 classes a week at my local yoga studio I was beginning to feel like a functional human again.  I wanted more.  I wanted the knowledge so I decided I would enroll in a Yoga Teacher Training Course, not necessarily planning on teaching but to gain more insight into this powerful tool that was allowing me to heal.

I wanted to go to India and study in an Ashram however as I have a teen daughter at home, I could not do this as it involved staying at the Ashram for 7 months.  So, I began to research Yoga classes being offered in Sydney.  I went to numerous open days then deciding that, as I work for the Department of Education and I may teach yoga to primary age children, I would need to study somewhere that allowed me to join an association.  There were only two that offered times I could study so I attended open days at both.

Why the Yoga Institute?

I chose the Yoga Institute because as soon as I walked into the open day, I felt like I was at home. I also liked that the teacher training here was very thorough and as I was initially looking for knowledge, I knew a thorough teacher training course would offer me this.

The journey has been incredible. Our monthly weekends together have made myself and my classmates a little family who are in constant communication supporting each other through the various stages and developments in our lives.

Attending The Yoga Institute during Covid-19

Into my first month Covid-19 restrictions hit.  We were no longer able to study in the studio and had to go online.  I was worried that this would not give me the quality of education that I was looking for.  I need not have worried as the transition from face to face learning to zoom learning was a very smooth process.  I was also working online in my day job and this was not as smooth sailing.  I cannot thank or commend The Yoga Institute enough for this.

Once a month I meet with a mentor who is friendly, knowledgeable, and my biggest support.  I look forward to our monthly catch ups – which are also online and no different than if it was face to face.  I have a daily asana practice that was designed by my mentor who changes things as the need arises.  

This practice is part of my daily life, and I couldn’t imagine life without my daily practice.  

Before the Yoga Institute vs. after

Prior to commencing my yoga teacher training, I was doing a short daily asana, pranayama, and meditation practice. This impacted my life and my healing journey significantly. While studying pranayama and meditation at the Yoga Institute I have learnt the same tools (and so much more) that this daily practice has been giving me. I learnt these during class and part of the homework was to do the pranayama and meditation techniques and journal our experience. 

Again, this has been a big part of my healing journey, and even though this homework is complete, I continue to do these on a daily basis.

Additionally, before my yoga teacher training commenced I believed that Yoga consisted of solely asanas and that breathing and mediation were separate. One of many important lessons I have had is that yoga is so much more than asana. Yoga is a way of life, a life that is rich with endless possibilities.

I am so thankful that I enrolled in a 500-hour Teacher Training Diploma, the depth of this course has been incredible, giving me many skills that I currently use in my own daily life and plan to share with others once I graduate.

My healing, my coming home as I now call it, is the gift that yoga has given me. The use of breath in my daily asana, pranayama and meditation saved me from PTSD. Now that I have an evening pranayama and meditation practice designed by my mentor, I can finally sleep without sleeping pills. 

The next stage in Sharon’s yoga journey

I will miss my training, the teachers, my classmates, and my mentor terribly. The Yoga Institute has become somewhat of a family to me and I feel blessed to have had them as part of my journey.  If I had my time again, I wouldn’t do anything differently. It was one of the best decisions of my life.

I plan to use my teacher training by incorporating it into my job as a teacher’s aide, working with students who have behavioural issues and or learning difficulties. The impact Covid-19 has had on students has been substantial so offering yoga both inside school hours and outside of school hours at the school is my plan. I had no desire to teach adults however my colleagues are already asking for a weekly class at school for staff.

The joy that yoga brings me, the healing it has given me is more than I can put into words. I cannot wait until I can share this with others. 

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