My Yoga Journey

​​My roots...

I was born & raised in a very conservative town in the heart of a farming community in South Africa.  As a teenager I had somewhat of a reputation for questioning the system and not conforming to societal norms, always curious about the world outside of the choking, racist patriarchy. 

 

As soon as I turned 18, I moved to the city of Johannesburg to study for what became my first career in Travel & Tourism.  Although I’ve changed careers multiple times since then, travel is deeply ingrained in my DNA and has become a valuable skill in designing and leading retreats. 

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The first steps on my yoga journey​

I had always been intrigued by the mysticism of yoga, but it wasn’t until my late 20’s that I finally joined my first class with a couple of friends.  I remember that day vividly, not for instantly falling in love with the practice, but for the graceful teacher who endured our giggles and wriggles. I didn’t realise it then, but that very first teacher showed me that kindness and equality was what I wanted to embody as a teacher.

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What flowed from curiosity to a regular practice finally became a way of life when I committed to my first 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2017.  In some ways it was hugely fulfilling, but in many ways it left me wanting more, disappointed that it wasn’t the epiphany I had hoped for.  This feeling drove me to continue studying, particularly in the field of philosophy and mindfulness. 

 

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The path

In 2019 the stars aligned and I had an opportunity to travel to India to study mindfulness and meditation with Tibetan monks in Dharmsala.  It was here, in India, that I was first introduced to Tibetan yoga practices and the philosophy of Buddhism, which has been an invisible thread in my practice ever since.

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As the journey continued, I pursued studies that would help me bring light and compassion to others and to be an instrument for self-enquiry and growth for students. Towards the end of 2019 I completed a diploma in Mindfulness and Meditation Facilitation and in 2020 I obtained my Advanced Yoga Teacher Training certification. In the same year I had the privilege of continuing to study Yantra Yoga (Tibetan yoga of movement) and Buddhist philosophy with my Tibetan teachers online during the surreal time of covid.

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A turning point

That surreal time of covid… I don’t know about you, but my world is divided into “before” and “after” covid.  We made a crazy decision as a family to relocate from South Africa to the Netherlands during that time. Our three children are half Dutch, and we figured we could take working remotely to another hemisphere.

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Quite unexpectedly, my yoga journey abruptly stopped... ​

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For a whole year I avoided the emotional tide that threatened to engulf me every time I stepped on my mat. I turned to more introspective, meditative practices and nature to guide me through the change.​​​​  ​It was a kind of metamorphosis in how I showed up for myself, embodying the tools of the practices of yoga and meditation to become a more multifaceted, authentic guide for others.  Yoga is so much more than making shapes with your body – it is a mindful practice that allows you to explore all the parts of yourself both on and off the mat. 

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"I enjoy guiding classes that allow each individual to connect with the unique language of their body and their breath, sometimes through a challenging Flow practice and sometimes through a calming Yin practice."

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And now, at this juncture in the journey, I have rekindled the travel spirit in me and discovered how powerful it is to lead retreats around the world which empower others to connect back to their innate nature.  Joyful experiences that remind us of how human we are, how alive we are and how we can live authentically in harmony with ourselves, with others and with our precious planet.​​

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And of course, the restless curiosity in my soul will continue to push my boundaries and search for new ways to connect body, breath and mind...