Hi! My name is Astelle and yoga has been a part of my life in some way for nearly three decades, although, funnily enough I didn’t actually realise it was yoga for many, many years!
I read a lot about the use of the breath and the power of the mind during my first pregnancy, keen as I was to try to have the most natural and harmonious delivery possible. It was my aim to learn to put myself into a trance-like state and to use the breath rather than rely on drugs for pain relief if possible. Consequently, I worked on various meditative practices, including, it transpires, yoga nidra (a kind of very deep and restorative relaxation technique), the use of visualisation, mind/body connections and gentle asana (yoga postures – although I didn’t realise this is what they were at the time, yoga still at the time being largely viewed as a somewhat alternative concept!). Sometimes I studied under the guidance of a teacher and sometimes on my own, but it became a core part of my life at that point. I did, for the record, manage to give birth without recourse to so much as a paracetamol; the delivery was so fast, however, that I never really got to enjoy my trance-like state, nor my much-practised squatting! However, this life-changing experience (and my three subsequent deliveries) did confirm to me the power that we can each harness from specific breathing practices, the importance of a positive mind-set, and how strong and undervalued mind/body connections are…
Raising four children whilst also working in some highly stressful environments as a teacher has not always enabled me to find enough time for my own self-care, and so I can not truthfully say that I have always managed to incorporate yoga in to my every day as I usually do now. I was very sharply reminded of the importance of the breath, however, when I succumbed to a rare illness some 20 years ago, which necessitated major lung surgery. In rehabilitating from the acute phase of this illness, during which I really struggled to breathe, and in the subsequent lengthy battle back to health, I was encouraged to ensure that breathwork (or pranayama, as I later found it to be called in yoga terms) became part of a daily practice, to strengthen all aspects of the breathing apparatus, of course, but also to calm the mind and help heal the body.
The excessive strain on an already ‘highly strung’ character of a stressful career and a busy family continued to tell on my health, which had never been robust. I pushed on despite chronic headaches and migraine attacks, despite IBS, despite shingles, despite chronic fatigue, despite all but constant muscular and joint pain. Even with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, I continued to push past things, looking mostly fine to the outside world, but feeling mostly awful. I needed to work. I needed to care for my children, one of whom had had to endure repeated surgery and illness, and I also needed to help support elderly family members.
My coping strategies are (apparently) awesome, but my nervous system has paid the price, becoming dangerously jammed on high alert with all the health concerns that this brings. After a lifetime of what I was told repeatedly were unrelated health issues, I was eventually diagnosed not only with fibromyalgia but also with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (a genetic condition which affects all connective tissue in the body, which can bring diverse symptoms). At last the process of unravelling some very complex chronic symptoms could begin.
Being unable to function effectively in my day-to-day life on the drugs offered by a variety of different consultants, I have instead mostly turned to natural alternatives including yoga, reiki, acupuncture, Alexander Technique, and homeopathy, to see whether the effects of these practices had a beneficial effect. This was the beginning of a lengthy and on-going transformative period, in which I have gradually learned to listen more to the wisdom of my body, learned the value of self-care and the many benefits of these practices.
Yoga has brought (and continues to bring) to me so many wonderful benefits, that I decided to delve more deeply into the subject, putting my long career as a school teacher behind me and directing my energy into qualifying to teach yoga in 2015 (Yoga Alliance accredited). Sharing my yoga with people of all ages and abilities within my local community is my passion and my joy – I simply love it! Every day presents an opportunity to learn a little more about this fascinating philosophy and practice.
My own experiences mean that I am, perhaps, unusually empathetic to my students’ needs, and I pride myself on making my yoga accessible to every body. My students, both male and female, have ranged from 15-85+ years and have presented a very wide range of issues requiring a more individual level of support than most classes can offer. I truly believe that the increased self-inquiry and awareness that accompany these sessions can be transformative, offering us many ‘tools’ to deal with the many stressors in the modern world, and that this kind of gentle yet deep consideration of ourselves is vital for living harmonious and successful lives. Yoga is non-competitive and non-religious and, contrary to what most people think, does not require you to be fit and flexible to do it. Nor is becoming these things the goal of yoga, although they may be a welcome by-product!
I do hope that you, too, will explore the benefits yoga can offer, and would relish the chance to share my own simple, gentle take on this ancient holistic practice with you, so please do contact me if you would like to give it a try.
SIMPLY YOGA 