Journey to My Mat
Hi Everyone,
If this is the first time you are meeting me, my name is Natasha and I am a lover of life. This is my story of why I became a yoga therapist - the journey to my mat.
For the past 25 years I have not only been in the wellness industry, I have lived and grown through wellness. The first memories of going to the mat, was with my Mum and my sister. Those times made me feel connected to them, and as I grew I got more connected and grounded through my practice. It has not always been an easy journey, but growth and consistency played a big part.
As journeys go, nothing is perfect, and I literally fell flat on my back! It was gymnastics time and I was eleven years old in flight of a tumble. I didn’t realise at that moment in time how much of an effect it would have on me. I felt like a failure and I just wanted to hide away in my feelings.
Years later, the mat called to me again. I missed “me” on the floor with my thoughts and the connection I started, with learning about myself. As I kept growing, the call from the mat was then amplified, and I then embarked on my yoga teacher training. I had absolutely no intention of teaching. The training was really for me, to deepen my knowledge into the yoga tradition. However, I didn’t realise that it was also encouraging me to face my underlying fear of getting back on a mat but with a different viewpoint to teach.
If I tell you that the thought of getting up in front of people, used to cause anxiety attacks and a fear of not being good enough, it's true. Yet I did it. I had this underlying voice that kept telling me to keep taking these steps. Over the years I have built more skills and have learnt ways to build my confidence to build a container that is filled with more love and compassion for myself.
I don’t think that we give ourselves credit for how resilient we are. When we start to tap in to ourselves and truly begin to listen, we receive the answers within us. Yes we do need guidance and help along the way, but ultimately - IT’S DOWN TO US!
I love to hear about how my clients integrate the work that we do together, how it helps improve their quality of life and how they might react to different circumstances in a different way, or how they no longer feel the pain in their shoulder. When my clients come back to me with stories about how they have integrated our work together from the mat into their everyday lives it brings me so much joy!
Like the time when my client was able to use a technique that I had taught her to help her be with anxiety and to approach a stressful situation in a different way and was able to diffuse a situation. Another client has had years of not being able to sleep well at night, and what we had practiced in our sessions together helped her to get a better night's sleep.
My journey up until now has been bumpy, with lows, highs, joys and laughter. Ultimately, we always find our way and for me it started on the mat, going to my inner understanding. Knowing that I’m on the right path and I want to share it with you all. If you’ve reached the end, thank you for reading! Also, let me know of your journey to or from the mat. Looking forward to hearing from you!