7 Night Rejuvenating Ayurveda Yoga Retreat in Kerala, India

My Yoga Journey I started my yoga journey more than 30 years ago. After many years of travelling and exploring the world, I eventually reached a point where I felt ready to commit to becoming a yoga teacher. It was always the spiritual aspect of yoga that intrigued me most — the exploration of the bigger picture, meditation, self-awareness and the pursuit of contentment. The physical practice was an added bonus. In the late 1990s, I was living on the Gold Coast in Australia and practising regularly at the Gold Coast Yoga Centre. In 2000, I began my yoga teacher training apprenticeship. At the time, there was no set end date to the training. I was simply told that I would finish when my teachers felt I was ready. The apprenticeship lasted 18 months, during which I practised six days a week, around 30 hours a week. There were no excuses for missing training, and if I failed to turn up, I would have been expelled from the programme. Looking back, this was one of the most important lessons I learned. It taught me dedication, discipline and commitment — qualities that have stayed with me throughout my life and have enabled me to continue practising and teaching yoga to this day. I have been incredibly fortunate to study with many inspirational teachers throughout my journey, including Erich Schiffmann, Donna Farhi, Seane Corn, Shiva Rea, Rodney Yee, Ana Forrest, David Life and Sharon Gannon, founders of Jivamukti Yoga, Andrey Lappa of Universal Yoga, Nicky Knoff of Iyengar Yoga, John Friend of Anusara, David Soul Ray, Lance Schuler and Clive Sheridan. I also have immense gratitude for my teachers during my original training — Kameron Story, Mark Togni and Suzanne Grey — who played such an important role in laying the foundations of my practice and teaching. The style of yoga I predominantly teach is Vinyasa Flow, guiding students through a flowing series of postures with an emphasis on the breath. But for me, yoga has always been about so much more than the physical practice. As a yoga teacher, I feel truly honoured and privileged to share this ancient practice with others. Yoga offers wonderful physical benefits, but ultimately, I believe its greatest gift is the opportunity to become more mindful, present and accepting — and to find greater contentment with what is. In 2018, I established a 200-hour RYT-certified Yoga Teacher Training programme in Nelson, New Zealand. I continue to run the training annually, sharing the knowledge, experience and passion that have been such an important part of my own journey. After more than 30 years of practising and over two decades of teaching, I still feel that I am learning. And perhaps that is one of yoga's greatest gifts — there is always another layer to explore.