Nicola Walter, Yoga and Mindfulness Teacher
I’ve been practicing yoga for 20 years and teaching for five
years now.
Previously, I worked in corporate marketing for 12 years.
Working in this fast-progressive world, based in London,
was exciting and exhilarating, but there was a part of me
that felt unhappy and dissatisfied. I always found refuge
and a sense of balance and freedom in practicing yoga.
I started my lovely family, and found juggling incredibly
challenging and took a career break. Yoga became more of
an anchor. The yoga teacher was inspirational, helping me
believe I could teach, and so I enrolled on a yoga teaching
diploma, which stretched me mentally, physically and
emotionally – I loved it immediately.
We moved back to Somerset and I became intrigued with mindfulness and the differences
between mindfulness and yoga. I read Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn, noting from
my own perspective the similarities to yoga. I became aware of how transforming the yoga
training had been for me, how challenging I was finding aspects of my life and relationships
now that I viewed everything differently. I engaged with mindfulness at a deeper level, and
me being me, decided to study to teach it.
My mindfulness teaching qualification enabled me to keep teaching, whilst learning how
to integrate mindfulness and compassion-based practices into my profession as a yoga
teacher. Mindfulness has helped me direct my teaching to be more relevant to the lives of
my students, and more intuitive and responsive to their needs. The neuroscience elements
really make them sit up, know they have a choice about where they place their attention,
and can choose to respond rather than react. This is so empowering and motivating for my
students and word of mouth has meant a lot more are coming my way.
As a mother, it has really helped me become aware of how important my role as a parent is
and enhanced my relationship with my family. The ability to connect with my children on this
deep level and see life through their eyes has brought me more joy than I could ever imagine.
Anne Bond, Yoga and Mindfulness Teacher
Like all yoga teachers, I love to continue to learn in
order to develop and deepen my knowledge, skills and
self-awareness. Svadhaya, self-study, is, after all, part
and parcel of the whole yoga package.
I’ve been teaching yoga now for over 20 years,
having attended my first yoga class at the age of 27
during a period of difficult personal circumstances; in
order to give me some solace and comfort, a friend
took me to her yoga class, and I made a promise to
myself after that first class that one day I was going to
become a yoga teacher.
It took another 14 years to accomplish this. I
completed studying with the BWY and went on to teach
yoga in a variety of settings - gyms and health clubs, in the UK and abroad including
a treatment centre for convalescing serving police officers (I loved introducing yoga to
often-sceptical policemen!).
I had a very personal motive for venturing into the world of mindfulness. I have
struggled regularly with ‘black dog’ depressive episodes since I was about 18. I went
on to complete a mindfulness teacher training and since graduating I weave mindful,
moment-by-moment awareness, encouraging curiosity, self-kindness and greater self-
reflection into my yoga teaching. I teach mindfulness in the community and incorporate
it into seated yoga for those of ‘gentler years’. I have found that it doesn’t matter what
age one is, the need and opportunities to manage and soften anxiety, emotional and
physical pain, with compassionate mindfulness, are endless.All the yoga teachers featured in this article have completed the Integrating Mindfulness and
Compassion in Professional Practice Qualification with MindfulnessUK, in partnership with
Yogacampus (mindfulnessuk.com)
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