OM Yoga UK - August 2017

Why did you start yoga

I’d heard that yoga was great for anyone struggling

with mental health issues. Throughout my teens I

self harmed, had suicidal urges and genuinely felt

that my existence was utterly pointless. Through

counselling and therapy, I made the link between

exercise and feeling good, but motivation was tough to summon often enough to keep

my demons at bay. Fast forward to my early twenties and history began to repeat itself

again. Add in some anxiety and a fast paced corporate job and I was quickly sliding

back down again into a deep, dark hole. Yoga articles kept appearing online. I also found

many links to yoga having extremely positive effects on mental health. It took me a

couple of months to muster the courage to face a yoga class on my own, but once I did

I never looked back.

Favourite yoga haunts

When I started going to yoga classes it was at the Emersons Green Village Hall in Bristol

with Hayley McAlinden. She lit up the room with her energy and made me feel looked

after. The room had huge windows and it was stunning to watch the seasons change.

More recently, I’ve been to Thailand these past few months. I went to Wild Rose yoga

studio which is in a gorgeous traditional Thai wooden building, in the city of Chiang Mai,

a great hub for yoga studios and health food cafes.

How has yoga changed your life

I no longer hate the reflection staring back at me in the mirror and I’m also not content

with suffering anymore. People that meet me now are amazed when I describe the

person I was before. The immense anger and fear that used to engulf me is no longer

there. Now, I work with my breath, body and mind. I still get down days of course, but

I know now that I no longer need to give the suffering or the person who hurt me the

power to let this pain continue. With one breath at a time I can keep striding forward.

Best yoga moment

I completed my 200 hour YTT in Koh Phangan, Thailand in March this year with my

teachers Corey Wu and Arki Lee. Both are full of knowledge, wisdom and compassion.

The loving yoga family we had all become by the end of the training warmed my heart. It

had been an emotional rollercoaster of highs and lows but we all made it through to the

end beaming with pride at one another. I had a bit of a realisation moment too during

our last supper with two very wonderful yogis. I understood that I had been carrying

around a list of how I had been hurt in the past. I would liken it to a weight on my

shoulders that I didn’t quite realise was there. Once we talked it over I felt immediately

full of peace, and I still do now.

YOGA

CHANGED

MY LIFE

Yoga helped Georgia Brent

overcome her personal demons

and step into a brighter future

NAME: Georgia Brent

AGE: 25

OCCUPATION: Yoga teacher

YOGA YEARS: 2.5+

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