Photo by Zoltan Tasi on Unsplash

My Journey to Empowerment and EmpowerMe Now

I first began practising yoga in my 20s with the most brilliant yoga teacher I have ever met - Acharya Upendra Roy. He was the real deal, a true yogi. Every Tuesday and Thursday, I would travel almost two hours after work to spend the evening practising asana, pranayama, relaxation and absorbing his teachings on classic Hatha and Raja yoga traditions.

Growing up, I was never sporty or confident in my body. I was clumsy, stiff, and fearful of physical activity. My friend Uday encouraged me to join Acharya’s class, and although I assumed it would be mainly about stretching, I soon discovered yoga was so much more. In that class through Acharya, I found a whole path to balance, calm and connection.

After having my children, life made it difficult to travel to the city for yoga. I searched for classes closer to home, but most focused on a more westernised, aerobic style of yoga that didn’t resonate. My practice slipped.

During this time, health challenges, including an autoimmune disorder and chronic pain, led me to Pilates with my physiotherapist, Carolyn. At first, I found it boring, but it was a game-changer. Pilates helped me get stronger, improve my body awareness, and reduce pain. Over time, practising with different teachers deepened my connection to my proprioception and interoception, teaching me how to listen to and care for my body.

My love for yoga reignited when my best friend Janita decided to become a yoga teacher and whose classes reflected the depth and mindfulness I had experienced with Acharya.

After going through some turbulent years, I learned about the vagus nerve and began meditating, chakra work, chanting, journaling, and exploring art therapy, which grounded me and helped me navigate life’s challenges with more ease and inner peace.

During Covid, I trained as a Pilates Mat and Reformer Instructor, buying a reformer to deepen my knowledge and help manage my autoimmune symptoms. I loved teaching Pilates, but after eight months, I realised something was missing - yoga! I went to India to complete my yoga teacher training with some amazing teachers - Jaggi Singh, Santosha, Saurabh and Varun, whose combined teaching approaches reminded me of my wonderful Acharya.

Photo by Vicki Hansen from StoryCast

All these practices (yoga, Pilates, meditation, breathwork, journaling and art therapy) transformed my life. They gave me strength, flexibility, body awareness and tools to manage pain, as well as a sense of calm and resilience.

This journey inspired Empower Me Now Mindful Movement. Our mission is simple: to help others discover their path to balance, strength and well-being.

In EmpowerMe Now classes, we gently empower you to breathe better, move better and be better through mindful movement, breath and meditation.

Join us in class and start feeling the difference. Try us here.