After many months of research into which 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course I should embark upon, I decided the Centred Yoga Foundation Training at Samahita Retreat was for me. As an Ashtangi, the main reason I chose the course was that Paul Dallaghan was a well-respected and hugely experienced teacher who had practiced and taught Ashtanga for many years. But also that Paul was an expert in Pranayama and breathwork, which is something I had not regularly practiced prior to my visit to Thailand and had always wanted to learn. This was the biggest breakthrough of the course for me.
From our very first day, beginning with a seated meditation practice and then progressing pranayama techniques day-by-day, was a life-changing experience for me and something which I have been determined to carry on. This, combined with the daily asana practice and skillful teaching by Paul and the team, instilled a really solid foundation and routine for me to build upon. My personal asana practice has shifted from the dogmatic approach of an Ashtanga practice to allowing myself to be free and open and enjoying more restorative forms of yoga when my body needs it – and without feeling guilty! This really was an experience of a lifetime. It was very intense at times, hard work mentally and physically, but I have gained so much and hope to pass on some of what has inspired me to my students in the future.