My name is Claire, I live and work in Dublin, Ireland.

​

I started practicing yoga in 1999 following a bereavement. At the time I was looking for something to help with my grief.       

I didn’t know a lot about yoga before going as it wasn’t hugely popular or widely practiced back then. I didn’t have big expectation going to my first class but knew I loved it within minutes of starting. Moving and stretching the body while calming the mind was just what I needed and so I was hooked.

​

I was a gymnast from the age of 4- 11 and then did ballet and modern dance up until my late teens. I always liked being flexible and able to move. Yoga gave me the chance to do that into adulthood.

​

The initial benefits I observed from doing yoga were improved flexibility and strength. I can still feel the difference in my body when I haven’t practiced yoga for a while.

 

" I’m learning to let go in class rather than competing with myself and others. "

 

Because of my gymnastic years, I’ve always been quite competitive so I had to work on accepting my body and its limits and not pushing it too far before it is ready. I tended to practice very dynamic styles of yoga like hot yoga and ashtanga. More recently I have found Anna’s classes and so I have also been learning the emotional benefits of the practice in the form of breathing and relaxation as well as the physical practice and flows. I’m learning to let go in class rather than competing with myself and others and my practice has improved hugely as a result.

​

I love the physical practice and how it makes the body feel - noticing the difference before and after asana practice and knowing how much it has benefited you. I have to add relaxation too because I love it!

​

Yoga is a great mind and body practice. It keeps you strong and flexible and it’s relaxing too. I would absolutely reccomend it to anyone.