An interview with Yvonne O'Garro

curiosity, relaxation, courage, community, inclusiveness and balance: six key words that form a basis for life and yoga practice from Yogamatter's Community Leader Yvonne O’Garro and form a framework for this inspiring interview. Some of you will already know and love and love you from the Yogamatter's online community courses and will appreciate this opportunity to get to know them better. As for the rest of them, they will experience a real pleasure.

curiosity

"Next week I'll try yoga to laugh."

It all started here. On a Sunday afternoon in 2006, Yvonne O’Garro decided while completing her regular routine with machines and free weights to try yoga to laugh. She had never intended to do a yoga course, but she had seen the same people followed the same room in the same room every week and she was fascinated. She defeated the curiosity. As she thinks now, she can see that it was the community that she attracted the same people who went there every week.

In this yoga class in the first week, everything changed for Yvonne when she explains: "When I went to Child's pose, laughing was over. Something in this attitude let me go, I didn't expect that. Oh, what happens here?" Yvonne began to be attentive. She went back every week and then started with other local courses, connected with the practice and felt calmer and more comfortable with herself. Her curiosity led her to triyoga, Primrose Hill in 2007, where she came across Anna Ashby, who became her teacher. For Yvonne, Anna was something special-"she explains things with deep knowledge and without arrogance"-and she soon combined with Anna's style and her honor for the roots of the yoga.

A week after the class, Yvonne noticed that some people didn't go and again her curiosity was awakened with the question: "What does she say, get all these props?" So she remained and in this relaxing yoga class she was able to requisite all this purple (her favorite color) Don't quite believe yogamatter labels-her first connection to yogamatt as the brand that "gave me all this calm". She came out of this earth end, calming, deeply relaxing practice as if it were floating ...

relaxation

It sounds appealing, isn't it? And yet how many of us often see peace and relaxation as a luxury and enjoyment, for which we don't have time and which we never put in the foreground? Yvonne sees her role as a restorative yoga teacher as a privilege because she helps people understand that you can work better and be more productive with regular breaks. It is in the name "restorative", she emphasizes. Restorative yoga regenerates the body.

"Even before the pandemic, society was always 'on'. We are conditioned," On, on, on, on "," Do, do, do "," Go, go ". I feel privileged to help people deal with all the different emotions that arise from pandemic. ”

Mut

"I would rather try to ask myself what if."

When Yvonne turned 50, she decided to end a long career in retail and in the HR department in order to devote her life entirely to yoga. It was not an easy decision to change the job and she thought about it for a long time. It was her yoga practice that gave her the space and clarity to make the decision to move. Your P45 is dated 10 Das March 2020 -and we all know what happened in the week after. After organizing a schedule for personal yoga courses, all gyms and studios were closed. When the news of the cancellations arrived, Yvonne sat there and cried. Fortunately, thanks to Zoom, the yoga world was able to switch to zoom and deep friendships led Yvonne to Yogamatt's Md Twanna Doherty and to this platform to share their love for yoga.

no, what if, no wonder.

Community

The online community courses from Yogamatts were an absolute pleasure for Yvonne and have repeatedly proven that yoga is really suitable for everyone. She sees it as a honor to represent this established brand that provides free offers and spaces for everyone all over the world and can present guest lecturers and guest studios.

"This 15-minute Q&A in practice makes this class something very special," she enthuses, "and it is so wonderful that people can get together with this common connection of yoga. It really warms my heart every week."

that's the nice thing about the connection.

Inclusive

Many of the teachers who invited Yvonne to the Yogamatt community courses were color teachers, did you notice that? She notices that the yoga world is still not as comprehensive as it would like it, although steps are taken. She does not want to discuss it, but let the classes speak for herself.

When asked about inclusiveness, her answer is:

"Everything I would ask is that people remember what they would do after the murder of George Floyd. Did you do it? Because it continues. Buy and read - or even better - listen to 'The Good Ally' from Nova Reid. The more people familiarize themselves with the uncomfortable and are aware of this step, so slowly, slowly, so slowly made. "

balance

balance, alignment, grounding, consolation, care ... Many other words appear during our speaking, but Yvonne brings us back to one of Patanjalis Sutras, which was really influenced in her lessons and practice.

"Your attitude should be stable and comfortable." Patanjali

'Find your comfort'. "Your practice is your practice". 'The other mats are none of your business.'

yvonnes regular pupils will recognize these requests as an invitation to be themselves, to feel comfortable in their own space, to find their expression of the pose. Yvonne explains: "If I don't feel comfortable, I will not be balanced because my mind moves away from where I should be. You don't have to worry that you are different because you are an individual. For this reason, Mr. Iyengar has designed the props - so you take a brick and find your comfort."

With a slow, well -founded practice, Yvonne takes her caring role in granting people permission/license to be themselves very seriously. It is what we're all longing. For them, practice is the foundation of their life, a basis, something to which they can return after a long day or a difficult experience and group and reinvent themselves. You wish every student and every member of the online community and will do everything to create this room for each of us.

final thoughts on anticipation to 2022 ...?

"I am not sure what the new year will bring, but I love the journey and I will continue to share the practice."

One thing is certain, Yvonne is very pleased that her teacher Anna Ashby does the last yoga clay class of the year. She sees it as a beautiful circle that Anna closes this series and is sure that it will be something very special to share her offer with the Yogamatt community.

join Yvonne O’Garro and Anna Ashby on this free online community course on December 21-to beechen click here.