January Teacher Feature: Josh Taylor

Our yoga teachers and studios have been adaptable and ingenious, finding new ways to connect and continue to teach and support their students. Through lockdowns, technical issues and learning to make adjustments virtually over Zoom. This month we're shining a light on them! In January, we'll be offering studios and chatting with teachers here on the blog to celebrate those who have kept us grounded over the past year. Meet yoga instructor Josh Taylor below.

Can you tell us something about yourself?

Hi, I'm Josh. I come from a small island on the east coast of the UK called Mersea Island. Growing up, I was the type of kid who wore Power Ranger outfits, jumped off the stairs, and did knee sledding at parties. I ignored parents' advice that my knees wouldn't like me as I got older. I played football and rugby at school and college and rowed at university. I didn't believe in stretching or the idea of ​​getting hurt. I figured as long as my mind stayed strong, my body would keep up. After college, I took on some endurance challenges. I rowed a boat non-stop around the UK with three friends and achieved a Guinness World Record. I then completed the longest cross-country skiing race in Finland without any previous cross-country skiing experience. At this point my body began to protest. I came to yoga as a result of a chronic injury.

I soon found that yoga was just as, if not more, challenging than any rowing or ski race I had done before. I immediately saw the amazing benefits that yoga could have. The physical and also the mental side fascinated me. Both my body and my mind felt like it was opening. I was addicted. Three years into my yoga journey, I qualified as a teacher. Yoga taught me to be more humble, to slow down, to respect my body more and not to treat everything as competition.

What challenges did you face as a yoga teacher in a very different year in 2020?

The biggest challenge I faced as a yoga teacher was the uncertainty that lay ahead. Having to adapt and transition from teaching in studios to teaching online. You rely on income from gyms and then have to be responsible for promoting your own online classes and adapting clients to online teaching. I was also hoping to take on my own studio, but unfortunately I had to put that on hold.

What did 2020 teach you and can you find a silver lining in everything?

2020 taught me to slow down again. At the start of the first lockdown I thought I could teach 5 classes a day as I was teaching online from the same location. I'll burn out soon. I also discovered that I was not invincible to suffering from anxiety and subsequent attacks. 2020 taught me to prioritize a healthier routine for myself. If I wasn't healthy, I wouldn't have bothered myself or anyone else. 2020 connected me to my body and mind more deeply than ever before.

I swam into the deep end in 2020. From September to December I jumped two to three times a week. The cold water helps you to be extremely present with all the sensations in your body and environment. Putting your body in a stressful environment and breathing has really helped with everyday stress and anxiety. I've also met some really humbling people who also like the cold water.

Where do you find inspiration and motivation?

My motivation in 2020 and now comes from a few things. Firstly, I am motivated by the things I enjoy doing. I love surfing, sailing and swimming and my motivation to stay active comes from not being able to do these activities. Second, introspection and learning. I am curious about the human body and mind and also how we interact with others. I am currently studying to become a psychotherapist. I still have a long way to go, but I'm enjoying what I'm learning.

Any words of wisdom for someone struggling to stay positive and inspired right now?

Slow down, be kind to yourself. Get into a healthy routine. Breathe, move and read a little more. Find something that interests you and learn more about it, whatever it is. If this fails, throw yourself into icy water (but be safe!)

To keep up with Josh, keep following himInstagramor visit hiswebsiteInformation about classes and events.