I first met Tony in October 2015 when he starting in the Introductory class at YogaHara. As you will read below, Tony knew before he arrived in class that he needed something that nourished him on all levels, not just physically, and I am so pleased he chose YogaHara. Over the years he has been incredibly consistent, coming along almost every week (bee stings aside). And contrary to his comments below that he is not very good at yoga, I believe he is an excellent student. He rocked up in class one day with a copy of Sri Aurobindo’s book that he’d picked up in India and said I could borrow it for as long as I like - as long as he knew where it was. That alone told me that he already had a much deeper understanding of what yoga actually is than the average person. His story below is real and relatable, and that is what yoga is about.
Meet Tony Carroll
Tony is a school teacher and a dedicated yoga practitioner. And like many long time practitioners understands deeply that yoga is so much more that movement and that it is a life long practice of nourishment.
How I Found My Centre
I started Yoga about three years ago. I was once very fit and proud of it but the decades had taken their revenge on me and I had become lazy. I was also not in a good place. I needed to do something. I had to commit to something constructive, regular and soul nourishing.
In my first class Gina said that if you came for a stretching class that we were in the wrong place. That was fine for me, I needed more. I knew a little bit about Yoga, and I am happy that I know a little bit more now.
In my first class we were taught about setting our intention. It did not take long for me to decide as my needs were quite clear. I need to be calm and free. Nothing has changed (almost) three years later. In my first class I set a goal of waking up every morning and doing a salute to the sun to start the day. I still intend to do that. I am working up to it. I know that I have learnt a little about Yoga along the way but in many ways, that is the least of my concerns. I benefit from having to be somewhere each week. I benefit from having the best back health that I have had in 20 years. I benefit from the joy that effortlessly emanates from our illustrious leader each and every week albeit in the most daggy and unexpected ways.
Last month I got stung by a bee and almost lost my life. My beautiful wife saved me for the second time. It has given me cause for reflection in many different ways. One of those is that I have tweaked my weekly intention. Now I am calm, I am free and very importantly I am grateful. I will keep coming as long as my body will hold up. I am not pretending it is easy. The grimace on my face usually gives it away as do my sneaky looks to see how to do something despite having learnt it so many times before. I will never be good at Yoga but Yoga has been good for me.
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