The Weird and Wonderful places I've done yoga
Morning Movement on the rocks in Cape Palos
Living in a van you are limited for space and location and always kept on your toes. But it keeps things interesting sometimes for the good, and other times well… it’s good to have a challenge!
My Practise
I am very much a routine and planning person, the same can be said for my practise. I loved my morning breathwork and physical practise at home. When we hit the road that had to adapt and change. Sometimes I had to surrender to the fact I couldn’t do it one morning, because it would be bad weather, we would be driving somewhere or just something got in the way. It was hard to come to terms with at first (more of that in another blog!) But I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to really connect with nature when I practise. Being outside and in flow with nature is just amazing! I would never have done it as much as I do, if we didn't live in a van! So for this I am very happy!
My Teaching
I wasn’t sure at first if I would be able to keep teaching yoga whilst I traveled, but I have some lovely students from the UK that have followed me virtually along the way, as well as some wonderful new students I met physically and virtually as I have traveled too. Being on the road I have been able to physically teach some students I would never normally have been able to - to smaller groups or individuals (adhering to Covid rules). Most have been wonderful breath-work on the beach to the sound of the ocean, or under a canopy of trees. But then there are also the ones that are not so ‘zen’. Like a beach practise I did with a friend, we went into a quiet area with some sand dunes and did wonder why it was so quiet there. It was only after we rolled up our mats we realised they were full of tiny spiky leaves, and our mats, bags, flip flops and hair!! We were covered in them!! It took us ages to pick them all out and after that we were not feeling so peaceful after our yoga practise. More needing a large glass of wine!
The Beginning
When we first hit the road at first I struggled to find a balance of being able to do yoga wherever we parked up, without feeling self conscious of people watching me, or of having distractions around. Like a giant labrador jumping into the lake behind you as you're filming, or a duck taking its time, walking past your camera, or the countless times Vino the Pug makes an appearance (that one is ongoing!). But as the weather got warmer and the nights got lighter, I really enjoyed being able to share the practise with people and also the great locations we got to stay at.
Each time I logged on live it was a ‘Where is Steph going to be today?’ situation. It kept it interesting for my students and also I got to bring a little bit of paradise to them. Whether it be the sound of the ocean waves, or the birds chirping above me. I felt I was able to transport them to their own place of paradise every time they practised with me.
The Weird
It hasn’t always been beautiful beaches to practise on or peaceful forests, there have been times of challenge!
I decided in early December I would run a ‘12 Days of Yoga’ over on Instagram, where you could join me live each morning for 10 minutes to move your body and feel great! When I originally planned to do it, I didn't realise we would be in a quick transit back from Italy to the South of Spain in our new camper. So that made for some interesting filming locations for those 12 days of yoga. From service station car parks, with lorry drivers looking on in awe. To trying to hide Vino and Marco away in the campervan, whilst I try to fit in a full yoga session inside the Campervan as it was raining outside!
The Wonderful
That being said, I have had the opportunity to practise both for my students and myself in some amazing locations that I wouldn’t have had the chance to do otherwise! From cliff tops and rocks overlooking the sea, to beautiful forests as the sun sets, I've connected with nature like never before! As well as really being pushed out of my comfort zone to achieve my yoga practise, it's definitely deepened my practise and gave me such a sense of gratitude to have been able to roll out my mat in such amazing places.
I now look forward to each new place and each new challenge! I have practised online with my students in 42 different places so far and I hope there are many more places to come!
All the places I have taught yoga online so far!