I met Sally through Harry. So it was kind of like when Harry met Sally, Alli met Sally too! haha! I’m honoured that Sally is our September yogi of the month as she’s an incredible athlete, successful businesswoman and all round amazing gal. Sally has a very full life but makes time for herself with her yoga practice and it has made a huge difference in her life by helping her to breathe and find some calm in each day.
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When and where did you first start practising yoga?
I first started practicing yoga at live and breathe yoga in 2012?? I think
Why were you interested in the first place?
I had just sold my massage clinic where I had Harry working with me and he wouldn’t stop hassling me about the benefits of yoga and how good it was for stress and body movement.
What is it that got you hooked?
Alison’s sense of humor and the reassurance and calmness the class gives me I think it’s a credit to Alison’s conduct in her teaching.
What do you love about Live and Breathe yoga?
The welcoming atmosphere, the ambience that the studio oozes & how it teaches me mindfulness to use in everyday life.
What benefits/changes have you felt since practising yoga?
Specifically learning about the breath helps me through some very rough patches of anxiety I tend to suffer, sometimes on a daily basis.A memory that has stuck where yoga was extremely helpful was a few years ago. I had an incident on an aeroplane which caused quite a panic when the oxygen masks dropped; I immediately went to my fight or flight mode (literally)I stayed calm and did my yoga breaths. The power yoga has taught me for mind control is actually quite unbelievable & a must to have in my “stress toolbox.”
How do you stay motivated to keep getting back on your mat?
I love going to yoga on a Monday night, however, I pack so much into my Monday’s I find it my hardest day (like others) to find motivation at the end of the day (usually I exercise in the morning). I make myself stop and think how I feel at the end of the class and how it helps my mindset for the rest of the week. I take a breath and throw myself in the car….the peace, control and strength I feel in mind and body afterwards is priceless.
What’s your favourite thing about Ashtanga Yoga?
The opening mantra and sun salutations. It fills up my body with oxygen (the breaths I’ve forgotten to take during the day), and I feel my body elongate after each salutation, and I start to relax. My whole body starts to smile from the inside out (sounds so lame and cliche but it’s true!)
I listen to the opening mantra in the car sometimes or even when I lm about to go to sleep. I also love to do sun salutations at the top of castle hill when I finish my runs.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about trying yoga?
Yogis are not weirdos! If you want to find your mind control, power and balance come to live and breathe yoga and listen to Alison’s philosophy on it. As a part time massage therapist I am always trying to push my clients to improve their core strength, flexibility, calisthenics and to have time out for themselves. I believe yoga is an all rounder for these areas of living a healthy life in mind, body and spirit.
