As some of you know, whilst studying and researching human behaviour and the amazing capacity of our mind, I have felt that the body needs to be included in all change work and that we cannot ignore the patterns we hold in our body, nor can we truly make a deep inner alchemical change, and be aware of it, and ensure it is generative without including the body. Our body "talks" to us and is an amazing reservoir of untapped poterntial and information.
Through my research and development of Archetypes based on Carol Pearsons model, I have been adding movement into my Archetypes workshops, so not only will you get a logical, rational understanding of your Archetypes and an energetic sensde of how that Archetype runs through you, you will also get a sense in your body of how it feels, how it moves you, your stance when you are embodying each archetype and how you will "know" somatically in your body that this is how this Archetype expresses itself through you.
I have been passionate about health and fitness for many years and I do passionately believe that movement, exercise and physiology can be very effective at alleviating and resolving many of the issues that we find as by products of living in the 21st Century - such as stress, depression, anxiety, obsessive behaviour etc.
I turned to exercise after a very challenging time in my life when I was doing all that I could to fight off depression, I found that moving my body, and the natural "highs" of exercise helped me to get through the tough times to see the silver lining on the big dark cloud and start to have some hope and positivity about the future.
I was "hooked" and going to the gym, running, doing classes, especially Body Combat and Body Attack became a big part of my life and I loved it. I exercise because I love it and because I enjoy the way it makes me feel. Of course the side effects of toned body, staying slim, having more energy and more self confidence were very welcome too!!
For years friends of mine who had been practising yoga for years were saying to me - you must do yoga Allison, it is so you and you will love it. I tried it a few times but to be honest, whilst it was relaxing, I found it somewhat boring and it did not give me the feel good feelings that I got from exercise classes or running. However, every few months I persevered and "tried" again and very gradually I started to "get" it. It was when I went to a class with a friend that was much more spiritual that I fell in love with yoga - then I could see what these people had meant when they said, it is so you Allison!!! I grew to learn that yoga was the things that I hold true to my heart, my philosophy about people, and the asanas, the movements were such a small part of the whole of yoga.
I spent a period of time doing all the same classes and running at the gym, as well as doing yoga classes several times a week and Body Balance at the gym. I was really enjoying it and the more yoga I was doing the more I felt it complemented the running etc.
However, in September 2007 a nasty car accident and a resulting back injury stopped me from doing any of the conventional exercise that I was used to doing, and at first I was devastated. However, as I turned more and more to yoga, I found I was changing - both as I moved closing to being more of who I truly am at my core, and also my body shape changed. Having been very chubby as a child and a young adult, part of my reason for exercising was to "fight" my body to ensure I stayed slim. Paradoxically by giving up the fight with my body, so it naturally changed shape!
I discovered that having a high seeker in my Archetype pattern, I don't like structures and rules too much and so for me, I loved the creative style of yoga of Shiva Rea for example. I loved the chance to do something a bit different, I love yoga with music, with freedom, with expression......to move into who we truly are.
This led me to train to be a Yoga Teacher with Teach Yoga Ltd, and I am loving every moment of it. I am loving sharing my passion with others.
I want to thank my wonderful teachers, all of whom are still my teachers, Shiva Rea, Dr Elena Voyce, Camille Litalien, Jodie Merrick, Victoria Jane, Cloe Jackson........