We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christie Wood a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Christie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?

We use the word practice alot in yoga. It’s funny because we are always practicing. In everything we do. On our mats, off our mats. And yoga certainly doesn’t begin when you step on your mat. Nor does it end when you step off it.

I have been practicing yoga from a very young age. It was, and is intrinsic in my upbringing, my family life as a daughter and now as a mother. It was never just about the physical practice (known as asana in yoga). It was meditation, philosophy and trips to retreat centres; a very alternative, bohemian upbringing.

After dipping in and out of various disciplines, I trained with the British Wheel of Yoga.

The training was rigourous and long and heavily assessed. But nothing compared to actually teaching this thing that I loved and was so inherently part of me.

I remember my teacher saying during our training that we would our home practice would change when we started to teach. I didn’t fully appreciate the weight of this statement. The shift is enormous. And requires a big ego check. You are responsible for people and their bodies and the wonder that comprises their entire system. It’s a big deal.

To would be teachers, to those with a beginners practice, to new & experienced teachers alike; keep coming back to a beginners mind. Be at home in the mud. Don’t lose sight of always being in a place of practice.

Christie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a Senior Yoga Teacher based in the Highlands of Scotland.

I trained with the British Wheel of Yoga and have completed extensive training in restorative and yin yoga with my mentor Norman Blair (Author of Brightening our Inner Skies).

I work in various settings in the UK and overseas teaching yoga from a grass roots level in charities and schools, to luxury retreats and specialised 1-2-1 private work. I offer wellness consultancy for businesses and retreat venues.

At the heart of my teaching is love. I wish all those that I teach and work with to know that yoga is not a pose it is in our hearts.

I’m passionate about making yoga accessible to all. I work with a broad reange of clients, studios, educational centres and charities. Because yoga is for everyone, and everyone can do yoga.

I am most proud of my three children; Nico, Violet & Eve. Who are my biggest teachers.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Boundaries. Boundaries. Boundaries.

Know that it will not always be love and light. You will spend alot of time feeling uncomfortable and continually questioning yourself.

To be comfortable with feedback.

Admit you don’t have all the answers if someone asks you (you are not a guru!)

Mentorship. Seeing a mentor once a month and continually being accountable and supervised is imperative.

Surround yourself with good honest people that are grounded.

Laugh at yourself. You will fall over – on your mat and off your mat.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When life feels dark sometimes the biggest and most beautiful things are borne.

I try not to bring my story into the why and the what of where and who I am now. Everyone’s story shapes them. And mine has made me the person I am. And the teacher I am.

There were/are periods of my life that have had a profound affect on my teaching; like when I had to complete part of my teacher training pregnant and in hospital with hypermesis gravitasis and losing 4 people I loved very much. And then when I thought it couldn’t, it got alot darker for a while.

Things that helped me; meditation, breathing. Cuddling my children. Being supported by good loving parents. Walks. Making some very poor decisions (from a place of dis-ease) that I learnt valuable lessons from. And lots of gritty self development and therapy from wonderful professionals. A sobering look at how and why we feel shame when we experience trauma was helpful and has perhaps had an impact on how I approach life and teaching.

Just remembering that we are just human at the end of the day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://christiewoodyoga.com
• Instagram: @christiewoodyoga
• Facebook: christie wood yoga

Image Credits

Claire Waddell