There are experiences, which change everything. Experiences, which tattoo your heart and mean that nothing, will ever be the same again. Your life divides into two parts: the life before that moment … and the life that happened after.

Azulfit was my moment.
And I would like to share with you the before and the after.

I came to Azulfit in 2015 after being overcome with the feeling of wanting to grab my Nikes and run. Run far away from the one thing you can never run from – yourself. I had hit rock bottom and I was exhausted. Crippled by overwhelm and extreme anxiety, dogged by a 15 year history playing in the pinball machine of eating disorders, I was more of scooped out kiwi shell than a whole person – all the juicy good parts had gone and all that remained was a husk. I arrived at Azulfit petrified but grateful for a chance to pause my life … little did I know that the Azulfit Family had other ideas and were about to press play and show mehow to live in glorious Technicolor!

Through their utter kindness, crystal clear compassion, warmth and zest for all things joyful, all the barriers I had put up couldn’t help but melt away. My fearful and anxious rabbit heart skipped to new rhythms as it sang along to exotic and meaningful melodies from Valentina and her Bina instrument. The words LOKAH SAMASTAH SUHKINO BHAVNTU imprinted forever on me: MAY ALL BEINGS BE HAPPY AND FREE.

Jo with her glowing and gentle way guided me on nutrition and nourishment as a way of thanking the body for being so cool and working 24/7 to love us.
Heraclio and Erika with their kindness and cheekiness softened all my edges. It was like Azulfit knew who I was before I did. And after seven short days I had blossomed into someone who I always hoped I could be – easy breezy in my own skin.

Many serendipitous and magical encounters with Azulfit and the vibrant Karissa led to signing up for my Yoga Teacher training with Andrea Everingham.

To meet Andrea is to feel the first taste of summer on your skin. She is energy, she is light, she is indescribable – you just know you’ve felt her presence.

The teacher training was the greatest journey amongst some incredible women and men all with their own stories and own dreams. I’ve never been so proud and honoured to share space and also watch people flourish with my own eyes over the time we spent together. I guess that’s just the effect Azulfit has – you can’t help but bloom and grow with all the love and care around you. Andrea has put her heart and soul into the course and the manual. In preparation I read many books and spoke to other teachers about their training but in all honesty the YTT appears on another level of depth and wonder, while being grounded in a unique yet fully practical foundation. I cannot fully find the words to describe what happens on a yoga teacher training but what I do know for sure is everything will shine a little brighter once you’ve finished. You won’t be able to not notice the little things and feel a rush in your heart of gratitude – from friends and family, life’s challenges where we grow to nature and birdsong. You just feel a sense of lightness.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to teach after qualifying as initially I undertook the course to deepen my understanding of yoga and its philosophy – surely that anxious girl who favourite word was sorry couldn’t stand in front of a room full of people?! But Azulfit and Andrea had shown me easiness in who I am and what really matters. And what really matters is happiness. My rabbit heart had turned into a lion’s heart and with my newfound courage and support from loved ones (including Azulfit!) I quit my job and followed my passion into teaching and founding the company YOGI BARE. Yogi Bare is an eco conscious yoga brand specialising in unique, stylish and functional yoga products. Like the cupid of yoga land we connect yogi’s to their soul mat!

I have truly never been happier but owe a lot to Azulfit and their team for inspiring and recognising who I truly was and helping me gain the confidence to see it for myself. One thing I’ve noticed is the sense of calm and clarity I have in my approach to running the business. I approach things with a true zest of “if you can dream it you can do it!” and see business challenges top down and can problem solve, as opposed to feeling in the eye of the storm. However the greatest observation is that I never let a moment slip by without being filled with an immense gratitude for all that I was, all that I have and all that is yet to come.

So I could tell you that I have lived two parts.

But that wouldn’t be true, because I never really lived, lived with an unbridled passion and openness before these experiences, which shaped me.

I am living one part. One life. And I am so in love with it.

Thank you Azulfit. Namaste.