Sophie Lightfoot spent much of last year completing her yoga teacher training – when she wasn’t busy renovating a former Victorian pub, that is. Here she comes up with five good reasons why taking up yoga could be the best move you make
My life has been eclectic – a real mish mash. I feel as though I’ve lived many lives already. I grew up in the Suffolk countryside scrambling in rivers and obsessing over horses. I spent nearly a decade in Brighton after studying textile design and followed that with periods in London and Berlin pursuing creative dreams. Eventually I returned to Cambridge to work in events. A common thread was always putting myself in stressful situations, spreading myself thinly and dreaming of a calmer existence. Thus, you find me the wellbeing-conscious individual I am today.
2020 was a challenge for everyone, but the restrictions put upon us by Covid were exactly what I needed. I had been juggling my first renovation project with a full-time job and yoga teacher training. By spring I was hitting a point where something had to give. Suffice to say I embraced lockdown, and working from home, as time to take stock, get my life in order and immerse myself in yoga. There has also been a lot of cooking, cocktail making, surf documentaries, Normal People and catching up on sleep.
I’ve been practicing yoga for 10 years and the importance of the practice in my life is something that slowly crept up on me. What started as a class to heal an injury has become a real anchor in my life.
After the start to last year, completing training in 2020 involved yogic philosophy essays, endless lesson planning and an exam. Alongside this I’ve been planning, prepping and teaching my own classes plus making time for my own practice. It’s been pretty full on.
I started working with the British Wheel of Yoga as a Festival Organiser for the Eastern Region, and in December we delivered an online festival which felt special. It was lovely to create something positive in what was an unusual festive period.
Technology has played a massive part. Previously I would have described myself as a bit of a technophobe but when lockdown hit, I knew I couldn’t continue with my practice unless I dived into the world of online yoga. It was tough as a new teacher to see myself on screen, but it has made me work harder to get things right and have an awareness of where I was lacking. Initially I couldn’t see how to marry the centred, calming world of yoga with screen time, but actually there are so many upsides I’ve really been won over. There is no travel time to factor in and each person can create an environment to suit. Growing a wonderful group of yoga practitioners through my online yoga classes was and continues to be a highlight of my yoga journey.
The renovation is going well but it is not without its challenges! I bought a former Victorian public house, so it is rather quirky. I feel very lucky to have found it particularly because old patrons stop by and peer in the windows curiously and tell me stories. It seems I chose somewhere drinkers in Bury were very fond of. It’s a nice combination of a cosy home with a large living space. What would once have been the bar is providing a great space for teaching from.
Completing teacher training over 2020 was discombobulated to say the least, but I wouldn’t change it. We began in a beautiful Dali Lama endorsed retreat in Spain, and then various training sessions and intensives were rescheduled or adapted to online as the virus unfolded. This journey has provided an opportunity to deepen my knowledge by having time to do more; read and reread philosophy books, work with some incredible physios and fascia specialists to develop my anatomical knowledge and spend time working out all the little details I might not otherwise have been able to.
This year I am looking forward to finishing the last details of my home, although I’m not sure these things are ever finished… I want to enjoy what I’ve created now and I’m talking with a photographer friend about collaborating on an interiors project to document it all. Most of all I’m dying for an opportunity to dress up and get out of my yoga gear. I’ll be delighted when I can finally host a housewarming and invite everyone over, Folk Features included!
In yoga, I am looking forward to meeting new students and developing as a teacher. I am beginning training in pregnancy yoga so keep your eyes peeled for classes for mums to be, and if we ever come out of lockdown, I’d like to run a retreat. In my wildest dreams I would love to put my design training to good use and design some yoga wear.
Sophie’s five good reasons to give yoga a go:
It’s low fuss. You don’t need an expensive subscription, fancy kit or even a yoga mat. If you can find a small window of time and spot to practice in, you can begin yoga at home.
It connects body and mind. The lockdown lifestyle encourages us to be in our heads and forget our physical selves; be more tied to our devices and deskbound. Yoga practice supports us to cultivate a connection between body and mind. Everything we learn begins by feeling it through our bodies physically. Carving out a yoga practice, however small, means cultivating time to get back into our bodies and feel connected and refreshed.
It offers adaptability. Yoga invites us to accept where we are in that moment and begin where we are on that day. Sometimes that means today I’m tired and I’m going to do some quiet poses and not put too much pressure on myself. Or on another day it can mean channelling energy into strengthening postures and enjoying moving your body. In life and lockdown this quality has enabled me to give in to the limitations set by the virus, concentrate on what is possible and make the most out of each day.
It’s friendly. One of the founding principles of yoga is ahimsa (non-harm) and this means kindness to all beings as well as self-compas sion. Because of this, yoga communities tend to be warm, welcoming and inclusive. Yoga is for everybody, so there is no need to feel worried about giving it a try. In lockdown, checking in with your yoga class group once a week can be a nice social moment too.
It quietens the inner critic. Because yoga trains us to listen to our own inner voice, it helps us to step away from endless comparison. Turning inwards and trusting our own voice. I start every practice with a short meditation to give my students a chance to slow down, pause and notice how they are feeling. Although we may have stepped away from the daily commute and stresses of the office, lockdown has brought all sorts of ups and downs and acknowledging this can helps us to be at ease with our feelings.
Readers are welcome to come and try out a class for free by emailing Sophie at sophielightfoot84@gmail.com or following her on Instagram (68 Raingate)
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