My story
From school teacher to yoga teacher...
Half English/Half Sri-Lankan, I was born in Watford, England and moved to Hong Kong in 2007 as a very reluctant "trailing girlfriend". I have always loved children and teaching has always been my passion, even when I myself was a child (my three siblings will agree!).
Upon moving to Hong Kong, I was fortunate to find a teaching position at an International Primary School, where I would stay for the next 11 years. My teaching specialism is music and I truly loved my job.
As a very shy and physically awkward 20-something, I started practising yoga in 2008 simply as a new hobby. I liked the idea of bending myself into a variety of pretzel shapes. Yoga was not very popular back then and my hobby felt very exotic to me. I found yoga hard to begin with and did not really understand much about what I was doing or why.
My father was ill with terminal cancer at the time and the idea of sitting still and being confronted with my thoughts and feelings was rather terrifying. Over time, I began to understand that there was a whole lot more to yoga than making pretzel shapes.
Yoga was also a key component in helping me to make peace with my body after a decade of struggling with an eating disorder. Sitting with myself on a yoga mat, realising how strong and amazing my body truly is and feeling a body-mind connection, changed my life.
Yoga for children?
With an innate love of sharing my interests with others (stereotypical teacher!) , I wanted to find a way to share my new hobby with my students at school.
I soon realised that my adult practise was not suitable for these little people. I wondered, was yoga for children even a real concept?
Turns out that yes, it is! A quick Google led me to find Gecko Yoga and in 2016 I completed my Yoga for Children Teacher Training with Gecko.
I was going through a divorce at the time of my training and Jenny, the founder of Gecko Yoga, provided me with the light and inspiration I needed during that difficult time. Her words of encouragement changed my life and gave me hope.
I remember the feeling after teaching my first kids' yoga class. I started to feel a new sense of purpose. It was so magical to watch my students connect with their bodies away from their desks and if you have ever seen children trying to meditate...just, wow!
I continued to teach full-time as a primary school teacher while teaching a few yoga classes to children and adults during the week as well. I went on to complete my Yoga Teacher Training for adults in 2016 and every Summer completed a specialised yoga training course (see My Training page). On top of being an avid marathon runner and with a passion to travel the world, I soon realised that my busy lifestyle-although amazing- was unsustainable. I was exhausted and headed towards burn-out.
Omskool Yoga
So, in 2018 I chose to leave primary school teaching and follow my passion of sharing yoga with children and adults. It felt like one of the most natural transitions of my life. I absolutely loved being a primary school teacher but I could not continue knowing in my heart that my path had changed and that I had a different role to play in the lives of children.
I now spend my days travelling around Hong Kong teaching in a variety of private homes, schools, corporate spaces, studios and sometimes outside. Sharing what I have learnt and continue to learn about yoga and mindfulness with children and adults brings me so much joy.
It is my dream that one day, yoga will be included on school curriculums so that all children have access to tools to navigate life and learn to love themselves and those around them from an early age.
Namaste,
Alison
(and for the record, I am no longer a 'reluctant' resident of Hong Kong. I am absolutely in-love with this amazing city and feel so fortunate to call HK my home!)
