Moira tells us about how yoga helped her recover from illness

Moira on her trip to China this year.

1. How long have you been practicing yoga for?

I went to my very first yoga class in 2005. I was 55, completely exhausted after a period of ill health. I was definitely asking a lot of yoga but it answered in the most positive of ways.

2. What keeps you coming back to your mat every week?

I keep returning to the mat because experience has shown me that every yoga practice makes me feel better and stronger both physically and mentally.

3. What aspects of your yoga practice are you focusing on at the moment?

Right now I am focussing on connecting my yoga practice to meditation and mindfulness techniques. I relish the physical strength that comes with yoga practice but I am trying to develop and maintain a calmer, more positive outlook on life, aiming to keep my heart and mind open to the good in me and my life as well as life in general. However, I like nothing better than doing those downward facing dogs or threading those needles or stretching through those sun salutations just for the sake of it - and congratulating myself that at my age I can actually do the moves and keep up with the class.

4. What advice would you give to someone who’s thinking about trying yoga for the first time?

I would recommend yoga to anyone of any age at any time. It helps you no matter what point you are in life, whatever you are doing, whatever you are experiencing.  It will have positive consequences in your life.

If someone out there was thinking of taking up yoga my advice would be to go right ahead, right now.  Just take that first step to try out yoga for yourself. There are many opportunities to do so out there in our local community.There are morning classes, afternoon classes, evening classes, every day of the week, somewhere. There are free drop-in classes in community centres, affordable trial sessions in local sports centres or gyms. There are classes in church halls and local colleges and of course specialised locations like Studio 70 - though Laura took me through practices in many and varied locations before she and Michelle created Studio 70!

5. Why do you come to Studio 70?

In Studio 70 you will be welcomed and supported. There is no sense of competition or comparison there. Beginners and those with experience all fit together easily and are valued equally.  The studio is a relaxed, comfortable and welcoming space. All the teachers there have great expertise and experience. They are caring and supportive. They make a point of getting to know each of their students as individuals so they can support  and guide them through each practice and help them to develop their yoga and life skills. They share their own passion for yoga and set good examples. And realistically, my Senior 10 Session Concession Pass makes each practice that bit cheaper!

6. Tell us one fun fact about yourself!

This all sounds very serious - perhaps because I turned to yoga at a very serious time in my life and it helped me through that - but yoga has also  helped me smile more, enjoy life more, be more open to the good in my life and the world around me.   So...you will see me on the yoga mat but I have been known to leap to my feet at the sound of the very first chord of any (and I mean any) ABBA song, word perfect if not tune perfect, not a 'dancing queen'  by any means but most definitely 'having the time of my life'...oh yeah 🎶🎶🎶