We are teachers in the same boat as you, navigating the ever changing landscape of teaching and what it means to keep growing and evolving with it.

Leanne and Phoebe have come together with a united passion for the inner work and the success it brings to our ability to lead.

What drew you to the practice of yoga?

I was in my early 20’s, a little lost and living the wild life. Back then it felt like it was self-understanding, now I know it was healing that I was seeking. I knew nothing about the practice but wanted to change my life. Now I see that every student and every teacher I’ve worked with have that in common - a need for healing.

What surprised you most about becoming a yoga teacher?

That when the practice becomes about work - money, measurables, competition - it can quickly lose its healing potency. And become less fun. The perfectionist in me needs constant reeling in, and in order to stay interested and passionate, I need to let loose with expectations I place on myself.

Also, that a flow state is real - that feeling of complete connection when teaching is pretty damn sweet.

If you are feeling stuck or uninspired, how do you go about shifting and transforming your thoughts?

Usually there’s three routes and it’s a matter of trusting my gut to guide me through one of them:

The first one is turning to the practice and my favourite teachers, who have one thing in common - an inspiration to soften and be kind. They include Tara Brach, Elena Brower and newly rediscovered Eddie Stern.

The second route is to rebel completely against all the typical “shoulds” as a teacher. Drink wine, eat chocolate, and watch crappy tv. Let loose and seek fun.

The third is always intertwined throughout the first two - nature. Always.

What does fear mean to you?

Being human. This work has shown me that we all have it, and through the inner work, we can all heal through it. I’m still learning that the work is constant, but when I take part, it reminds me that this is what living is about.

What is the biggest myth about being a yoga practitioner/teacher?

That we’re supposed to be perfect. When we start to teach, a student-dependency can start to happen, creating pressure to uphold a certain image - of nobility, discipline, even purity. I’ve always believed that being real with my students is the only way for longevity and joy. And when I include my anxiety, my self-doubt, my truth in my teaching, it lands better. It creates connection, something that deep down, we are all craving.

What attracted you to the practice of yoga?

Timing was definitely part of it… I had tried it and had no interest in moving slowly or mindfully. It found me when I was lost. The combination of movement and breath slid beautifully into my life when I was searching for some sort of connection to myself and to others that I didn’t even know I needed. 

What surprised you most about becoming a teacher?

How passionate about it I would become! I did my YTT on a whim and from the moment I started teaching I knew I had pulled on a thread that I needed to follow. That, and the fact that you also sign up for having to market yourself, manage finances, navigate contracts, get business savvy and more.

If you are feeling stuck or uninspired, how do you go about transforming your thoughts?

Practice first. Connecting with my body - moving and breathing to shift anything stagnant.

Lately I’ve recognised that creativity and inspiration does flow in waves, and when I remove the pressure I put on myself to by inspired 24/7 I just go about my days as ready as I can be for when the moments strike. If there are longer periods of time where I really feel stuck in a rut then I look at my habits. Screen time, diet, daily structure and sleep are my fundamentals that I know I can reset to sort the rest out.

What does fear mean to you?

Fear is either life threatening or ego threatening. I am incredibly grateful I haven’t experienced many situations where my life is truly in danger, but I know that deep fear of change - or fear of stepping outside of my conditioning which has affected me deeply. Its something that has stirred an underlying message in my practice and teaching, which is to keep being ok with feeling fearful until you don’t anymore.

What is the biggest myth about being a yoga practitioner/teacher?

That we are all these perfect, moral, squeaky clean, bendy, ethereal beings. I have seen the flicker of both disappointment and relief in students eyes when it is revealed that a teacher is as human as anyone else. I’ve always aspired to be a teacher that knows life to its depths. Who has made mistakes and has come through them, and knows how to hold space for students going through real life.