It was late August, and I was in limbo after a family birthday back in Derby, so started to look at different locations to base myself at to see if I could motivate myself to do some more writing. It’s not that I can’t work in Derby, but have figured out that there’s no better way to reset myself from the screen than with a cold water kite session or an intensive hour of yoga!
Then, out of the blue, I received an email from a yoga teacher I had met in CapeTown this year who encouraged me to visit a UK based teacher, Joey Miles.
Normally he is based north of me at Ashtanga Yoga Leeds, but just happened to be running an intensive workshop at one of the places I was looking at on the south coast!
There was no way my friend from CapeTown knew I was looking at heading down south, so I took that as a coincidence to follow, and after a conversation with the lovely Helen who runs Yoga at the Space, based in Studland on the Isle of Purbeck where the course was being held, managed to get booked in following a cancellation!
The week was great, with really nice people, and hard work, but a good introduction to a style of yoga (Mysore) that I have been encouraged to follow.
There are differences in this method from the usual modern way in which yoga is taught – the class not led as a whole but all instruction given one-on-one within a group class setting, and you progress a portion of the Ashtanga sequence at your own pace.
I enjoyed it so decided to stay south and keep practising at Helen’s studio in Studland, and also at another location, The Yoga Shala, run by another great teacher, Scott.
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As if one thing lining up wasn’t enough, I then found out that there was an International Kiteboarding Instructors course being run less than an hour from where I was staying, and, being something I had always wanted to do, booked myself in with Airzone Kitesurf school.
Another full-on week followed, with 5 full days of classroom based theory, time in the water with a student, presentations and exams! And now, I am a qualified IKO instructor
Sunset at the teaching location.
I’m not certain when I will put this to good use, but have over 10 years kiting experience from the UK and abroad, and hope I can put something back helping / teaching / coaching others, and earning some money at the same time 🙂
Give me a call for lessons or coaching 🙂
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With a week to spare before heading back up North for another family birthday celebration, I managed to focus on my writing, doubled my word count, got frustrated chasing the non-existent wind, and generally touristed around.
It was a nice place to chill if you need to focus on things for a few weeks, and perhaps I’ll come back in October, when (if) the Autumn winds come in!
John Alex Clarke 