April’s Yogi of the Month is Lynne Ganley
Lynne has a lovely quiet dedication and has quickly built up a regular twice weekly practise at Rosieglo. She’s made the most of the variety of classes on offer at Rosieglo and this shows in her time on the mat. She has an admirable open and patient approach to her yoga which can be a tricky thing to achieve.
I love Lynne’s honesty in admitting that she wasn’t really sure about yoga to begin with. She shows us that easing off of immediate judgement can reap huge benefits if you are happy to just keep coming and see what happens.
Lynne was recently diagnosed with severe arthritis and this had a sudden impact on her life as she knew it. It’s so heartwarming to know that yoga has significantly helped Lynne to navigate her way through this difficult time both physically and spiritually.
Say hello to our Yogi of the Month…
Name: Lynne Ganley
How and why did you find your way on to the mat? After being fortunate enough to have always enjoyed good physical health I was suddenly hit with severe arthritis, possibly an inherited type. Everything hurt and I felt like I was hurtling towards premature old age at 100mph. The only thing that made me feel better was exercise. I enjoyed HIIT sessions at the gym but my GP suggested, after a particularly bad flare up, that I try yoga, as it is lower impact than the gym sessions I loved. Feeling very nervous to try something new I contacted Rosie by email, Rosie was lovely and reassuring, encouraging me to give a beginner’s session a try.
How did you feel after your first yoga class at Rosieglo Yoga?
I have to be honest, I wasn’t sure about yoga at all to begin with. This was a beginner’s session and I found yoga really hard, even though I was fairly fit from my gym sessions. However, I felt immediately at ease at the class, everyone was friendly, the class was a great size and the studio lovely. I decided to persevere and do a few sessions a week.
Have you noticed any benefits or changes in yourself since practising yoga? I’ve learnt so much, I am more aware of how I move through the day, my posture and how I hold myself. I’m constantly trying to correct my posture during everyday activities. I recently visited The Gambian Jungle and I was fascinated by the strength and frame of the women. They could squat with their bottoms almost touching the ground with heels flat to the ground for prolonged periods, when they bend they had perfect straight backs, like the ‘half lift’ part of a flow, and they could carry a toddler on their backs and a bucket on their heads and walk with perfect posture. I’ve become aware of how we have lost these natural abilities and how valuable yoga is for restoring this and restoring inner well being
What do you like most about practising at Rosieglo Yoga? I love the friendly studio and teachers and the diverse mix of classes. I’ve recently started to go to the Thursday Vinyasa class and it’s become one of my favourites. I hadn’t expected to enjoy the spiritual aspect of yoga so this has been a surprise
What’s your favourite pose at the moment or what are you enjoying most? My favourite pose at the moment is Warrior 2, as it makes me feel strong and grounded.
What words of wisdom would you share with someone who is new to yoga or thinking of giving it a go?
Don’t be afraid, give it a try, try a few sessions before making any judgments. Don’t be put off by what you perceive your abilities to be. When the teacher would sometimes ask if there were any injuries I used to be filled with panic and go silent, how could I say my elbows, wrists, thumbs, hips, knees, ankles and back are killing me today without sounding whingey. I knew that even the ‘child’s pose’ would be a struggle to have my worse knee so deeply flexed under me, until my joints had warmed up through the practice. I’ve learnt to get over myself a bit and not worry about how good or bad I am. I enjoy the whole practice and always feel so much better afterwards. I’d recommend it to anyone.