I am a special needs yoga teacher and I am also a carer of my daughter who has cerebral palsy. She is a wheelchair user.
Yoga has helped me as a carer and as a teacher by giving me the patience and understanding of what is happening to my mind and my body. There have been many many days where I questioned everything.
How will I cope with this situation that I am in? Where will I get my strength to deal with all that my daughter needs? Regardless of where she is or who else is looking after her, I will always be the one that is emotionally attached to her and will want more than the best for her.
I Found My Way Through Yoga
I started off as a student and learned to deal with the changes in my body through movement. Initially, I felt sick, angry, frustrated, and I certainly didn’t get the whole “breathing” thing. I was in total denial and I actually hated yoga.
And then one day, it all came together. I felt great…almost like someone had just given me a happy pill! So I continued with my yoga practice until I became a yoga teacher.
Then, I felt that just being a yoga teacher was not enough for me, so I became a special needs yoga teacher—catering mainly to people that have “special needs.”
I now teach an average of 10-15 classes a week for people that have Dementia, Eating Disorders, Autism, etc.
Yoga For Carers
Now that I have established myself teaching Jagadamba Yoga, I decided to create a workshop called “Yoga for Carers.” As a carer myself, I know how hard it is to switch off and just stop.
I also remember how hard it was for me to find that safe place to go to so that I could calm down and think and breathe.
If you are a “carer” like me, I want you to know that you are not alone. If you are in the same situation as I am in now, and always will be, you already know that you never stop being a carer if you are caring for a member of your family.
I hope that you, like me, will always have that safe place within you that you can access, so that we can continue the challenging, but rewarding work that we do.
“Special people are capable everywhere,” but just like everyone else, they too could use a helping hand. Let’s bring more compassion into our hearts and onto our mats.
