Recently I saw a Facebook post which had an image of someone meditating and a quote saying ‘I meditate, burn candles, practice yoga and I still want to slap someone’.
 Believe it or not, this is true for many who practice and teach yoga, including myself. I am not one to focus on the negative or hide from a struggle, instead I try and rise up and meet it as and when possible.The daily struggle we meet as teachers and students of yoga is real. Like the taste of good coffee and the excitement of going on holiday – this is the truth that we all face when we choose to take a spiritual path.

At times it has kept me up at night wondering if I am good enough. Will I have my desired numbers for workshops to pay the room rental that week? Is it time to just get a ‘proper’ job and quit while I am ahead? It takes guts, motivation and a whole lot of courage to put yourself out in the world as a teacher because people look up to us. They ask for advice and expect us to have all the answers.

I adore what I do. Daily, I feel very blessed to not let the voices of insecurities and doubts make my decisions for me, but not without a fight! The amount of time I have lost while in combat with myself is crazy. The indecisiveness and perfectionist sides to my nature do not serve me or support my desire to have everything done yesterday!

Before every retreat, workshop and training I spend countless hours brainstorming, planning, dreaming, making playlists and figuring out different ways to share, teach and offer what is vibrating on my heart in alignment with the theme or title of the event. There have been times when inspiration is lacking, motivation is no-where to be seen and I do not have an ounce of trust in myself to deliver. So I sometimes have to revert back to past plans to get me by.

Not only are we yoga teachers, we also wear the hat of administrators, facilitators, cleaners, chefs, mediators, coach, therapist and friend – even if we didn’t sign up for it. This is real for so many. It can be a struggle to answer the call of all these hats we wear and to still feel like we are only skimming the surface of our full potential. With not enough hours in the day to execute our ideas, show up for our family and meet the needs of our tribe.

From burn out to verbal abuse and self esteem issues I have been there. Teaching yoga does not enlighten you over night. It does not make you have all the answers or be a super star but it does give you the tools to help you manage life when it gives you lemons and are pushed and pulled in 1008 different directions. The way we rise above the struggles is to unplug and plug into yourself away from your regular routine. Being in paradise helps too!

That’s why one of my greatest loves is to support others the way I like to be supported. If I can help a kindred spirit to struggle less, than my work in the world feels complete. Creating my work around supporting yoga teachers to refine their art and streamline both their practice and their business is one way that I self-nourish. It feels great to honour the struggle and to give back by supporting people in the areas where I have myself struggled. I have been blessed to have very supportive mentors who believe in me, keep me on track when I just want to run and hide from my responsibilities as a yoga teacher. Having this amazing support network keeps me inspired and on track as I navigate through the challenges regardless of what is thrown at me! The more solutions I have the more determined I feel to continue to rise above, break through and am connect deeper to my dharma – purpose in this life.

If you love what you do but struggle daily with lack of inspiration, confidence and the voices of doubt are controlling you then you deserve to take a week off and come and dunk yourself into the magic and sublime daily flow of being on retreat with me in Ibiza for my ‘Refine Your Art’ immersion. From the moment you land we’ll support you. From the transfers, to the mouth watering meals and practice times, all you need to do is show up!

If you’ve been stuck in struggle, you’re a yoga teacher trying to make ends meet, you’re on the edge of burn out, you’re wondering how to move to your next level or you’re about to give it all up and go back to the 9 – 5 daily grind of working for someone else, please pause for a moment. Put both hands on your heart, take a deep belly breath and know you are not alone. The label of ‘Yoga Teacher’ is not easy to uphold especially when we are trying to do it all alone, this is why I created the refine your art retreats to help make your journey easier then mine. The more I work with others the more it makes my heart sing to see you thrive as you live and breathe your passions out in the world.

During the daily practice labs and study sessions, you will be surrounded by like minded yogis all working on refining different areas of their business, teaching and practice skills. From the hands on / creativity to the marketing and branding you are taken care of every step of the way especially with our comprehensive Refine Your Art manual that includes tools and techniques to help keep you on track even when you go home. The tools and techniques I share with you have come from my lifetime of building a successful, international yoga business. I have made it my mission to save you from making the same mistakes I’ve made and to short-track you to an easeful business with less struggle and more time for you in a sustainable and efficient way.

The struggle won’t disappear but you will be more savvy with how you deal with it and have peace of mind that you are not the only one. With over 20+ years of teaching embodied practices and an extraordinary yoga teaching trajectory that has taken me all around the world teaching yoga, I invite you to pick my brains, share your wild ideas in total confidence and start plotting and planning your next move to truly live and breath your work out in the world.

If you are sitting there smiling and nodding to any of this post then make sure you connect now and book in a free discovery call and I am happy to answer any questions you may have about the retreat and your challenges moving forward. What are you waiting for?

I felt very anxious the night before the retreat, doubting myself and whether I deserved to be there, having not taken the leap into teaching yoga after completing my training the year before. By day two all my insecurities had melted away, I had a business name, class concept, and a renewed passion and drive for yoga I hadn’t felt in a very long time. Delamay and Aimo created a very warm, encouraging environment, which with the soul nourishing food and inspiring group of like minded yogis, pushed me just far enough out of my comfort zone (or rut!) that I found my path again. I am so grateful I followed my heart and signed up for the refine your art retreat.

Faith Johnstone, UK
Refine Your Art Retreat participant 2016