Being a Cairns Yoga Teacher, based in beautiful Palm Cove

 

I have been blogging for a little while now and recently realised that most of my blog articles tell you little or nothing about me!  So I wanted to write a short personal post all about me, Beth Hartig, my yoga journey so far and how I ended up being a Cairns Yoga Teacher.

 

My Yoga Journey

How it all began

My Yoga Journey started in 2003, in the UK,  when I was just 16 years old.  Although I wasn’t really into sport, but I wanted to try something to keep fit.  I asked my aunty to buy me a yoga DVD for Christmas that year and was gifted the Geri Halliwell DVD! Straight away I loved it. Guided by Geri’s yoga teacher Katy Appleton, (who still is an incredible yoga teacher all of these years later!) I was taken to a place of deep relaxation that I had never been to before.  The physical aspect of the practice also really appealed to me, as it made me feel stronger and more flexible.

As well as keeping up my practice with my DVD, I started to attend yoga classes fairly regularly and learnt a short sequence that I practiced a couple of times a week at home.  I enjoyed yoga, but I wasn’t completely ‘hooked’ at this stage.

 

Establishing a Regular Practice

It was after returning from a trip to South America in 2009 that I began to practice regular Ashtanga yoga in Bristol, UK.  I practiced 6 times per week, and saw my life completely transform.  I was still in my early 20’s, and most of my friends were still very much into the party lifestyle (as I had been).  But I could see that this life style wasn’t working for me anymore. It was only contributing to the anxiety that I often suffered from at this time of my life.

Yoga gave me new energy. I felt amazing! Calm but focused. Strong and soft.  I felt in control of how I was feeling for the first time in my life and was able to see that my life choices had a definite impact on my health and well being. My yoga practice greatly improved all aspects of my life.  I stopped drinking and smoking (both of which I had done very regularly since age 13!).

 

Moving On…

After a few years of regular yoga practice in Bristol, my Ashtanga practice gradually softened into a Hatha practice.  And I slowly began to realise that I wanted to live somewhere different,  somewhere sunny!  I wanted to live somewhere where more people were passionate about living a healthy lifestyle and spending time in nature, as I was.  Bristol life didn’t suit who I was, or who I wanted to be.  The breakdown of a very rocky relationship was the push I needed to seek the life I wanted.  On a whim, I booked a one way ticket to Australia!

 

 

Arriving in Australia

I felt very lost when I first arrived in Australia in January 2012.  With only $1000 in the bank (which didn’t last long!) and no idea of where I wanted to be.  I moved around Australia a lot, working in rural areas to try and save money. Spinach farming and dairy farming in Maffra, Victoria.  Serving drinks in an Outback Hotel in Meekatharra (outback Western Australia).  I also worked in a hotel in Augusta (population 1000!) Western Australia for 8 months, which is where I met my love, Luke.

Throughout this period of working and travelling, I maintained my yoga practice. I didn’t know where I was headed. I just trusted that I would know the path to follow which would lead me to the life that I wanted.

 

 

Becoming a Yoga Teacher

My Australian Visa expired, so Luke and I decided to travel Asia for a few months.  It was during this time that I did my first yoga teacher training in Dharmsala India.  To say that the experience was life changing would be an understatement.  I felt as if I had finally found my purpose in life, and was able to learn the skills to share the practice that had changed my life, with other people.

Arriving back to Australia after my yoga teacher training in 2014, I started teaching yoga classes in Cairns straight away.  Becoming a Cairns yoga teacher was a dream come true! I began teaching my beach and poolside yoga classes in Palm Cove and created Hartig Yoga.

 

 

 

Hartig Yoga, Palm Cove

Hartig Yoga has been established for almost 4 years now.  It is my absolute dream come true!  It is my aim to share yoga practices with absolutely everybody.  All of our classes are multi-level (beginner-intermediate) so that all can benefit from this life changing practice.

The main purpose of yoga is to connect mind, body and spirit.  In fact, the definition of the word yoga means ‘union’ or ‘to yoke’.  And everybody can do this and benefit from this.

At Hartig Yoga we now offer 6 Beach and Poolside Yoga Classes per week, Beginners Yoga Programmes, Full Moon Yoga Classes, Private Yoga Classes and Yoga Retreats.

Get in touch with us if you have any questions about our services.

 

My Life in Australia Now

And now, the biggest journey of my life is about to unveil… Luke and I are becoming parents! I am 37 weeks pregnant with the love of my life, living in paradise.   And fully living my dream by being a Cairns Yoga teacher!

I have now taken a break from teaching for a few months while I birth my daughter.  A beautiful teacher and friend Nicki Bailey will be covering all classes and sharing her knowledge with you until the end of June 2018.

There really aren’t any limits in life.  If you really want something and envisage it working out YOU WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE IT! Of course, the path isn’t always easy. But with vision, action and belief, I truly believe we can all achieve the life that we have always wanted.

 

 

Watch this space for a yoga baby blog very soon 🙂

Thank you so much for reading! Leave a comment below if you liked it/ have any questions.

With love,

Beth Hartig