Yogi on a Mission: The Zuna Yoga teacher training scholarship winner

by Lauren Hurst, winner of a full-tuition scholarship to the December 2015 200 hour Zuna Yoga teacher training in Cambodia 

When I was ten years old my Dad passed away due to a long battle with alcoholism.  As a child, I found it difficult to cope with losing someone so close to me, and I went through my own experience of depression and was very socially withdrawn. Unable to relate to what felt like an unravelling world around me, I came to find solace in being able to control life by restricting my eating and obsessively exercising.  When I looked in the mirror and saw only ugliness- both inside and out.  I felt an overwhelming sense of worthlessness.  “I am not good enough,” rang through my ears every second of everyday, and my biggest fear was to be "fat", because that would mean that I was even less.  This unattainable desire to be perfect, however, did nothing more than return me right back to that same unravelling feeling.  It was a cycle of self-sabotage.  In my eyes I was a failure, and what was worse was that this is how I thought everyone else saw me, too. I soon came face to face with a severe eating disorder that landed me in the inpatient care unit of the hospital for three years. A long battle of ups and downs was ahead of me.  Today, however, I can confidently say that my eating disorder is far behind me. 

Lauren teaching in Sydney

How did I get to a place where that is possible?  My best and honest answer: Yoga. When I was in my first year of university I stumbled across a yoga studio not far from where I was living. I established a regular practice almost immediately. I felt so much vulnerability and fear diving into it all, but the breakthroughs I had then, and continue to experience today, have been life-changing. I allowed the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual practice to completely sink in, and I was hooked.  Yoga has played a meaningful role in reviving my love for my body and myself, just as I am. I have learned and grown so much through my struggles and suffering, but yoga has brought me many joys and successes, as well. Yoga has helped me reach full recovery. Yoga has helped me discover who I am, and to manifest my biggest and scariest dreams, goals, and visions.

Through yoga I have come to know that my purpose is to teach those with similar experiences to my own. I want to teach those who have either an eating disorder, a poor body image, or simply a low sense of self-worth about the lessons I came to find with the practice of yoga. Eating disorders and body issues often work to create disconnection from our body, while yoga helps to encourage body awareness and connection in a nurturing way. Through the practice of yoga we are able to become more of aware of our bodies from a place of respect, acceptance, and love. The lessons I learned from yoga inspired me to participate in a one week long yoga teacher training in 2013. Since then, I have had the amazing opportunity to live and work in New Zealand and Australia, teaching various styles of yoga including hatha, yin, restorative, and power vinyasa. I currently teach at a wonderful little studio in Sydney called Yoga Sivana, and I will continue to grow my teaching schedule once I have completed this intensive 200 hour Zuna Yoga Teacher Training in Cambodia.    

Lauren teaching in Sydney

Combining my Bachelors and Masters of Social Work degrees with my passion for teaching yoga, I have recently launched Love Body Yoga. This is an initiative in partnership with BodyMatters, an eating disorder treatment center that incorporates yoga as an additional step to eating disorder recovery and a pathway to loving our bodies. Love Body Yoga inspires me to share yoga with others, encouraging them to form a healthy and appreciative relationship with their bodies and with themselves. Eventually I will open my own yoga studio and counseling practice. I will work with women with eating disorders by combining social work therapy and the practice of yoga. 

Thanks, Zuna Yoga, for the opportunity to make these goals happen and for enabling me to be a part of this yoga teacher training.

Top Five reasons for a Gili Meno Yoga Teacher Training

by Sammy Garrett, 200 hour Zuna Yoga teacher training graduate

For those of you who haven’t heard of Gili Meno, it is the smallest (and in my opinion the most beautiful) of the three Gili Islands located off the coast of Lombok, Indonesia. Gili Meno offers a tranquil, secluded getaway filled with beaches and nature. What more could you ask for while partaking in an intensive yoga teacher training? It’s a huge blessing that Zuna Yoga offers 200 hour Yoga Teacher Trainings in this piece of paradise. I’m one of the lucky ones who have had the joy to experience the magic first hand. Here are my Top Five reason to put Gili Meno at the top of your Yoga Teacher Training list:

1. No distractions. Imagine a world where you're surrounded by quiet and stillness. Hard to imagine, right? But such a place exists. Gili Meno has no motorized vehicles, no running engines and no honking horns, which is a stark contrast to the rest of Indonesia, even to Bali. Without any crowds (and often without any power), the island has to be one of the most serene and peaceful places I’ve experienced.

2. Sun, sand and snorkeling. The three week yoga teacher training schedule allows for down time throughout the day as well as two full days off. The crystal clear water beckons. Unlimited activities include swimming, sunbathing and snorkeling with the incredible collections of brightly colored fish and friendly turtles that call Gili Meno home. Days at the beach are topped off with a world class sunset.

3. One with nature. The rustic eco accommodation of maoMeno brings luxury and nature together in the perfect mix. Outdoor showers under the stars and an open air yoga shala intensify the whole experience. Surrounded by coconut trees, nature and bird song, maoMeno is the perfect place to deepen your yoga practice.

4. Island life and culture. From the moment you step off the boat there are numerous opportunities to get to know the animated locals and their intriguing way of life. Witness ceremonies, learn the basics of the language and join in the daily island rhythm. After the first week, the locals knew my name and greeted me warmly. Restaurant staff provide top quality service and entertainment - even inviting a group of us dance and ‘jam’ with them.

5. Ocean vibrations and sounds. The ocean's ebb and flow is constantly caressing the island, and the beautiful sound becomes a part of everyday life. Nothing beats the gentle sound of the waves crashing against the shore as you drift to sleep after a long day of asana and meditation practice. I felt so nurtured the entire time I was on the island, this allowed me to go deeper within myself and my practice.

Gili Meno, what’s not to love?