My Yoga Journey
- yogawithmarleni
- Jan 1
- 3 min read
A blog written in April 2015
Back in 2001 I was living in Saudi Arabia, it was then that I attended my first yoga class with the lovely Irish yogini Louise O’Loan. I went there because I heard that Yoga was good for flexibility (which I lacked!) and also for insomnia. I remember as if it was yesterday; the feeling of awesomeness my body and mind felt that day. That evening I lay in bed thinking to myself: I want to have this ‘yoga’ feeling for the rest of my life.
So it began, my Yoga journey. I went to Louise’s class religiously until I left Saudi in 2004. A few months before leaving, Louise introduced me to the world of teaching; it felt as if I was sharing a precious gift; an elixir of life. I truly enjoyed that slight glimpse of being a yoga instructor. Louise was and is my Yoga mentor, her enthusiasm for everything-yoga is really contagious.
On my return to England, I struggled to find a teacher as enjoyable as Louise. Many classes I attended were too heavily focused on just the fitness aspects that come with practicing asanas (postures), there was no time for self-observation, no pauses. There was no connection between the mind, body and soul, which seemed odd because after all that is the essence of yoga. I found it very unfulfilling but I didn’t give up. Instead I found refuge in my own yoga practice and made time to further develop in the comfort of my own home, sometimes finding inspiration in videos of the great Rodney Yee, who I love.
In 2006 I started a family. Lucie was my first child, soon followed by my son, Alex. I had two wonderful pregnancies, my body adapted smoothly to the changes as I continued with my yoga practice. Post pregnancy was a challenge, but nothing that I couldn’t cope with, I had yoga to provide me with a helping hand. I don’t mean that I was able to perform most of the postures, but through a relaxed state of mind I managed to progress through baby and toddlerhood with ease and calmness.
Fast-forward four years and I came back to Saudi Arabia. In August 2012 I decided to teach yoga. My classes so far have been donation based. I have had the opportunity to help less fortunate people, it is extremely gratifying to be able to do something I love and offer my help to others at the same time.
Last year, after countless yoga classes attended, classes taught and self-practice I decided to complete my first 200 YTT (yoga teacher training) in Bahrain to become a Certified Yoga Teacher. This course was the most liberating time of my life.
My heart felt open to all the yoga lessons and they provided a huge amount of personal fulfillment. The days were extremely long, but things were so much easier because I had a phenomenal group of people to share the journey with. My fellow trainee yoga teachers are now part of my extended yoga family. There were fifteen beautiful yogis on my course. I learned so much from each of them: wisdom, courage, gratitude, knowledge, patience, love, kindness and laughter.
My teachers: Weam, Lisa and Lou… each gave me the best tools to become the Yoga teacher I am today. They gave me the courage to spread yoga in a kind and inspiring way.
Learning anatomy with Lou Plante was like being taught by a soul that could see through my bones, literally! I treasure all those magical moments when she made it so simple to understand the complexities of the human body.
My heart just inflates as I think about Weam Zabar and Lisa Murphy. Each hour we spent doing pranayama, meditation, philosophy, asana, props, modifications and alignment was just pure delight. Their kindness and compassion shone through each class and I am so lucky that the universe conspired so I could join them for those glorious twenty yoga teacher training days.
I am now so much more confident and comfortable as a Yoga teacher. The passion and fire I have inside me needs to be shared. Everyday I am thankful for my lovely yogis who allow me to teach them and share my yoga love in class.
My classes are now Vinyasa (linking breath with movement), emphasizing alignment and Hatha (physical postures that bring union), harmonizing strength and flexibility. We also learn to counterbalance our effort and surrender in each pose. My aim is to offer a safe environment for my students so they can enrich their practice and explore at their own pace the wonders of the mind, body and soul. We use props and modifications to make yoga as accessible as possible to everyone. My goal is simple: one yoga for all.
At this present moment in time I have the certainty that teaching yoga is what I was always meant to do.
Namaste
Marleni Hill (RYT200) @yogawithmarleni
April, 2015.
Marleni is simply the best.
Attending her class twice a week was the foundation for my love of yoga. Her teaching is wholesome, inclusive, and accessible. Week after week, I was able to see progress and build on what I learned from her. Marleni, you are truly missed. Best wishes from Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦
Love from 🇸🇦 my best yoga teacher 🤍