SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE: How yoga helped recover a long-lasting shoulder injury in less than a year.

in My Yoga Journey, Yoga Classes, Yoga Insights, Yoga Inspiration/by Sam

If you had only one word to describe what yoga is to you, what would it be?

“Invigorating. I’m 36 years old and I work as a Client Support Officer in Disability Employment Services and also a pole dance instructor. I had pretty strong shoulders beforehand due to years of pole dancing, however after sustaining an injury to muscle in my left shoulder I was still left with niggling pain even after it had healed.”

“After 12 months of practicing yoga, I noticed the pain has stopped and I feel stronger than ever.”

When did you start doing yoga and what makes you want to continue?

“I started over 12 months ago after attending the 3hr Yoga Base Camp workshop in 2014 with Carmen. I love feeling challenged, I love to see the progression in my practice and I love how I feel afterwards. ”

(2014 Yoga Base Camp in Bundaberg, Queensland)

How often do you attend yoga classes?

“After completed the 2-week Yoga Challenge in 2014, I was been able to attend two classes a week before I have changed my job. I miss attending more often. I was lucky enough to be able to attend the yoga retreat in Koh Samui this year and it was a fantastic experience. It was such a precious experience to practice yoga in a beautiful part of the world but I really felt like I connected and made some lovely friendships with the other participants, Carmen and her family. ”

(2015 Yoga Retreat in Koh Samui, Thailand)

What is you next goal or challenge?

“I’m working on the transitions from pose to pose. As being able to transit from Crow pose and Chaturanga. I’m also working on handstands, I do as instructed in class but I do kick up when I’m practicing at home and I have noticed some progression…..although I’m a very long way off being able to just lift up into it as Carmen so brilliantly demonstrates in class. I’m still working on accomplishing my first tripod headstand .” ;-)

“It really is harder than it looks but is also quite gentle on the body. Yoga is definitely something for all ages, shapes, sizes and abilities.”

“Carmen is an amazing and inspirational woman!”

Would you like to share something with those who might be thinking about doing yoga in the near future?

“You will feel awkward for the first few classes but Carmen guides you through your journey very gently….and it is YOUR journey.”

Rebecca Spencer
Millbank, QLD

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE: A city girl who moved to Bundy for her love.

in My Yoga Journey, Yoga Classes, Yoga Insights, Yoga Inspiration/by Sam

If you had only one word to describe what yoga is to you, what would it be?

“Grounded. I just turned 35, I moved from Sydney to Bundaberg 2 years ago after I met my fiancé. I work as a sales assistant at haight and Ashbury and help my fiancé with his own business ‘Just Tinting‘.”

“I truly can say I’m a better person, I handle life better, I feel happier and I can breathe better.”

When did you start doing yoga and what makes you want to continue?

“I continue to practice as i like the way I feel during and after class. I start practicing yoga in Sydney for some time with my friend who is a yoga teacher. I have tried different yoga classes but I couldn’t find one that I enjoyed until I heard about Carmen who is from Sydney and she moved to Bundaberg. Since then I feel like I have been practicing yoga forever with Carmen.”

Carmen is my number one inspiration as I can see how hard she works to be able to do the poses and how hard she works to run a business be a mum and a wife. I feel like other regular yogis inspirer me as well as I can see how practices equals progression so I guess I inspire myself when I achieve something new! ”

How often do you attend yoga classes?

“I try to practice as often as I can I even challenge myself to do every class in the week which I have achieved but as a rule if I get to three classes a week I’m happy but most of the time I manage more it just depends on what’s going on in my life! ”

(My first 30-Day Yoga Challenge, It was amazing and proud of myself! )

What is you next goal or challenge?

“My main focus is do not fear anything in yoga I worry I will hurt myself when I’m upside down! I’m still working on the tripod headstand I feel I can physically achieve this but fear gets in my way! ”

“I like Carmen’s way of teaching I find her class to be strong but gentle and I love her sense of humour!”

“Carmen is a fantastic teacher of yoga i believe she was born todo this she is very knowledgeable, tough and kind at the same time.”

Would you like to share something with those who might be thinking about doing yoga in the near future?

“I believe Carmen is a genuine person that wants the best for her fellow yogis. You will always feel welcome in the classes with the lovely teachers from Love Life. Live Yoga.”

Melisa Godbee
Burnett Downs , QLD

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE: A young girl discovered Yoga in her early 20s.

in My Yoga Journey, Yoga Classes, Yoga Insights, Yoga Inspiration/by Sam

If you had only one word to describe what yoga is to you, what would it be?

“Inspiring. I am 22, I am a front office manager from one of the motels in Bundaberg. I started practicing Yoga in 2014. It is just simply what I love doing now, I started feeling and seeing the benefits in yoga. I feel amazing, will only continue to improve and grow in my yoga journey.”

“Yoga has taught me a whole new way of being. I learn to relax and manage stress. Yoga teaches me to control my breathing which helps me control my body and stay focus.“

When did you start doing yoga and what makes you want to continue?

“I started practicing yoga with Carmen in late 2014. I can definitely feel that I am getting stronger, my mind is so much clearer through regular practice.”

How often do you attend yoga classes?

” I am doing 2-3 classes every week as well as all the workshops and yoga challenges with Carmen. I have also just booked my first yoga retreat with Carmen in Cambodia next year!”

(I completed the 30-Day Yoga Challenge with Carmen! Yay!)

What is you next goal or challenge?

“At the moment I am mainly still working on the basics to build a strong foundation like deepen my forward fold and warrior poses as I feel that I need to have the basics right to be able to move forward in my practice. I like to work on my inversions(headstand/tripod headstands), I like the feeling of being upside down. Improving my core strength to be able to control my inversions well. It is important to me that through asana, I can see just how powerful and purposeful my body is. Yoga is one of the few things that bridges my body and my mind. I would like to step out my comfort zone, and challenge my body. I have never stood up and really done something that I REALLY enjoyed before, especially any physical activity because I was not active when I was young. I have found a new me and being able to spread my wings through regular yoga practice. It’s an awesome feeling, I am very proud of myself.”

“Carmen is AMAZING! She is very helpful, kind and truly beautiful. It is so lovely to be around her.”

“Carmen is very inspiring me with her strong practice and all the things that she can do with her body, simply beautiful control and confidence. (whilst talking and teaching us all through it!) ”

Would you like to share something with those who might be thinking about doing yoga in the near future?

“Don’t just give up after the first couple of classes, give yourself some time to get to know well about yoga. It is hard at the beginning but your body will thank you in the future.”

Kirsten Neller
BUCCA , QLD

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE: A wonderful self employed lawyer sharing her experience

in My Yoga Journey, Yoga Classes, Yoga Insights, Yoga Inspiration/by Sam

If you had only one word to describe what yoga is to you, what would it be?

“One word to describe yoga is Compassion. I am 51 and a self employed lawyer. Since I have started this more regular yoga practice I feel much more confident about growing older. ”

“I can feel my body able to do things better now than when I was in my 30s and 40s.“

When did you start doing yoga and what makes you want to continue?

” I started practicing yoga with Carmen in April this year. Whilst I have been dabbling in yoga for many years I feel that I have only just started really learn yoga since finding Carmen’s classes. I have so much more to learn and every class takes me a tiny bit further on the journey.”

How often do you attend yoga classes?

“I like to attend classes at least three or four times a week when I am not out of town for work. I know that there are women in their 70s and even 80s who still practice yoga. I admire that tremendously and I want to be able to still practice yoga into my 80s if I am fortunate enough to still be here. I have been a very busy professional with all the usual stresses and pressures that come with that and with having a busy family. That kind of life ages us and makes us short tempered and too tired to enjoy all that we work for. Yoga has given me back my own sense of self and a feeling of wellness and peace. I have learned that just one hour of yoga can cut through all the craziness of life and that 10 minutes of savasana is the best thing any woman can do for her self and her wellbeing.”

What is you next goal or challenge?

“I am not yet ready to claim that I can actually do a tripod headstand, but I know that I will be able to do it in the future. I have been in the pose near the wall and this was a milestone. It felt great. Carmen’s classes take us further than we think we can go. Her passion for inversion poses and her enthusiasm has changed my expectations of myself. My current goal is to master Bakasana. (I want to stand up on my surfboard – so bakasana will help with that too.)”

“Carmen is the strongest person I know. She has an amazing ability and it is inspiring to have her as a teacher.”

“Carmen is very encouraging. I feel I will never stop learning in her classes and I never want to stop learning.”

Would you like to share something with those who might be thinking about doing yoga in the near future?

“Classes from Love Life. Live Yoga offer something for each one of us, no one is under pressure yet there is always the invitation to go further.”
Susan O’Sullivan
Moore Park, QLD

Tag Archive for: Susan O’Sullivan

If you had only one word to describe what yoga is to you, what would it be?

“After 12 months of practicing yoga, I noticed the pain has stopped and I feel stronger than ever.”

When did you start doing yoga and what makes you want to continue?

How often do you attend yoga classes?

What is you next goal or challenge?

“It really is harder than it looks but is also quite gentle on the body. Yoga is definitely something for all ages, shapes, sizes and abilities.”

Would you like to share something with those who might be thinking about doing yoga in the near future?

If you had only one word to describe what yoga is to you, what would it be?

“I truly can say I’m a better person, I handle life better, I feel happier and I can breathe better.”

When did you start doing yoga and what makes you want to continue?

How often do you attend yoga classes?

What is you next goal or challenge?

“I like Carmen’s way of teaching I find her class to be strong but gentle and I love her sense of humour!”

Would you like to share something with those who might be thinking about doing yoga in the near future?

If you had only one word to describe what yoga is to you, what would it be?

“Yoga has taught me a whole new way of being. I learn to relax and manage stress. Yoga teaches me to control my breathing which helps me control my body and stay focus.“

When did you start doing yoga and what makes you want to continue?

How often do you attend yoga classes?

What is you next goal or challenge?

“Carmen is AMAZING! She is very helpful, kind and truly beautiful. It is so lovely to be around her.”

Would you like to share something with those who might be thinking about doing yoga in the near future?

If you had only one word to describe what yoga is to you, what would it be?

“I can feel my body able to do things better now than when I was in my 30s and 40s.“

When did you start doing yoga and what makes you want to continue?

How often do you attend yoga classes?

What is you next goal or challenge?

“Carmen is the strongest person I know. She has an amazing ability and it is inspiring to have her as a teacher.”

Would you like to share something with those who might be thinking about doing yoga in the near future?