— Chareen first experienced yoga while living in Australia in 2001. She took a week-long intensive class at a local studio simply out of curiosity. When she moved back to Halifax in 2002, not too long after this first experience in Australia, she continued her yoga journey by going to a weekly class at a church. “I would leave feeling relaxed but felt as though something else was lacking, perhaps I was looking for something a little more physical. A friend then signed me up for an Ashtanga yoga class with Angie Birt at the YMCA. And that was it! I haven’t left Angie since!”. When Chareen first began with Angie, she loved how much of a workout her classes were but also liked the calm feeling she had when leaving class. Slowly she began to see changes in her flexibility and strength, but mostly she noticed that she just seemed to be calmer.
In 2005 while dealing with personal issues, Chareen stepped it up and gained the courage to go to another studio. She was looking to go to more than the 2 classes a week that she was taking from Angie. This is when she met Guylaine Williams. Although her classes were quite different from Angie’s, they certainly helped Chareen’s practice grow. She also gained an amazing friend out of it.
After studying yoga for six years and accomplishing her goal of not constantly falling asleep at the end of class while in savasana, Chareen (after being convinced by the lovely Guylaine Williams) decided to try the teacher training program at Breathing Space Yoga Studio in Halifax. Since finishing the teacher training course, she has primarily instructed private classes but has also been asked to teach sessions of classes with several corporations and sports groups around Halifax. Chareen continues to attend classes regularly and attends yoga workshops held in Halifax.
For Chareen, Yoga has been a personal and physical journey. She is a registered massage therapist who has carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists. Practicing yoga on a regular basis has strengthened her arms and helps to keep pain at bay. “When I don’t practice for a while, massaging clients is that much more painful—for me, not the client…actually they may prefer it!”. She also has a 17 year old dog named Willie who can be rather unpredictable. Yoga helps keep Chareen centred in body and spirit which has allowed her to work through feelings of anger, cope with sadness and has opened her up to the enjoyment life offers. Perhaps most significant of all, yoga has helped Chareen with the confusing feelings many often experience—from the existential, to those as simple as “what should I do today?”.Although some days it’s still a struggle to practice, Chareen knows it is all worthwhile in the end. “Yoga gives me what I need, even if I don’t know what it is. After a yoga session I feel strong, both mentally and physically. I feel energized, awake and ready to face my dog.”
