Claire Lalande - Sunny Yoga

My first Yogi on my weekend in Geneva were Claire, we met up at Les Bains des Paquis with the view of the city of Geneva, the lake and the beautiful Mountains that surround it - Breathe taking

A few questions that I asked Claire to share and inspire which I can relate to some with my own life and practice, enjoy!

Q: How long have you been practising yoga?
8 years or so

Q: How did you find out about yoga?
I used to live in England, where I worked as a bartender. One of my colleagues was a yoga teacher, and was starting to organize a weekly ashtanga class.
I tried and loved it.
I had actually already tried a hatha class a couple of years before, but it wasn't physical enough for me at that time.
I was at first really attracted to the physical part of yoga, hence my appreciation of Ashtanga.

Q: Why did you decided to start teaching yoga?
At first, I registered for an ashtanga teacher training in Paris, But I very quickly realized that I wasn't ready to teach. So I focused on my personal practice, I deepened it. 2 years later.
Last year, I was having a really really tough time at work (as an Engineer). Not for the first time, I was working with really angry people who made me miserable. I realized that I couldn't go on like that, I was looking for a project outside of work. So I found a teacher training close to my home, and decided (quite quickly) to go for it. I had no idea what I was signing for, but it was actually one of the best decisions I ever made!

Q: Where did you study teaching yoga?
I did a teacher training for 10 week ends during 6 months, close to home. I learnt a lot of things about myself, about yoga. I met amazing people, and I learnt how to teach!

Q: how long have you been teaching?
I taught immediately after my diploma. I knew I had to go for it, even if it was scary! And then, I made a very difficult decision, I quit my painful job, and I am now a full time teacher! I have been teaching for 6 months and I love it!

Q: Was there anything that was hard for you with your own personal practice? How did you overcome it?
I tend to push myself too much, so yoga taught me to let go, to accept my limits, and to work on them gently. It is still something I work on at every practice!

Q: Personal motto?
If not now, then when?
I don't want to let my fears hold me back, so I do what's needs to be done, even if it is not the most secure option.

Q: how did yoga improved your life?
Well, it literally changed my life!
At a personal level, it changed my physically and mentally. I am a lot more balanced, calm, strong. Yoga helps me be the best version of myself. I have tools to help me in times of troubles or in my everyday life. This personal work has helped me also in my relations to the outside, to people, to he world.
Then, I have quit my job, so my life is very different now, and it is a blessing!

Claire website:
sunny-yoga.org