Welcome to our fabulous new section of the Yoga Manchester blog site. Yoga Manchester People-light on our students turns the spotlight onto the members of the Yoga Manchester community. Each month we will feature a different Yoga Manchester student (this could be you very soon!). The featured student will answer our questionnaire and give the rest of us an insight into their unique on and off the mat life experiences. Enjoy !
Introducing Miss Rebecca Daw
Tell us a bit about yourself….
I’m originally from Cornwall. I moved to Manchester about 7 years ago just as I was approaching my 30th birthday. Since the move my life has totally changed. It’s a bit like I was sleeping before I got here! As you can imagine, waking up after almost 30 years is practically unimaginable! A combination of excitement, joy, terror, disorientation!
Since that time I haven’t stopped exploring! I love to eat, drink, laugh, travel, talk and I absolutely love film! I loathe chit chat so tend to be a bit fussy about the company I keep and sometimes I’m not sure if this is more of a hindrance than a help! I’m not big on family so friends are important to me.
I work as a therapist in a local primary school. I never intended to work with children but I’m a strong believer in pushing yourself towards something that feels uncomfortable. The chances are, you’re going to learn something important and I have. Working with children forces you to use all sorts of creative techniques to help them express themselves and feel understood. So now I’m exploring creativity and this has been wonderful!
What are you currently listening to? Tell us about it….
At the moment I’m obsessed with the new James Blake album: Overgrown. It is absolutely phenomenal! The man couldn’t do anything other than make music. It just seems to pour from him like it’s no bother! I enjoy this kind of music most, music from true artists. I want blood and guts from them! They have to mean it! Each track on this album is very different. He seems to use a bit of everything. At times Bjork, then Massive Attack and then Hercules and The Love Affair! Meanwhile all sorts of responses are happening: Potential panic attack, needing sex, crying, sweating, laughing! Told you it was phenomenal! I swear to God…You have to listen to this album! Oh God…I’ve just done an album review!
What brought you to yoga and how long have you been practising?
People use the word “lazy” when they talk about not wanting to do exercise but I’m not sure about this. Sometimes I think it’s got more to do with self-neglect or ambivalence. Well, this is how it felt to me. I wasn’t willing to give my body this good thing that made me feel fantastic. My partner got me thinking seriously about it. She recommended Yoga For Sport. This was 2 years ago. After a year I changed to Ashtanga. At this point something changed and I knew I would always do yoga.
Work can be taxing and yoga became one of the only things that would help to ground me. I also have a double curvature in my spine that causes me alot of discomfort. Yoga helped to release the pain and tension. It’s strange really because each class is different. Sometimes I’ll be aware of getting angry during a class. I still have no idea why! Then sometimes I’ll feel more connected to my body then I have ever experienced in my whole life and I can’t believe it cost me less than a tenner!
It helped to find a yoga teacher who seemed like a refreshing change from joss sticks and balloon pants, so nice one Matt! : )
What is your yoga super power?
Turned out I was flexible! You’ll find me sometimes collapsing during downward dog due to hardly any upper body strength but with a little assistance, I can literally become a human knot during Marichyasana! Doing this pose feels a bit like someone is pouring warm honey over your head, shoulders and back!
If you could be a character in a well-known film, who would you be and why?
I couldn’t think of an answer for this one and considering I love films that seems quite odd. I asked for help and quite rightly decided on Rita from Educating Rita. She’s doesn’t quite fit in and knows she wants something different and to better herself.
Where in Manchester is heaven?
My God that’s difficult! Dimitri’s restaurant will always be a special place. It’s where my partner and I had our first date 7 years ago. It’s also where I met my birth Mum after never seeing her for over 30 years but I love to play cards at the bar in the Mal Maison, eat their food and drink their extensive wine list. It’s even worth the horror when the bill arrives!
If you could go back in time to see something or change something, what would it be?
I’d have seen the light and moved to Manchester in the 90’s. I’d most likely be sectioned or even dead by now but I still can’t help wishing!