Yoga & Gayoung

My Yoga Journey: From Depression to Empowerment

During a period of low self-esteem, depression, and lethargy in Brussels, Belgium, I discovered the transformative power of yoga. Though I’d been indirectly exposed to yoga since primary school—thanks to my mother, a Hatha yoga teacher—and practised occasionally during my studies in Australia to correct poor posture, it wasn’t until my thirties that I embraced a daily practice.

Growing up, I witnessed yoga’s profound impact firsthand: my mother, despite the demands of homemaking and parenting, tirelessly attended classes and taught with passion. Her dedication showed me how yoga empowers people and brings positive changes. Seeking deeper knowledge, I immersed myself in Mysore-style Ashtanga Yoga, its disciplined structure becoming my anchor during seven gruelling years of IVF treatments.

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In 2018, after earning my Ashtanga Teacher Qualification, I taught 8–10 weekly classes while juggling a full-time job. Later, in London, I apprenticed under Hamish Hendry, a world-renowned Certified Ashtanga yoga teacher. By 2023, I relocated to Beijing while pregnant and resumed teaching Ashtanga, prenatal, and postnatal yoga just three months postpartum. My specialties now include Vinyasa Flow, hip-opening sequences, and yoga for motherhood.

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Beyond the Mat

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Before teaching full-time, I worked in trade associations (KITA/KOTRA), writing reports, and studied International Relations and Gender Studies as an undergrad, later merging Anthropology and International Development in grad school at Australian National University (ANU). While working at an NGO in Uganda, I met my husband, leading to a life across Belgium, the UK, and China—spending over half my years abroad.

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Now, surrounded by my talkative husband, energetic son, and delightfully quirky cat, I continue to practise and share yoga daily, weaving its lessons into every chaotic, joyful moment.

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