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The following appeared in the Hampshire View Life-changer A more tranquil view Rachel Bean tells of her journey from IT consultant to yoga teacher
I had never questioned my choice of course at university and doing a business information systems degree. I had worked hard to get a 2:1 and, through sponsorship during my placement, a good job when I graduated. After two years in my first job in IT, I applied for another position working for an IT consultancy in London. IT was fantastic, with a great social life. It was a very dynamic environment, which I had enjoyed for four years, but something began to change in me and I started to question whether I wanted to do this all my life. Initially I had no idea what else I would do. I only felt qualified to do something related to my degree course. However, I am a great believer in not staying with something if it is making you unhappy so I kept looking. Meanwhile I had taken up yoga to help me deal with some stress-related illness and I really loved it. Prior to this, I had always gone for the ‘burn' and was a step aerobics fanatic. My passion for yoga grew and I began to think about studying it in more detail in America or India. I decided on India, partly because it was cheaper but also because it was where yoga came from. I asked to take three months' unpaid leave from work in order to study in India. My employer agreed and I began to plan the trip of a lifetime. Despite my reservations about travelling by myself, I knew inside that I was doing the right thing and if nothing else it would give me a different perspective on life. I left behind my boyfriend (now husband) and set off on my trip. Part of my plan was to spend time in an ashram, doing a teacher training course in Kerala and also to go to Mysore to study there. I knew that at the end I would have a certificate so that I could begin to practise teaching if I wanted to. I was not sure if it would be a new career for me, but it gave me more options. India was amazing, a real attack on the senses. I got sick but still I love it there. I returned significantly lighter than when I left but also really inspired by the whole experience. This made returning to my old job really difficult. I kept with it for three months and started to teach to gain experience. I also enrolled on a further teacher training course, and anatomy and physiology. It was such a huge step in a different direction, it was almost like starting out again. I wanted to be sure I was getting all the correct qualifications because by now I had decided that I would leave my career in IT. I eventually took the plunge and resigned. I took a part-time job to keep me going, as I knew that initially there would not be enough money to live off from teaching yoga. It was hard at first but I never questioned it once I had left; it just felt so right. I would visit all the gyms and health clubs looking for work, because at the time, six years ago, yoga was just beginning to get popular so there were no agencies that you could go through to get work. I worked in Champneys in The Strand, and The Third Space, a trendy gym in Soho, teaching early morning classes and also working evenings after my day job. When I felt confident, after about 10 months, I left my part-time job to teach full-time. My day was no nine-to-five any more. I would teach in the morning, over lunchtime and in the evening, so it was quite a different routine to get into. I have since moved three times and taught yoga in Spain, Dublin, Bournemouth and now Winchester. I now have the luxury of being able to manage my own workload. They say the grass is always greener. One thing is for sure – you have to be very determined and very motivated. You can do anything if you put your mind to it. My motto is: follow your dreams.
* Rachel Bean runs Discover Yoga www.discoveryogauk.com 01962 843005 |
