Written By Miri Gindin

The Kids Yoga world is small folks! Our Flora met Bryony through a yoga gig. A little while later The Yoga Buggy was looking for teachers and Bryony was looking for a kids yoga community! Lucky us-we found each other :)

Bryony has a fascinating and varied background. She is an actor, a dancer and a veteran yogi. She composes music and sings like an angel. (We were fortunate enough to draw on Bryony’s talents to compose and sing our new theme song. Please check it out-it’s so beautiful!)

As well as being breathtakingly creative and a wonderful teacher, Bryony is also a gentle and supportive soul-a great listener and calming presence in every interaction.

Next month Bryony will be releasing a fantastic new workshop to support teachers. Yoga in Your Classroom will teach tools to support your students to be calmer, more peaceful, and more productive.

We are really excited about this launch. We know it’s going to support a lot of people, especially during the stressful pandemic season that the world is going through. We needed to have a sit down with Bryony to talk about her new course and a few other things we were curious about!

TYB: We are so excited about your new workshop that brings yoga tools into the classroom. What do you think teachers will take away from this workshop?

B: I hope that educators leave the workshop with tools and techniques that they can use confidently and immediately to help themselves and their students feel like the best versions of themselves. I hope that these tools become life skills that young people can develop throughout their lives to cope with various situations that come along.

TYB: You have had some big adventures! You are from the UK, lived in Japan and are now (lucky for us!) in Vancouver. What are some of the highlights of your travels?

B: Living in Japan as a young adult and raising young children there was a gift. Although we were so far from our immediate/extended family we were blessed with so many kind and loving people that shaped and enriched our lives. We were invited into homes, families and introduced to a culture that will forever fascinate and excite me. So, I would say friends and connection were/always are the key.

In Japan my husband and I were fortunate enough to be in a band with 3 other great musicians. These people have become a family to us. We created a monthly performance and art event called Harmonium Parlour. It was through music and this event that we were able to connect with an eclectic community of global and Japanese people. It was and will always be a massive highlight of my life.

Lastly, and importantly, I would say having an incredible family in the UK/Canada that supported us throughout our time in Japan was integral. The many precious memories made when they came to visit us was a highlight. Having family (and friends) come to visit always gives us new reasons to explore, discover new places and beauty and appreciate through new .

TYB: You've said that two of your big passions are music and yoga. Are there any similarities between the two? How do you use music in your yoga, and how do you use yoga in your music?

B: Both are guided by intuitive sensing and listening (well, for me in my connection to music anyway!) Both music and yoga connect with the spirit/soul and give me a feeling of freedom, yet connection with the world/others. I do like to use music in my practice/ classes; moving through and feeling the music; letting it come and go, or wash over me. I also like to “turn off” find silence, observe breath and focus on that as the “music”.

I use breathing on stage to calm any nerves or insecurities. I also use my breath and the information I have gathered through inquiries in yoga to develop my singing voice. I love to dance and move within the songs. I feel like yoga Asana [the physical postures in yoga] and dance are very much connected.

TYB: Are attitudes about yoga different in Canada than other places you've been?

B: On a surface level I felt like the attitudes to yoga in Canada were more about fitness and “controlling” the external/physical body. Now that I have been immersed here and delving deeper I realize how short-sighted I was and how, (and I believe almost everywhere now) there are many vastly learned yogis who have immersed themselves in a practice that they are committed to sharing with others. This is something I strive to do more in the future.

TYB: What are some of your favourite things to teach?

B: I love to make people feel empowered, to feel safe and a loving connection to themselves, one another and the world around us.

TYB: What is something we might not guess about you?

B:

1. Reading music baffles me!

2. I’m not calm all the time

3. I had a hard time fitting in in high school.

TYB: What advice would you like to share with new/aspiring kids' yoga teachers?

B: It is really hard to find an entire group of young people who are going to listen or follow along. However, we never really know what impact we might be having. I have heard from parents that their kids have been sharing breathing techniques or poses with them at home that we did in class! (I thought that from the way these kids acted in class that they weren’t interested or didn’t want to be there.)

Stay in touch with your own inner child! Play is everything. Be gentle with yourself. Stay connected with a community of teachers to share ideas and experiences. There are so many possibilities to share!

I truly hope that you have a chance to learn with this wonderful teacher in her new workshop. If you’re not a teacher or community leader, please invite anyone who might benefit from Bryony’s wisdom, yoga tools and creativity!

Teacher Feature: Bryony