About Your ‍‍Yoga

After a few years of trying to find my “self” through a lower level search for peace, I had to let go of the party habits and highs. It was all very well-intentioned fun and I wouldn’t change any of those times, but the lows that came with that lifestyle could not be sustained.

Through many different books, methods and recovery solutions that all had very positive effects, I began to practice yoga. I started off with a book given to me by a good friend. After trying many different classes and Hatha yoga methods I found Ashtanga vinyasa Yoga, through a friend and very experienced Ashtanga teacher (Luke Jordan).

I had this curiosity about the philosophy of life as written and experienced from mystics in the past. Yoga certainly had an abundance of philosophy & this was another reason for me to take up the disciplined yogic practice. Even though Ashtanga seems a very physically based practice, it offered me a great way to go deeper into the inquiry of myself, as I see myself and all the self-defeating habits of mind. It became like a mirror to help me see who I really was, if you like. All this curiosity was enough to keep me inspired to continue the daily discipline.

Luke had suggested I go see another great teacher in India, Rolf Naujokat. I travelled twice to Goa for almost 6 months in total to visit and practice with Rolf. I remember the first time I seen Rolf, he had this mystical look in his eyes and I soon discovered that he was a very special being. I learned so much about not only the postures, but the energy and peace that he had. People were drawn to practice with Rolf not just because of his amazing ability to make bodily shapes but because of his wisdom and knowledge.

This type of yoga was the Yoga my then thrill-seeking spirit had craved! I loved the dynamism and sweat created by this system of intentionally set out postures. At this stage I was in my late twenties and wanted something that felt intense. This practice felt like that! To gain the full benefits of this, you must practice 5/ 6 days a week. Something that helped me to let go of my party days was the faith in something higher than just the body and all the worldly possessions and sense perceptions.

Rolf had spent many years practicing with the guru of Ashtanga Yoga Sri pattabhi jois in Mysore and many years with other sadhus and gurus. He had a wealth of knowledge and it was mesmerising to listen to and be in his company. On moon days he would teach us pranayama (breathing techniques) and this helped, combined with the postures & philosophy to create more internal energy. At 32 years of age I felt alive in all aspects, more than ever up to that point.

The practice of yoga helped to keep me in some way stable through its filtering of each experience. I feel it has given me all the tools to help in dropping away past habitual reactions and tendencies towards life situations, and to eventually hold the space of awareness and see things in their true light.

I hope you can begin YOUR Yoga journey with me!

About Your Yoga

A few words from Phi‍‍l‍lip

Your Yoga is owned and run by Phillip Morgan, an experienced and qualfied Yoga teacher who has been practising Yoga for over ten years.  Philip currently teaches in two locations in the Mid Ulster Area, Cookstown and Dungannon.

Although Phillip has studied various types of yoga, he now mainly concentrates on Ashtanga Yoga, as this is his personal choice of what to practice.  Ashtanga can be quite an intense practise when getting into the more advanced asanas, however Phillip offers lessons for all abilities and levels of experience.