For the first 20 years of my life, I was a victim to the circumstances around me. I became morbidly overweight and allowed the constant stress which enveloped me to manifest itself in the form of 120 pounds of extra weight on my body. From family drug abuse to verbal abuse and suicides surrounding me, the stress was overwhelming, until enough was enough, and some much-needed separation allowed me to step into my own power and take responsibility for myself.
My life completely changed the moment I chose strength and wisdom from those past adversities, instead of self-doubt and pity. It was that journey of embracing health and fitness, leading to weight loss which ultimately led me to my first ever yoga class.
And there was still much self-discovery to be had… After 5 years in academia, I realized that I was actually not working for myself at all, but rather to please or impress others with a “fancy career”. However, I do appreciate this chapter of my life, because it helped shape who I am today and brought many wonderful people and experiences into my life. At the same time, I started following my heart and began surrounding myself with my newfound passions (health and fitness, spin classes, bootcamp classes and running) and people who shared those with me. It was a community. I became an avid fitness enthusiast, nutrition “expert”, and a marathon runner!
In 2014, the decision to quit half-way through an engineering master’s degree in France was not easy but liberating.
I moved to London for the sake of pursuing my true interests in health, fitness and wellness. I was there with a plan that extended no further than: “I have an idea of what I would like to do, and this is the place I want to do it in”, but it wasn’t until my unexpected discovery of The House of Yoga in London that things started to become crystal clear.
After a few short months, yoga quickly moved from a physical workout to something much more meaningful to me. I began to view my practice as something sacred and bursting with possibilities. The demons from my past, including disordered eating and even my mother’s death, were being bested by my yoga and meditation practice.
I put my faith in yoga (i.e., MYSELF) to transform and to grow into what I believed was possible. I asked and I received. I completed my 200hr yoga teacher training in 2016 with The House of Yoga, the place that started it all, and began teaching around London immediately. It was my dream born into reality; however, an expired visa ushered my yoga journey towards India for more learning and development in order to better share with others.
Exploring India was an eye opening, life changing, an experience thatI’ll never be able to fully describe with words.
—Claire C.
I travelled around the country for five months, enriching my life through a genuine pursuit of yoga, and spending time in many unique yoga ashrams, which gave me incredible insight into the diversity of yoga in its homeland. I also completed a 10-day course in Vipassana meditation in Bodhgaya, the place where Buddha became enlightened!
While in India I was presented the tremendous opportunity to become a founding team member of Happy Jack Yoga - a wonderfully inspiring and transformational school - where I quickly grew into a facilitation role and enjoyed the creative process of leading courses alongside world class facilitators and creators Happy Jack and Hanna.
Since then, I have returned to India many times, and travelled the world pursuing my desire to learn, practice, and teach with incredible mentors, leaders, guides and coaches.
Today I continue to teach, train, facilitate workshops, and design and co-create courses for self-development and personal transformation. The most valuable lesson I have learned is that the change I wish to see starts with me.
I teach this and share the tools to utilize this wisdom.
Jeff (Jefe), Ying Yoga/Meditation practitioner
