As a complete novice and admittedly having very little knowledge of yoga and yoga philosophy, the experience of my first hot yoga class is something I will remember for the rest of my life.

It is amazing what one long hot yoga class can do to change your personal views. It is even more astounding what a committed and continued hot yoga practice can do for your outlook in a wider context.

I was hooked; I had found a new passion in life. Becoming a yoga teacher wasn’t foremost on my mind after that first class but certainly sharing what I had experienced was. So, I told everyone I knew that ‘I now do yoga!’ I started my hot yoga journey with Bikram yoga. My curiosity heightened over the years until I discovered the diversity and freedom that is Moksha Yoga.

In July 2007, I decided that the Moksha Yoga teacher training was where I wanted to hone my energy for learning and ultimately satisfy that curiosity. Off to Canada I went.

On completion, my teachers’ instructions were to “spread peace in the Middle East”, and with that I taught at the blissful Six Senses Spa Doha for 3 years before returning home to Australia to teach in various studios across Melbourne.

As Director of Grass Roots Yoga, I’m excited to have the opportunity to share the wonders of hot yoga, and to build a community of likeminded practioners.

Shannon Barry is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) with Yoga Alliance, which acknowledges the completion of a yoga teacher training with an approved and active Registered Yoga School (RYS).