Why I Started Yoga for Pain Relief—and Found So Much More
Lauren having some yoga playtime with her kids in their lounge room.
I first came to yoga because I was desperate to find relief from neck and back pain. Long hours on my feet in a busy restaurant kitchen had left me exhausted, cranky, and constantly sore.
When I signed up for my first 200-hour yoga teacher training, I wasn’t planning to become a yoga teacher. I just wanted to see if yoga could be a natural way to heal my body and improve my mood. At that stage of life—three kids, full-time work. I thought exhaustion was just “normal.” But here’s what I’ve learnt: Pain in the body is might be common, but it’s not normal.
We live in a culture that glorifies working hard and pushing through discomfort. But feeling constantly tired, sore, and disconnected from yourself shouldn’t be the baseline.
The Turning Point
On the flight home from New York, after finishing that first yoga training, I noticed something incredible. My body felt light, pain-free, energised. For the first time in years, I didn’t feel weighed down by fatigue and tension. I knew right then: I never wanted to go back.
I also knew I wanted to share this newfound sense of ease and happiness with others.
Yoga in the Lounge Room
It started small. After school drop-off, a few mums would come over to my lounge room. We’d roll out mats, do a gentle yoga class, then have tea together. The ingredients were simple: breath, movement, and connection.
Before long, Tuesday mornings became my favourite time of the week.
A friend from the next town, Bellagio, asked if I’d teach there too. Within months, I was leading regular yoga classes in Bellagio—in the town hall, the dance studio, and even the old library.
It turns out people really do want to feel better in their bodies. And moving well, breathing deeply and slowing down is one of the best ways to do that.
Not About Becoming a Teacher
When we began offering our own yoga teacher training at Marou, many people said:
“I don’t think I actually want to be a yoga teacher.”
I felt the same when I started.
But here’s the thing: Marou home YTT isn’t just about becoming an Yoga teacher, it’s about learning how to feel better in yourself. And that’s always a good reason to begin.
What amazed me is how these students naturally started sharing what they learned, in ways that felt authentic to them.
Lauren: does movement and deep relaxation with her kids, and even led a yoga class for parents on a school camping trip.
Mel: blends deep relaxation with sound healing to create magical events.
Douk: started hosting monthly men’s circles and “Broga” classes designed for men.
Each of these people are how to feel better in a way that feels authentic to them! Which is what this journey is all about.
For me, yoga began as pain relief. But it’s grown into so much more: community, joy, connection, and a practice that keeps me grounded through life’s chaos.
If there is any part of you that is interested in this journey with us, reach out to Hannah and book a free 1:1 connection call.
Our 200hr Yoga Teacher Training is a space to learn natural movement, explore what it feels like in your own body and to embody the ease that ripples into every part of your world.
Maddy xxx
