Meet Ash Bond. Ash is a storyteller, writer and yoga teacher and loves to help people find space in their bodies and their minds. Read on to find out how she combines these and what inspires her.
What do you teach and why?
What do I teach? Lots of things, that are all sort of the same really: writing, moving, being with each other. My journey is in refining ways to offer space for folks to have their own unique, connected and embodied experience, whether that is in a journaling exercise or curating a retreat in the Welsh mountains.
Why do I teach? I find people fascinating, and teaching allows me to interact with lots of them. With teaching, I have the opportunity to listen to people’s stories, sometimes to even witness their stories as they move – walk, breath, and practice their downdog.
What brought you to this practice?
A poster in the common room at university. Yoga at Trinity College – first class free. My friend Sabria and I pottered along to class and there we met Sarah, my first and dearest yoga teacher, in a room of sweet older ladies. The practice that she was the embodiment of (gentle, fierce, honest) supported me through my university years. I would try and go three times a week. The classes were mostly Hatha but on Friday it was Yin. I would always be late as I would rush after my Ancient History tutorial. I would tiptoe towards the mat Sarah had laid out for me, lie down, let her cover me with a blanket and I would rest – and often cry. She and the practice held space for me to be exactly as I needed to be, right then.
Why do you teach?
There is a brilliant book by Sir Ken Robinson called Element – for him being in your ‘element’ is when ability and enjoyment collide. For me that element is teaching. It is a creative, challenging and often frustrating practice and when it goes well, is a daily dose of flow state. Plus, I adore my students.
What motivates you?
I have always been a driven person, your classic type A really. Late nights, early mornings and a blinkered disciple of burning the candle at both ends. Yoga, if anything, allows me to soften; to stay focussed but not to the detriment of my overall wellbeing. But ask anyone who knows me well, especially when I am nearing a writing deadline, this is still very much a work in progress!
What is your favourite way to unwind?
I love to run, and I love to garden (though I am not very ‘good’ at either).
Which living teachers / thinkers most inspire you and why?
I am so blessed to meet teachers every day. I often stare at my dog and ask her (often when she is barking): ‘what are you teaching me in this moment?’
Human teachers: Amanda Palmer – her music, her writing and her philosophy of valuing your work as a creative inspired me to create my Patreon page which has helped me through some rocky times.
Recommend your favourite books ( 1 – 3 titles)
This is going to be the most fun, and the most challenging question for me. My favourite books? They change all of the time, all of them are fiction and it is possible you wouldn’t like them. A book is such a personal offering after all – a little nod of understanding in paper form that I see something in you that is the same as something in me. So perhaps instead I’ll share the books I press most into my students’ hands.
- Woman and Power by Mary Beard
- Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Which daily practice would make us feel better?
My housemate coined a wonderful phrase ‘let’s go take a tree bath.’ A tree bath. To go stand amongst the trees!
Beach or Mountain?
In a past life I was an outdoor guide, and spent a year walking in the mountains of China. They will always have a chunk of my heart.
Cat or Dog?
I share a life with a polar bear of a dog, so I have to say dog here
Rural or Urban?
Rural.
Sunrise or Sunset
I am an early riser, with my most creative time happening before noon. Sunrise.
Spring or Autumn
Both
What is your favourite food?
Again, so difficult! I have a wonderful community who gather to share food from their gardens, goats and chickens. Something home-grown, loved and shared!
More about Ash Bond:
Ash Bond is a yoga teacher and storyteller. She loves to tell stories, explore them, and ask what they mean. Ash invites you to embrace the blank page as a place of play and exploration. Her thought-provoking and accessible journaling sessions will guide you gently through creative visualisation, sensory description and short, focussed writing exercises. Ash’s yoga classes are strengthening, activating, stretching. She invites you to dive deep and play lightly on the surface. Why not try one of her classes?
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