Yoga gave me passion and perspective, something I’d never had growing up. I lived in a bubble; parties, late nights, all the glitzy superficiality that comes with growing up in LA. My reality was skewed and my ego over-inflated. I can honestly say I’m not sure how I would have turned out if I hadn’t stumbled into that first class at City Yoga on Fairfax Avenue.
Yoga cleansed me, shaped me and gave me something to be inspired by. The asana (the physical practice) committed me to a daily dose of strength, flexibility and mobility; it gave me a challenge that I couldn’t talk my way out of. These days, this part of the practice reminds me how lucky I am to be able to tie my own shoes, pick up and play with my niece, Koa, and walk away from things that don’t serve my life.
Michael James Wong © Niki Priest
Yoga gave me peace in a way I didn’t even know I needed, the kind that helped me battle my daily insecurities. Even more, yoga helped to calm the chaos in my mind, manage my personal anxiety and perceive the world from a kinder point of view, one day at a time.
Through the practice, I’ve started to slow down. I’m quieter now than I used to be. I enjoy the silence. Beyond anything else, yoga has given me space, something I never knew was lacking in my life. Yoga helped me to find confidence in myself on and off the mat. Those first few years of dedicated practice allowed me to realise that life wasn’t all about being cool.
‘YOGA HELPED TO CALM THE CHAOS IN MY MIND’
At the age of 25 I left the US to travel the world and experience a little more of what life had to offer (to the anguish of my mother, I’ve yet to move back home). Since leaving, I’ve split my time between Sydney and London, getting my passport stamped in as many places as possible on the way.
And I’m still going. I’ve been teaching yoga, modern mindfulness and meditation for the past ten years and I am blessed to have an amazing community of yogis, teachers, students and friends all over the world.
Michael James Wong © Niki Priest
I give credit to my parents for my diverse upbringing and the trust and freedom they allowed me to continue exploring the world.
I’m grateful for all the choices I have made to get me to this point in my life. I always thank my parents for showing me the world through their eyes. I’ve been lucky enough to be an immigrant my whole life. I was raised to respect everyone from everywhere, because I was welcomed everywhere. Home has always been where friends and family are, and these days, no matter where I go I’m home.
This is me living my Yoga.
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