Meet Karen Rodrigues Ayers; one of our Level 2 graduates, a Special Yoga Trainer on our Special Yoga for Special Children Foundation, a trainer for our Calm Together Programme for parents, and a lead on our Schools' Programme:
"My background is in education, with over 20 years spent working in early years in lots of different settings. Somehow, I always seemed to find myself alongside children with complex bodies, minds and feelings — working closely with physiotherapists and occupational therapists along the way.
It was actually one of those physios who first nudged me towards exploring something called “Special Yoga”. At the time, I was very much in forging ahead and fighting mode. I’m a parent to two strong young women, one of whom has autism, PDA, a hearing impairment and Down syndrome — so being in survival mode felt completely normal to me. But that course… well, it genuinely changed my life. I know that sounds corny, but it’s true.
I completed the intensive seven-day Special Yoga training in 2019 and never imagined I’d end up being part of a team that quite literally lives and breathes yoga. Before that, my experience of yoga had been the odd class in a gym, and if I’m honest, it really wasn’t for me. I was the “wrong” shape, I had injuries and scarring, and I couldn’t move in the ways the instructors wanted. Worse than that, no one helped me feel safe or comfortable in either my body or my mind.
After the intensive course, I couldn’t get enough. I knew that yoga was for everybody’s body and wanted to share it. I went on to complete my Level 2 training and was thrilled when Covid unexpectedly made that possible online. Always keen to keep learning, I then added Special Yoga for Adults to my training, followed more recently by a course focused on dementia.
These days, I have the absolute honour and privilege of being one of the trainers on both the online and live foundation courses alongside Alice and Frankie. I have also helped develop the schools programme with Laura, which is a work on progress. I now share yoga privately in schools, at home, and in supported living settings with people who have complex bodies (PMLD) from the age of four right through to eighty. I also share yoga with a carers’ group once a month, which has become a really special space.
Special Yoga continues to inspire me. It’s always growing and evolving, and it genuinely feels like a family. I’ve learned so much, not just professionally, but personally too, and I’ve made some truly lovely friends along the way.
If anyone is thinking about doing the foundation course, I’d say: go for it. Embrace it. I will always be grateful to Jyoti who helped me become more present in my body and mind. Of course, I’m human so that doesn’t happen all the time! But the tools I now have help ground and energise me. I feel like a kinder, calmer person to be around. I’m no longer stuck in fight, flight or freeze. I’ve learned that it’s okay to let go, to let the tears fall… and just breathe."
Karen is one of the trainers on our upcoming Special Yoga for Special Children Online training, starting 18 April.
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