A former accountancy clerk became a yoga instructor after discovering the physical and mental benefits of the art When former accountancy clerk Shirley Tse Lai-fun became a yoga instructor, it was like emerging into the light after decades spent in a dark tunnel. The 37-year-old gladly swapped her corporate attire for sleek figure-hugging yoga outfits. Her office was no longer a crammed cubicle but a state-of-the-art yoga studio inside the relaxing Japanese Zen-inspired garden interior of the health centre mYoga. Lunch is no longer a rushed affair of ploughing through a rice box against project deadlines and juggling meeting times. She can choose from an array of fruit juices and healthy meals at the health centre's wellness cafe - and take her time. Another large bonus is that she doesn't have to contend with the polluted fumes of the urban jungle any more, as the air at mYoga is purified. For most of her 14-year accountancy career - an industry she chose only because she loved doing sums as a child - Ms Tse lived the treadmill existence of a typical Hongkonger: long working hours and consistent pressures of a job that resulted in ill health, exhaustion and stress. 'My health was very bad when I was working in the office. I suffered from bad neck, back and shoulder pain all the time and saw numerous doctors, none of whom could alleviate my pains,' she recalled. 'My physiotherapist said part of the problem was because I was really stressed out, so he suggested I take up yoga as a way of relaxing.' Six months after practising yoga, which has its roots in ancient India, Ms Tse's life began to change. Her ailments had all disappeared. She was feeling energised, mentally balanced and healthy, without so much as an ounce of medication or abiding by doctor's orders. 'I quite literally fell in love with yoga,' she said. 'In a week, I used to do eight to 10 hours of classes. I love the benefits and healing effects of yoga. You feel like you are a different person.' Then last year, four years after making yoga a part of her daily reality, Ms Tse began thinking about quitting her day job and opting for something slower and more in line with the yoga philosophies she had learnt. Looking back, she believes fate had something to do with her career change. When she saw an advertisement on a comprehensive yoga teaching training course, everything fell into place. This was the career she had been looking for. She resigned from her job at an electronics company and enrolled in the 200-hour programme. 'Becoming a yoga instructor had crossed my mind before, but it wasn't until I saw the teaching course that I knew how to begin the process of becoming a teacher and to be able to explain to others the movements and postures of yoga,' she said. Ms Tse said the one-month course, which was more like a day job from 9am to 6pm, helped made the transition to teaching yoga faster and easier. The intensive programme taught her everything from how to correct a student's posture to preparing the sequencing of movements, using her body to demonstrate a pose and the philosophies behind the practice. 'I took away so many teaching methods from the course that can be used to make a yoga class refreshing to regular students. The most challenging part so far has been making sure I can clearly articulate to students what I require of them,' she said, adding that she often practised by playing back instructions she recorded on a tape to see whether she could understand them herself. 'You can sometimes be surprised at how you come across. Often, you just assume you are clear but it can sound completely different from a third person's perspective,' said Ms Tse who primarily teaches hatha yoga, hot yoga and yoga stretch. Class sizes can range from a handful of 10 to 60. In just a few short years, yoga has been catapulted into the celebrity limelight, evolving from what many had perceived as a hippie's pastime in the past. And with a burgeoning proportion of the population becoming more health conscious, many are taking up the practice in search of a longer, healthier life. The growth of this trend was likely to accelerate to the point where yoga would one day be as prevalent as hiking, running or any of the popular sports, Ms Tse said. Growing up, she was a sports addict who loved the outdoors. She spent many weekends hiking, sailing and competing in marathons. As a student during the summer holidays she worked as a volunteer for the Social Welfare Department, taking children on outdoor extra-curricular activities, leading hiking teams, teaching the students how to read a compass and heading camping trips. Some of that work helped with her transition to her current teaching role, as did her experience in the corporate world, despite the fact that the two jobs could not be further apart. 'I had to interact with a wide spectrum of people in my old job, from colleagues that I worked with regularly to those in other departments and vendors from outside. That experience has helped me with teaching. As an instructor, you have to deal with lots of different students who come from all walks of life,' she said. But the greatest impact of her career switch has undoubtedly been the rewards of her labour, particularly when she sees her students improve, turn the corner on their health, sleep better and have greater concentration. 'Many of the students remind me of the old me,' she said. 'I get a much bigger kick out of my work now than ever before. I used to find satisfaction through pleasing my boss and putting together presentations and accounts that he was happy with. But now I really feel that by sharing my knowledge and experience, I am able to give back and help people. I am really happiest when students become healthier, more open and have a simpler mentality to life.' Continuous improvement is required to hone the art of yoga. Part of this comes through experience, but the rest lies in self study and practise. Embracing yoga on both mental and physical levels, Ms Tse is an avid reader of books on spirituality and philosophy. Outside of classes, she also practises yoga on her own for two hours every day. What began as a panacea for her poor health has blossomed into a passion, and permeated every aspect of her life. 'I see my future in yoga. But I don't just want to practise the poses and movements. I want to learn about its spiritual benefits, visit India, understand it in a more holistic manner and learn about all its dimensions, so that I can apply these in my classes. Yoga has helped me tremendously, so I want to spread the word and bring its benefits to others,' she said. Next week, Changing Paths and Moving Up will be replaced by The Race Continues series, which looks at how former athletes succeeded in their post-sports careers Steps to change Found an interest that also became her passion Took a relevant course Leveraged on previous experiences such as communication and interpersonal skills to make the transition smoother Continuously looks at ways of self improvement Path to enlightenment How to change careers Choose something you like and have an interest in How to get the idea Spend time developing an interest. Make sure you have spent sufficient time doing it so that you know your attraction to it is not just a fad How to plan Taking a course in the relevant discipline/industry will help you start the process How to get it going Be clear about what you want to get out of your new career. The perfect scenario is to find something that fits in with your career objectives and personality How to make sure it works out well Be open and listen to others' opinions and observations. Sometimes, we become so focused we cannot see beyond our immediate scope. But the clarity a third person brings can help us see through many things Good advice Be realistic about your capabilities. Understand your strengths and weaknesses
