Nina Fox

JooJoo was founded in the UK by me Nina Fox a business owner specialising in software development and website design.

After nearly 5 successful years in business I decided that I just wasn’t getting enough out of what I was doing. I didnt feel emotionally fulfilled or like I was making a difference.

I knew I didnt want to give up web design or software development, but that I wanted to run something alongside my already successful business, but something that also nourished my soul. I had been practising Yoga on and off for over 10 years, and found that I was becoming more committed to my practice. I realised that for the last 18 months I had been toying with the idea of taking a Yoga instructor course. That was it! it all became very clear. I wanted to teach yoga! and not just for toning and strengthening, but for all the wonderful health and healing benefits that come with it. That was it, that was what I was going to do. So I set about researching Yoga training schools, I have wonderful visions of practising on the beaches in Thailand, and taking my work around the world with me. After spending a couple of weeks looking at courses it became clear to me that, I had no idea what I was looking for. I knew I wanted to train abroad and not the UK because the thought of dragging myself around the UK in goodness knows what kind of weather for countless weekends did not appeal to me. I also knew that I wanted to get on and do the course as quickly as possible.

So I started there, I found a course in Spain which was just a couple of months away. I bit the bullet and called the school. The Woman I spoke to was weary of me at first, but soon warmed up when she found out I had been practicing Yoga for a while and that I was also spiritual, with practicing meditation and reading Tarot cards. Her name was Anne-Marie Newland of Sun Power Yoga, and she sure knew her stuff. Anne-Marie enlightened me to the fact that I needed certain qualifications in order to teach in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world. A fact that none of the other schools had mentioned. Now bearing in mind that the training course isn’t cheap, the fact you could spend a lot of money and time and not actually be able to teach in your own country was a great big shock! After spending some time talking with Anne-Marie and her advising that the course would give me the qualifications to teach in any country in the world, I felt that was the school I wanted to train with. I was not thinking small time Village halls at this point, I had dreams of building retreats all over the world (even if it was still early days). So I sent off my application form and forgot all about it. Within a few days, I received an acceptance letter and a large parcel containing Training manuals, CYQ portfolios, DVD’S and instructions for pre-course work and a ‘suggested reading list’ reading for the Spain course that started in two months! Now Im not gonna lie, I started to have a little panic attack. What the hell had I signed up for and what was I thinking taking on all this work just 8 weeks before the course started, I still had a business to run. After some serious calming down, talking and practical planning, I got all the books, read them all and wrote my course work before the course started.

The flights were booked and I was as ready as I was ever going to be. July came round very quickly and I set off for a two week intensive immersion course in Spain. It was tough, hard work, tiring and frustrating. Anyone who thinks a yoga teacher training course is all about ‘relaxing’ is seriously mistaken. Now I knew it was going to be long days and and a lot of work. But I had no way of knowing that our own practice was going to be ripped apart, dissected, restructured and put back together again! everything I had ever known in Yoga or had ever been taught, was tossed out of the window, as either, incorrect or dangerous! That was scary! Now I was going to listen and take on board everything this woman was teaching me, not only did she have 38 years of experience teaching, she also trained in India and Quebec with Swami Vishnu Devananda and his senior Disciples…that is a big deal! the days started at 5am with meditation which was all new to me and usually finished at 7-7:30pm for dinner then homework. it was exhausting, and at times really difficult to keep up with as there was so much to take in. I learnt a blend of Ashtanga, Hatha, Sivananda. After two intense weeks, 3 practical assessments and three written exams, I had passed! thank god. Although I still had some homework to complete, I could now teach Yoga!

After coming home I needed to rest, but immediately set about finding venues, building a website and promoting myself as a teacher. I am starting a beginners course in September, and have already started teaching privately and am in talks with the NHS to hep smokers and ex smokers. I am looking to reach as many people as I can with this wonderful and inspiring yoga. Watch this space…