Hi, Bad Yogi Society here.
My real name is Eve. I was given the nickname ‘The Bad Yogi’ by a woman who is now a dear friend of mine - but it didn’t start out that way. After I graduated from my Yoga Teacher Training, I was determined to be the best yoga teacher in the city, or recognised as the best to my peers.
This desire came from a place of lack, not a place of self value and worth, which is always a recipe for disaster. I spent countless time, money and energy (aka. F*cks) on signing up to every yoga course, workshop or teacher training that I could get my little paws on in order to fill this void of ‘not enough-ness.’ The thing about voids is they get bigger if you feed them.
Needless to say, I had bit off more than I could chew, and I had a minor neck injury, so when I had noticed that my business partner had signed us up to Patrick Beach’s inversion training at a studio called Yogaworx, I was less than enthused.
However, that same weekend I saw that Laughing Lotus had a training that I really wanted to attend, so I signed up for that. I decided to see if Yogaworx would offer me a refund for my deposit, which I thought was a harmless question at the time, without attachment to the response.
My request, according to the owner of Yogaworx, Wendy, was not only unreasonable, but highly offensive. I explained the situation with my neck injury (Patrick Beach is very ‘Handstandy’) and she flat out called me a liar and said that one of her little-yoga-gossip-birdies had said my injury was from a car accident long ago, and not at all current or real.
I think Wendy expected me to be apologetic and bow out of this conversation because most people are afraid of confrontation and prefer to keep the peace under any circumstances, but I’m not that way inclined. I clapped back, she called me a Bad Yogi, I responded with,
“Who made you the authority on what is Good and what is Bad? Are you the Queen of Yoga?”
I forgot to mention that all of this was happening over a Facebook message in the parking lot of my own yoga studio, OMPY. I ended the conversation, slammed the door in a tizz, and entered my studio to gather myself before teaching a class.
Moments later, this graceful gazelle entered the door of my studio. She filled out a new client form. I asked her if she had any injuries, she said,
“Yes, many, but I’m a yoga teacher so I’ll manage.”
I asked where she taught.
“Yogaworx.” She responded.
”What’s your name?” I asked.
”Wendy.”
Just by chance that morning, Wendy from Yogaworx had dropped her daughter in Fremantle, and her daughter had booked her into a random yoga class at a random yoga studio that happened to be mine. We had been parked next to each other having a fight on Facebook, moments before meeting for the first time. Neither of us had any idea who the other was.
I introduced myself, and comped her the class. To this day, I have never taught a more perfect yoga class in my life.
Wendy really enjoyed the class, she told me.
The next day I awoke to a message from Wendy. She said that she didn’t like leaving the confrontation as it was and asked me to meet. I didn’t really want to go at first but my roommate at the time, Holly, told me that I should, it could turn out better than I think.
Wendy and I met at il Lido in Cottesloe for coffee. Two notoriously strong, hot-headed women about to confront each other in active conflict about a subject they both disagree on. What could go right?
Wendy said she was chatting with her husband Mal in bed, and admitted that although I had rubbed her up the wrong way, she kind of liked it. She said, “Mal, I think I like this girl, and she’s right you know, who made me the authority on good and bad?”
Coffee and tension turned into olives and wine, laughter and eventually tipsy camaraderie. It was in that moment I realised, confrontation is just two people coming together and telling each other how they need to be loved and respected.
This was the beginning of two really important things in my life.
The birth of Bad Yogi Society - the person and the brand
Day 1 of a very special lifelong friendship and working relationship
This all happened in 2016 and I’ve taught for Yogaworx ever since, and Wendy has taken me under her wing, welcoming me into her home and her family, mentored me and been my most influential teacher and powerhouse role model.
Wendy is the original Baddie, the ultimate main character. She doesn’t give a F*ck about what other people think of her, she minds her business and stays in her own lane, dances to the beat of her own drum, has impeccable character style, strong values, clear boundaries and backs herself wholly. She is an inspiration, not only as a teacher, but as an empowered woman, liberated from the guilt and shame that is projected onto women who dare to live life on their own terms.
Wendy is an icon.
Wendy was the first member of Bad Yogi Society.
Thank you for reading the origin story of Bad Yogi Society, and I look forward to sharing more of the wisdom I’ve learned through years of yoga practice, hard life lessons and resources that have helped me step into the authentic and powerful baddie I am today.
Stay Hydrated, Wear SPF50+ and Stay Away from F*ckboys.
Love,
Eve
xx