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From MS to Taming the Walrus
In 1999, during a step class in Dublin, my right foot suddenly stopped obeying me. No pain, no warning, just numbness. That was the beginning of my journey with multiple sclerosis.
At first, MS brought a lot of fear and uncertainties. But over time, I began to see it as a messenger asking me to listen, and live differently.
I first came to yoga as an alternative to the gym. I loved the physical challenge, and the way my body felt afterwards. But gradually, I started noticing how it changed the way I felt emotionally.
Over the years, little by little, yoga taught me self-compassion, acceptance, and how to let go. I’ve learned to trust life, my body, and the intelligence that connects us all.
MS has been a constant reminder that ageing with vitality isn’t about holding on to what was, or trying to go ‘back’ to the way things were. It’s about truly and profoundly awakening what still is, and to allow healing.
For me, healing doesn’t mean curing or recovering. It’s a return to wholeness: a feeling of being deeply aligned with our true essence and life’s purpose. When we live from that place, energy flows more freely, and we begin to age with joy and vitality.
Today, I want to live and teach from that place. I want to share yoga, Breathwork, and stillness as pathways back to vitality, peace, and the joy of being fully yourself.
Why the Walrus?
The name “Taming the Walrus” comes from a dream I had three months before being diagnosed with MS.
In the dream, I was walking through a quiet neighbourhood when I found myself drawn to a house with steps leading down to a small, barren garden. I stepped inside, and an enormous female walrus came to me.
She was majestic. Her head nearly touched the ceiling, her whole body rippling like a slow-moving wave. I couldn’t move or speak, only watch. She looked at me kindly through long lashes, as if she meant no harm. Then she spoke. She gave me a riddle. I knew that solving it would allow me to move on…
I’ve always believed in that dream.
If MS were an animal, it would be my walrus: vast, powerful, a little frightening, yet ultimately friendly. And I know that I need to keep learning from ‘my Walrus’ one breath at a time.
And I believe we all have our own walrus…
Continuing the Journey
Learning never stops, and for me, it’s one of the greatest joys of this work.
I’m an E-RYT 500 yoga teacher, Yoga Alliance continuing education provider, Certified Breathwork Practitioner, Fitness Trainer, and Transformation Life Coach, as well as a member of the International Breathwork Foundation.
My passion for lifelong learning spans both ancient wisdom and modern science, from breath and mitochondria to the gut microbiome and lifestyle medicine. I’m always exploring one question: how can we live more fully and age more vibrantly?
I’ve trained with remarkable teachers worldwide, earning certifications in Hatha Yoga (Frog Lotus International, 2009) and Yoga Therapy (Paramanand Institute, 2013), along with specialised studies in:
• Advanced Breathwork – Dr. Ela Manga (2023)
• Polyvagal Theory in Therapeutic Yoga – Dr. Arielle Schwartz (2020–21)
• Yoga as Therapy – Doug Keller (2012, 2015)
• Restorative Yoga – Roger Cole (2015)
• Adaptive Yoga – Dr. Omanand (2013)
• MS Get a Head Start – Gilly Davy (2019)
Each training deepens my understanding of how movement, breath, and meditation support healing and vitality.
