The Journey of Surya Bee

The Journey of Surya Bee started long before I realised it. It’s strange how things turns out! The paths we choose and those that we don’t necessarily choose but are guided into for the benefit of ourselves and others.
 
My yoga journey began around 2014. At the time, I had a full-time career, and teaching group fitness was just a hobby I got paid for. But then in 2015, while lying on a beach in Thailand, I asked myself:

“What kind of class could I still teach into my 60’s?”

That thought often makes me wonder – fitness had always been a side passion, but suddenly, it was like I was starting to walk my path.

I didn’t grow up around yoga or meditation, so it took time for this practice to find me, but in 2017, almost two years later, I travelled to Thailand for a month-long, 200-hour Ashtanga Vinyasa teacher training. The training appealed to me for its professional feel rather than the style itself, but as I always say, Ashtanga chose me.

Thanks to my connections in the fitness world, I began teaching yoga immediately while also practising Ashtanga six days a week. Back then, I believed that to be a good yoga teacher, I needed to perform every posture perfectly. But with time, and injury, I learned that being a good teacher isn’t about pushing the body into shapes that offer no real value to our individual structure.

My interest in yoga and its philosophy led me deeper into study:

• Ashtanga and pranayama in Mysore
• 50 hours of Yin Yoga training in the UK
• 500 hours of Hatha Yoga training with the oldest yoga institute in the world.

In 2019 I decided to travel and teach. In early 2020, after spending 3 months in an ashram in northern Thailand, I travelled to Laos intending to travel further, but when Covid hit, I stayed.

Since then, Luang Prabang has become home.

Now, I teach yoga, offer sound healing, run retreats and have recently launched my own yoga clothing brand, Surya Bee.

Why Surya Bee?

I wanted something to reflect yoga while maintaining ‘Bee’. The reason for this is my name, Deborah is of Hebrew origin and the meaning is Bee. My mum initially wanted to call me Melissa but decided against it and gave me the middle name of Lisa. Melissa is of Greek origin and little did she know, also means Bee so for sure I was meant to be a bee! I chose ’Surya’ meaning ‘sun’ in Sanskrit to complete the name Surya Bee.

The Surya Bee logo also holds significant meaning, the bee’s body is a Unalome and symbolises the journey of life, with all its ups and downs, struggles, and learning experiences that ultimately lead towards clarity and enlightenment. It serves as a reminder of the inherent challenges and growth that one encounters along the path of self-discovery and personal development.  

My Qualifications

You can view my full list of yoga and fitness qualifications in the image below.