Adam Whiting
Lead Facilitator & Performance Coach
Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend. – Albert Camus
I used to have panic attacks. The kind that struck with such ferocity and frequency that I was convinced I was dying. My arms and face would go numb, the room would spin with vertigo and every ounce of my being was thrown into primal survival mode.
I’m not sure why I went to my first yoga class. I know I used a sleeping bag pad as a yoga mat and I’m pretty sure I put a hole in the wall trying to kick up into a headstand way before I should have. That was well over a decade ago, I couldn’t walk the next day, and I was changed forever.
I’m not going to over romanticise the journey and say that I was healed right away. I’m not going to lie and say that the panic disorder and depression aren’t waiting just outside my door some nights. And despite the images portrayed on social media, it isn’t always pretty. But I will say that this practice has given me the freedom to move without the anchors of fear and anxiety that used to keep me pinned to the floor. I will say that using the tools of yoga; I have been able to move through this life with more freedom, courage and peace.
My study and training is a bit of a melting pot. It has ranged from studying classical guitar in a conservatory to Vinyasa Immersions. It is a journey through Tantric Pilgrimages, to Anatomical Academia and Bhakti Devotion. It all boils down to paving as many roads towards connection as we can; connection to others, connection to Self and connection to this unwavering source of energy that pulses through everything.
In early 2015, I moved from the United States to Sydney to join the team at Power Living Australia Yoga as the Master Trainer and Lead Facilitator. I’ve spent my time here leading 200 Hour and 500 Hour Teacher Training, leading workshops and retreats, and teaching throughout the Power Living Studios.
What is your favourite book or movie?
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi.
What would be your today’s soundtrack for life?
Friends by Francis and the Lights.
What does the term modern yogi mean to you?
A Modern Yogi is a person who seeks more awareness in life. A person who is dedicated to being more awake and less asleep in all aspects of being. A person who values kindness and compassion over accumulation and competition.