Meet Richie Moore
Here, Richie Moore talks to OM about his latest plans and how it’s essential that we all make time for our health and wellbeing
OM: Tell us about your work and how you got started in this field?
RM: My work is all about improving wellbeing by seamlessly integrating a practical self-care routine into busy lives using a combination of therapeutic yoga and 1:1 mentoring.
A key lesson I learnt from my cancer diagnosis was how little time I had been taking for my own self-care. I was juggling the demands of a business, a home, a partner, two children, horses, dogs and chickens…all of which took priority over my own wellbeing.
On the outside, all seemed well. I was physically fit; I ran 5K the day I was diagnosed, but I had been neglecting my mental health. As a psychotherapist, I believed I was bullet-proof, but the truth is, I was suppressing a lot of old stuff and ignoring the warning signs.
Therapeutic yoga has been my salvation. It has transformed the way I live my life, so much so, that I have incorporated it as a central pillar of my business philosophy. My focus now is to share how yoga got me from wheelchair to walking again, and how a fundamental shift in mindset restored my mental and physical resilience.
OM: What services are you offering to people and how are you able to help them?
RM: My main focus is mentoring people in similar situations. By sharing my experience, they can learn from my mistakes and avoid having to make them themselves. My sessions blend therapeutic yoga with modern psychology for self-development and improved wellbeing. I have an online yoga school where I share classes, workshops and tutorials to support people on their yoga journey in a way that is accessible to all.
The tutorials library has a range of go-to videos that yogis can access to tackle specific issues, be that anxiety or tight shoulders.
OM: What are the key things you’d like OM readers to know?
RM: There is always another way! It’s been my motto for some time. It’s very easy to get stuck in a situation and think there is no way out. But there always is…we may not be aware of it at the time but someone, somewhere has done it differently and been successful. Never stop looking, never give up!
OM: Any tips on resilience and bouncing back from adversity?
RM: One of the most powerful daily practices I used (and still use today) is gratitude. It has the ability to draw our attention to the many blessings that surround us.
Every day I would write multiple lists of things to be grateful for, even when I was at my lowest ebb. I gave thanks for being alive and the care I received: the people supporting me and the lessons my illness was teaching me, even for the cancer itself.
I encourage every client I work with to adopt this tool. We have a part of the brain called the reticular activator whose job is to support our thinking. If we pay conscious attention to positive aspects of a situation, it will actively look for evidence to support the thought.
Ever decided on a new car, then you see that car everywhere? That’s because you’ve brought it to your conscious awareness and the mind looks for it. Gratitude will draw attention to the many positives — even in a negative situation there has to be a positive balance. It’s the nature of the duality in which we live.
OM: What life lessons have you learned through your experiences?
RM: The true value of our wellbeing and the need for us to put ourselves first. We take it for granted…until it’s gone, then we realise we’re not able to take care of ourselves or those we care for. We can’t do our work or be effective parents or carers.
Oddly, it’s the people who care most for others who neglect themselves. But we can’t give what we don’t have, and this lack often results in us burning out or getting sick.
When we put ourselves first we have so much more to give without it being detrimental to us.
Now I understand the importance of wellbeing and the need to take care of ourselves, self-care has become my number one priority. Everything I do is through a filter of ‘Is this good for my being?’ And now I’ve made it my work to help others remove the blocks that prevent them from being kinder to themselves, accepting that self-care is a fundamental human need rather than a selfish luxury.
OM: Any favourite motto or mantra that has helped you?
RM: There are many! I used affirmations daily to protect my mental health…but the one that got me through was: “This too, shall pass”. I have it tattooed on my chest now, next to the scar left by the line used to administer the chemo.
OM: What’s next in your plans?
RM: I’m in the process of putting all I have learned into an interactive online mentoring programme which uses self-development exercises and techniques along with yoga and meditation in a modular format while working 1:1 with me on specific issues or areas. I love to work intimately with clients but not everyone has the time or budget to do so. This way I can help more people by making my work more accessible with options of online only, ad hoc sessions or full 1:1 personal mentoring.
Out in the physical world, with restrictions lifted, I’m back teaching at my wellbeing retreats. I love to create space for people to enjoy yoga, meditation and sound healing in stunning locations. There is always fabulous food and a nurturing atmosphere so guests can really let go and enjoy themselves…without interruption or guilt!
OM: What else?
RM: If there’s just one thought I can leave readers with, it’s something I learnt the hard way: If we don’t make time for wellness, we will be compelled to make time for illness.
Find details of Richie Moore’s courses, classes and new online academy Guru Wellbeing at: guruwellbeing.com
Photos: Saul Morgan (saulmorgan.com)
Om Magazine
First published in November 2009, OM Yoga magazine has become the most popular yoga title in the UK. Available from all major supermarkets, independents and newsstands across the UK. Also available on all digital platforms.
