Can you please introduce yourself and tell us who is Aideen Schweppe?
I’m a Dublin girl, with 2 sisters. I’ve always preferred solitude, even as a child, but I love bringing people together to enjoy shared interests.
I studied hard at school, some would say I was a nerd and that’s pretty accurate. I particularly loved learning languages and biology at school. I went on to study International Business with Languages at University, but after two or three years of earning my own money in the Finance Industry I started doing massage courses just for fun and soon decided to study higher qualifications in Massage, Yoga and Manual Lymphatic Drainage.
I left Finance after 3 years to follow my own path. I love to travel far and wide, as often as possible. I hope to inspire others to live a life with more joy and fun, but really I’m just a girl trying to make the most of this whole human experience thing!
Why did you decide to be a yoga teacher?
I wanted to share the practice of yoga and meditation with others. I think there’s something so special about holding space for others to let go, to relax, to sit with themselves, accept themselves and tune into their own physical and emotional needs.
I consider myself very privileged to be able to do this, and that people kept coming back to class, and still do, that’s what keeps me going.
How were you inspired to launch surf and yoga weekends?
Would you believe, I only started surfing at the age of 36. I had plenty of things on my vision board, but I never visualised myself facilitating this kind of experience.
I fulfilled a lifelong dream of travelling around South America for a few months, and during my time there I took some surf lessons. I was scared of the water, scared of the waves, scared of my head going under the water, but the Meninas do Mar surf instructors in Bahia, Brazil were so attentive, they really helped me to feel safe with them and that was the start of a new love in my life.
When I returned to Ireland after my trip I joined a meetup.com group and went on a surfing weekend in Bundoran, on the west coast. I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy cold water surfing, but just being in the water and connecting with like-minded people was so amazing I kept going back.
Bundoran Surf Co and Surf Trips invited me to be a host on these weekend trips and just be there for the group, show them around and make sure they felt included. I was delighted to oblige, I wanted everyone to have as much fun as I had on these weekends. I wanted to share the stoke!
I got to know the guys and when they found out I was a yoga instructor they invited me to collaborate with them on a new idea, a surf and yoga weekend. And that’s how it all began.
How did this make you feel in the beginning?
I was so happy to be involved and to share my love of yoga, surfing, living life, getting out of the city and connecting with the ocean, with mother nature. I was honoured to be a part of it.
I was pinching myself and wondering how I got to be so lucky! Most of all I was so happy to be involved in helping others to experience this little bit of paradise.
How did you expand the awareness about your business in the beginning?
Bundoran Surf Co and Surf Trips Ireland offered the experience to their followers. It was a slow burner, as many of the regulars were up for a party and a bit of a splash around in the water, rather than the more chilled, health-conscious yoga weekends. But word started to spread and the yogis started to find us.
I spread the word through my social media channels, my website and meetup.com. When people saw what we were about and experienced the trip for themselves, they came back time and time again, and they brought friends with them.
Our second season was hugely successful, and I believe we would have had an awesome season in 2020, but sadly corona virus has thrown it all up in the air.
Which audience are you mainly targeting?
The weekend’s in Bundoran are open to all ages, but they do tend to attract a younger crew, mainly 20s and early 30s.
But honestly, it’s not about age, it’s about a shared love of living life to the fullest, meeting like-minded people, sharing good vibes on the yoga mat, in the surf, and round the table.
We run week-long trips in Portugal and Fuerteventura as well. These tend to be a slightly older crew. The dream is to go even further afield in the future.
Can you please tell us more about these surf and yoga weekends/trips?Are they for all levels?
Yes, all levels are catered for. Bundoran has great beaches for all levels. If you’re a beginner it’s a great place to learn. We go to the safest spots where you never need to get out of your depth to catch some long white waves.
The instructors are all so lovely too. For the more experienced surfers there’s nice waves out back, or other spots nearby, and improver lessons are available.
There’s lots to do. We have been known to go paddle boarding, there’s a lovely walk along the cliffs, several pubs to have a sociable scoop in the evening, and the surf lodge or nearby Foam Cafe offer a BBQ on the Saturday night. You might be lucky to squeeze in a nap in the afternoon.
The sunsets are incredible. There’s even an infamous nightclub for the nightowls. Other than that you’d really need to extend your stay for a day or two to fit in more of the activities on offer, such as coasteering or horse-riding.
Where are your guests staying?
Accommodation on the Bundoran weekend’s is included in the package. There’s dorm rooms or private rooms in two surf lodges and some nearby holiday cottages.
On the overseas trips of course accommodation is included too. We have a great surf lodge with very comfortable dorms or private rooms that we stay in in Lagos, which has an open fire in the common area, and a swimming pool.
And the Villa in Fuerteventura that we stay in is right on the beach, with a gorgeous deck for yoga and a hot tub for a soak in the evenings, and shared or private rooms.
What is the difference between a regular yoga class and a class orientated towards surfing?
Well every class is different, and I always say that every teacher has their own style too. But I design each class around what the body and the mind needs. So, for surfing we really need to ease out any tension in the hips and improve strength in the lower body. This really helps with pop-ups. For paddling we need good mobility in the shoulders too, so I include lots of stretches for the shoulders. Balance is also important.
It’s also important to have the right mindset, so I include breathing exercises, visualising ourselves catching waves and having fun, or being kind to ourselves if we found the surf difficult the previous day. Letting go of self-criticism so we can enjoy the next surf session rather than getting caught up in our heads.
Before a surf session I encourage my yogis to relax, to move gently, to be aware of any aches or pains in their bodies or anything that might be aggravated during the surf session. It’s important to be aware so that we can look after our bodies during the surf and not get injured or over-tired. Relaxation sessions at the end of class are maybe a bit shorter and focussed on breathwork, acknowledging any fear we might be experiencing and letting that go so it doesn’t hinder us in the water.
Whereas after a surf session I like to help everyone stretch out their tired limbs, stay a bit longer in any pose that feels particularly good. And I tend to bring us a bit deeper into relaxation/meditation so we are all set up for a chilled evening.
Why do you think surf and yoga have such a good effect on a person’s mental health?
In recent years I guess I’ve just really opened my eyes to different ways of being, different ways of life. Our time on this planet is short and we really should live our lives to the fullest. If we are lucky enough to have the means to travel and to try new things we really owe to ourselves, and to our ancestors who maybe didn’t have that choice, to get out there and do it.
The only thing that makes sense to me is to help others make sense of this crazy human experience. Both Yoga and now Surfing have given me two channels through which to do this. If I can take one person out of their comfort zone and help them to experience something new and to connect with others, with themselves, with our planet, in a more meaningful way, then my time here will have been well spent.
Just to be present, to be in the water, to be on the mat, to raise our vibrations, to connect. That’s powerful. Nothing else matters when you are in that zone.
Do any of your clients ever tell you their trip has been life-changing?
I really love the feedback we get from these trips. We’ve had people that thanked me for helping them get out of their comfort zone and meet new people.
Countless Monday morning smiles after a weekend well spent.
There’s one group of girls I remember very well. I thought they had come on their first trip together because they were inseparable and came back often and always together. Turns out they met on that first trip and just clicked.
Lots of friendships are formed. Most people come on their own. I think that’s what’s unique about our trips. Individuals, strangers, coming together to share the experience. I’ve met some very special people on this journey.
Another favourite memory of mine is when a guest on our Portugal trip said the trip made her question her whole life. I could have cried with joy! Yes!!! Question everything! She wanted to go back home and reassess how she spends her time and where she should be spending more of it to live a more fulfilled life.
We’ve had several career changes after the trips, which I think is awesome.
And all the new surf addicts, well that speaks for itself! Once you come on a trip with us, expect to see the world a little differently…
What future plans do you have for your business in the current climate, how are you dealing with the situation surrounding COVID19?
It’s been challenging for me, I’ll be honest. All the weekend Surf & Yoga trips we had planned for this season will likely be canceled. Hopefully, we can squeeze some in at the end of the season, but with social distancing rules, we’ll have to be really inventive to make that happen.
I had several festivals in my diary where I was due to teach yoga this season, which have all been canceled - Sea Sessions, Listowel Writers Week, Battle for the Bay. My yoga workshops, Yoga and Sound Vibration retreats, and my Lymphatic Drainage Clinic which is closed right now.
Likewise, foreign travel is very uncertain right now, so we just have to be adaptable and wait and see what happens there.
I’ve taken my yoga classes online, which has really helped me and my yogis stay sane, and I’ve been studying too. Maybe we can have yoga, surf and bootcamp trips when I get my Personal Trainer qualification in a few months. Let’s see.
I’m in touch with everyone I’ve worked with in the industry and I really hope we can put our heads together to bring our community together in meaningful ways during these strange times.
I want to show up in whatever way I can. I’m offering surf fitness classes online too, and I’m 24/7 thinking of new ideas, new ways to connect.
One thing’s for sure - change was needed on this planet. Let’s hope we come out of this with more appreciation for the little things in life, more consideration for one another, more compassion, more self-awareness, and more creativity. We’ll need these things to support each other and to create a new, more caring society.
Interviewed by Natalie Bruckova
While I was living in Ireland I started to surf. Since then I have been following my heart and dreamed of improving my surfing. It has brought me to the north of Peru, where I volunteered for the Waves Organization, which was a life-changing experience for me. At the moment I have settled down in Lisbon.
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