I knew that Amy Devine was a kindred spirit the first time I met her in Beijing, China, but it was only as the months went by and I heard more of her story that I recognised why I felt such a connection.
Amy Devine was brought up on a council estate in the UK, and like me, she ended up living a life of international adventure almost by accident. Amyās childhood exposure to addiction and domestic abuse led her to a degree in criminology. After she graduated she moved to China, where she started teaching English, and she then gained a Masters degree in education and ended up teaching at a prestigious international school in Beijing.
During her earliest years in China, Amy enjoyed the perks of the expat lifestyle, earning a good salary and partying with her friends, until one day her flatmate pointed out that her drinking had become problematic. The journey that Amy has since taken towards sobriety and self-actualisation has changed the course of her life. Recovery has led Amy towards womenās groups, meditation and breathwork, all of which have inspired her to retrain as a breathwork facilitator, start her own business, and leave her comfortable life in Beijing behind.
When we recorded this interview just before I moved from Beijing to Bali, Amy was on the cusp of a series of fabulous new adventures.
To learn more about Amyās breathwork offerings, check out her website (with photos by yours truly š), and follow her on Instagram. Also make sure you have a listen to her excellent podcast, Whatās It All About.
Please enjoy this conversation with the luminous Amy Devine. Iāll look forward to bringing you an update on her adventures very soon!
And Iād love to hear from you too!
If anything in this episode inspires you to see the world a little differently or to expand your own horizons in any way, Iād so love to hear from you. Please drop a note in the comments, or send me a message about a story youād like to share.
And if youād like to talk about your own experiences of living away from your home nation, please let me know!
Letās come together to share stories of the things weāve witnessed, so that we can learn from one another and see that, despite the differences in the details of our stories, weāre all global citizens of one beautiful and intricately interconnected world.
With love
Michelle x
I want to hear about the things youāve witnessed too! Please subscribe and become part of the conversation!
MUSIC: Defining Life, by Bill Conn
PHOTOGRAPHY: Michelle Neeling
Written and produced by Michelle Neeling
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