Cade spent his childhood in a small coastal town of New South Wales called Forster. He was a shy but well-mannered boy with a love for sport. Cade's father was an angry and abusive alcoholic. His father’s moods were unpredictable tending to result in violence, especially towards Cade's mother. When Cade was 16, he visually saw his father take his life after surrendering to his battle with depression. Cade remembers this being a dull time in his life. He suffered from depression and insomnia himself and became scared of silence. He had many unanswered questions and longed for his father’s presence. But he knew this was the beginning of a new journey.
Cade was intrigued by yoga and the power of nature. He briefly knew of the benefits and started to read yoga books. At 19, Cade and his eldest brother travelled to Sri Lanka. During their stay in the surf town of Hikkaduwa, they met a Yoga Teacher by the name of Lyndon Mason. Lyndon was 61 at the time and moved like a teenage gymnast. He was the epitome of health and happiness. His flexibility, balance and strength could not be compared to anything Cade had seen before. He operated on such a high and addictive frequency that all Cade wanted was to sit and listen to him speak. It was then that he said to himself: “I want to be like that guy.” And thus Cade’s yogic journey began.
Cade brought Lyndon's routine back home to Lennox Head, where he practiced everyday by the sea. He started to feel a deep connection with nature and his life became simpler. He started to lose interest in worldy matters and developed an interest in travel. Three years on, Cade felt he was ready to share his knowledge and the science of Yoga with others. Cade wanted to study the practice from the roots, and so travelled to India to complete his Teacher Training Course. He lived and studied in an ashram in the south, where his guru Lyndon had trained many years prior.
Now Cade practices Yoga everyday, be it asanas, conscious breathing or meditation. He also teaches free Yoga classes in Lennox Head as part of his duty to serve others. He reflects on his life several years ago when he feared silence as it forced him to be one on one with the dark thoughts of his mind. Today, Cade feels as though silence and being in tune with your inner nature is one of the most beautiful experiences one can have.
"All humans suffer. Far too often we are after the quick fix. Be patient. Be tolerant. Be kind and FEEL nature. This will steer you towards the path to happiness.
I express my gratitude to be a part of this trek. To be given the opportunity to share my own growth, experiences and knowledge is truly an honour. As domestic violence was prevalent in my own family growing up, I am passionate about educating others and guiding sufferers to overcome the destruction of such an act. With the women at Her Farm and the team of trekkers, I hope to share the science of Yoga with a particular focus on conscious breathing, yoga asanas and meditation. Together we can aim to remove anger as a 'natural' emotion, gain self-understanding and control our actions to influence others in a more positive way.” - With Warmth, Cade.