The Beginning
Yoga is a gift that I want to pass on. It has given me something for each day of my life. It has given me strength when I have felt weak and balance when I have felt wobbly. Its humbling when I feel strong and rewarding when I least expect.
Through yoga I am a happier and hopefully a better person. Thank you teachers!
I started practicing yoga in my early twenties when I went to stay with my Grandma because I was feeling stressed and anxious. My Grandma taught me hatha yoga; she watched my practice twice a day. She herself had practiced yoga years and after my stay she gave me my first yoga book by Richard Hittleman.
For many years I religiously practiced yoga morning and night without any question. It wasn't until a few years into my own practice that I started going to an Iyengar class run by a lady called Molly Watterson in North Cheshire. After Molly retired I continued to go to Julie Brown's classes; a well respected Manchester Iyengar Institute teacher who is responsible for teaching student teachers.
Growth
My interest in yoga grew and I began to experiment more. In addition to my Iyengar practice I started doing Ashtanga. I became more interested in the flow of the posture and working with the breath. I carried on for some time working between the two styles which I liked because they were almost opposites however I didn't feel that either was completely right for me. It was through this experience that I understood the importance of one's own practice as only I can understand what my mind and body needs on any given day.
New Influences
I have since travelled around the world which has given me the opportunity to work with many different therapy and yoga teachers all of which have taught me a great deal. I came back to the UK in 2004 qualified as a massage therapist and started my yoga teacher training with Pete Yates founder of The School of Heart Yoga and Chairman of the Independent Yoga Network. Pete focused on Raja Yoga and the sacred texts.
I then met a teacher called Robert Griffiths who was both Iyengar and Ashtanga trained and did a dynamic flow style of yoga. I found this style to be very beneficial. It had the flow and focus on the breath like Ashtanga and the precision of Iyengar. It was soft but strong, flowing, demanding and gentle. Through my experience with Pete Yates I have become more interested in meditation and being able to meditate and relax in a posture.
At the end of 2006 I relocated to North Wales where I qualified as a British Wheel of Yoga Teacher. The arrival of my daughter prompted me to teach pregnancy and baby yoga to aid: a healthy pregnancy, be strong whilst giving birth, a fast recovery and close bond.
My Yoga Practise & Classes
In my yoga practise and classes I use all these influences and therefore don't teach in a particular style as such. I adapt the class and the postures so that individuals can benefit from them as they need that day.