I have been teaching yoga for 21 years.  My training was with Ruth White (www.yogawithruthwhite.com) who taught an Iyengar inspired yoga which she called Karuna which means compassion.  We followed Iyengar’s teachings with compassion. Poses were not held as long as an Iyengar class and the emphasis was to work towards the classic pose. Iyengar’s yoga is based on a profound knowledge of the structure of the body, mind and the breath and the influence they have on each other.

Over the 20 years since I qualified I have attended many workshops to increase my knowledge of bodyworks in order to improve my teaching.  This knowledge has changed the emphasis on my approach.

Some of the classic Iyengar poses call for a movement of the body that is unnatural for some, and I feel that this can be counterproductive to strengthening the body. I now teach with the focus on structural health, working with the body's natural movement. I have successfully completed Gary Carter's Yoga and Anatomy Course (www.naturalbodies.co.uk).  In 2013 I completed a Mindfulness and Breath course with Dr David Beales.  

In 2014 I revisited my yoga studies with the British Wheel of Yoga Integration Course, level 4 and successfully completed the course.  I continue to attend workshops with Gary Carter and others who work with bodywork emphasis.

My yoga today works on structural strengthening and increasing flexibility.  It is important to build an awareness of posture and know what good posture is and how the body benefits from good posture. It is also important to become aware of some of the tension and stress that is held in the body, this can be both physical and mental. This tension and stress can have a detrimental effect on the body, so to be able to recognise this and then to have guidelines as to where to start to reduce it can be of a great benefit.

In my class we also work on the breath. Breathing is an essential factor in our lives and by becoming aware of what makes a good quality breath we can have a positive effect on our well being. Whilst working on our body and our breathing, we become mindful of ourselves and our needs. Mindfulness has an important role to play as it can take us away from the stress that we sometimes put ourselves through. By becoming more aware and mindful of ourselves, our families and our surroundings we are in a position to make decisions with more clarity.

The classes that I teach now aim to give a balance to the body physically and mentally. The class will provide you with the tools to release yourself from life’s demands which then allows you quiet time for reflection. When you return back to face life’s demands you will be refreshed and armed with a calm and clear mind.