My explorations into yoga began in Singapore in 1998. I grew up on the coast in Norfolk, which is a beautiful county in England, and all I wanted to do was get out and travel. I began teaching English as a foreign language to be able to have some adventures around the world. One of those was Singapore. I had never heard of yoga before (hard to believe!). I was curious about the Buddhist culture around me and began reading and that was where I found reference to yoga. What began as a casual interest grew until I decided to enrol in a teacher training in 2005.
Like many it was simply a way for me to have a structured way to learn more about yoga. I did not intend to teach! But that’s part of the deal and they ask you to start a class. And so began my journey of teaching yoga - in a small Quakers’ meeting room in Beccles, Suffolk. I am still connected with some of those first students.
In 2011 my husband and I (along with our beloved dog and two cats) moved to Santa Maria in the Azores. We had a pretty clear intention and motivation: We wanted to try to live more lightly, more simply. We had gone through a lot of emotions around the ecological destruction of the planet and humans’ need for more and more energy.
We are still here in our yurts. We have a beautiful home and welcomed our daughter into the world in 2016.
Being closer to nature and the elements has influenced my practice and teaching profoundly. Becoming a mum brought a whole new appreciation of different ways we can practice, how important it is to ground, and of course all the shades of my shadows. There is nothing quite like being a parent to bring you regular opportunities for reflection and humility!
As a long term practitioner and teacher I have been able to explore the world of yoga and related disciplines to some depth. I feel lucky to be able to share practices that I love and know to be helpful. I like a lot less all the hustle and admin behind the scenes but, hey, that’s life. There is always something to learn and different directions into which we can go. I think one of the greatest gifts this path has given me is a love of learning. Or perhaps it was always there.
You can rest assured that I take my work very seriously. I have more than 2000 hours of Teacher Trainings and am registered as a Senior Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance in the UK.
All offered in a spirit of playfulness and curiosity. If this planet is to thrive, we all need to thrive too. These practices may just help you do that.