I first came across yoga aged about 15 when I found a book belonging to my mum containing images of people in strange and wonderful positions. Curious, I tried out a few postures but without the guidance of a teacher didn’t investigate any further. That teacher came along some 12 years later. His name was Rafael Jorge who, with his endless patience, energy, humour and distinctive hatha yoga style, started me on a journey from which I’ve never looked back. Straight away I could sense that there was more to yoga than simply ‘keeping fit’ and was drawn to the sense of connection between the mind, body and spirit. Yoga asana practice became a refuge from the demands of a robust job working on women’s rights and social justice. In the absence of a regular teacher, while working in Ghana, I started to develop a regular daily practice. Returning to the UK, I continued to try out different types of yoga from the sweaty bikram to strenuous ashtanga to the dance-like vinyasa flow. Eventually, seeking deeper exploration, I embarked on Yogahaven’s teacher training course in 2010, which follows the teachings of Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, and have been teaching and loving it ever since.
Over time, yoga helped me to find more stillness, clearing away some of the restless energy and charge that we carry around in our heads all the time. It helped me to prepare my body to sit for periods of time in meditation practice, which I have been doing regularly since 2017 under the guidance of Guy Burgs of Art of Meditation.
A huge thanks to those who have and continue to inspire me through their teachings, in particular: Rafael Jorge; Adrian Squirrell; Allie Hill; Toni Roberts; Sharon Smilie; Chris Swain; Joy Anderson; Stewart Gilchrist, Norman Blair and, of course, Guy Burgs.
Independent Yoga Network UK (IYN) registered: 200hr Hatha Yoga with Yogahaven; 40hr Advanced Yoga Teacher Training Yin Yoga with Norman Blair, The Shala