ABOUT
‘Our feelings are our most genuine paths to knowledge.’
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Having completed the Primary, Intermediate and Advanced A sequences I am unravelling Advanced B. I received level II authorisation to teach the Ashtanga Yoga method by Sharath Jois in Mysore India. I am dedicated to sharing the Ashtanga Yoga practice in the tradition of the Jois family, however first and foremost, my approach is inclusive and evolutionary; the individual comes before ‘the method’. I love movement and optimal living, I am intrigued by the connections between the physical, psychological and emotional body and how to affect our organism as a whole. My personal study revolves around psychotherapy, ancient yogic texts, race, identity and diversity, and different movement systems. Whilst I prioritise safe, functional movement in asana, my experience is that if a yoga practice is to be illuminating and transformative, it requires discipline and a container. As we knock up against the container we see our habitual psycho-emotional responses and with daily practise we start to know ourselves, our thought patterns and common reactions become available for us to work through and change. As a facilitator of this practice I walk the line between maintaining the container whilst being mindful to adapt or modify when necessary. Accessibility and healthy movement patterns are important if one is to enjoy longevity in the practice. Ashtanga Yoga is a self-practise system, taught one on one in a group setting, it is taught in a quiet space allowing for personal connection and reverence to the sacred and the divine. I am grateful to all the teachers who lit the path for me and to my South Asian brothers and sisters for the richness of their wisdom traditions. I am forever a student and it is an honour for me to share this deeply transformative practice with you.
Qualifications: Masters degree in the Traditions of Yoga and Meditation (SOAS, London): Post Grad. Cert. Foundation in Psychotherapy and Counselling (Regents University, London): Mobility Specialist (FRC). Currently studying Existential Psychotherapy (D.Prof at NSPC).
ASHTANGA YOGA
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The ashtanga yoga asana sequence comes from the lineage of Sri T. Krishnamacharya, it was further developed by his student Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. It is a moving sequence that links postures together, designed to warm the blood, cleanse the organs, and restore the nervous system. It helps us to feel focused, calm and content. It’s name is inspired by Patanjali’s āstau (8) aṅga (limbs) of yoga, an eightfold pathway of practices, disciplines and ethics. Patanjali recommends it as an entry point for those with a distracted mind to work towards cultivating the stillness and discipline needed for the deeper practices of yoga. The ashtanga yoga asana sequence is underpinned by the system of tristhana – a three point system of concentration that over time moves the practitioner, from the gross physical bodies toward the subtle energetic, wisdom bodies. Ashtanga yoga was designed to be taught individually, taking into consideration each person’s psycho/social/physical experience. As a teacher of ashtanga yoga, I look for the best entry point for each student and build the practice at a pace and level that suits them. This way of teaching and learning is colloquially known as ‘Mysore style’. It is a one to one teaching approach that makes it accessible to all body types and conditions, allowing for a diverse group of practitioners to come together as one inclusive community. Whatever your age, body type, or constitution I will meet you where you are and together we will find your practice, a practice that over time you will internalise and memorise, until it becomes part of you.