As my legs shook through triangle pose in my first yoga class in 2002, I realised that what I had in flexibility, I lacked in strength. What started as a purely physical exploration swiftly developed into a total absorption into every aspect of yoga. I couldn’t get enough. My often excitable and anxious nervous system had glimpses of something new . . . stability, space, peace, and for the first time in my life, a sense of connection to ‘something else’. I started saving to go to an Ashram in India to train as a teacher, and so it began. This journey of more than 20 years has been the most profound and insightful I could have imagined, both personally and professionally. 

‘We teach best what we most need to learn’ (Richard Bach) could be the motto for my teaching. I believe that it’s in the challenging ‘shit shows’ of life that we meet ourselves - our rawness, vulnerability and ultimately our strength. Every phase of my life has demanded something new of my practice to better meet my changing needs. And my changing needs prompted more questions, more explorations, and more trainings . . . Truly, theory is wonderful, but lived experience is even richer.

Ayurveda has been a huge influence for me since my first training. It validated my sense that we all need a different approach to yoga (and prompted many personal lightbulb moments, including why Ashtanga Vinyasa followed by a coffee was not a sustainable practice for me!). I absolutely love exploring the play of different qualities within each of us, as well as the seasonal qualities around us. Intention is everything: how we approach a practice is more important than the posture itself. Am I sinking into my habitual way of being, or gently challenging myself to explore a new attitude?

Having my daughter, and post C-section prompted an almost break-down. Mentally I was lost, anxious and hideously sleep-deprived. Phsyically, my body wouldn’t do what I wanted it to do any more. I learned humility, gratitude, and eventually, compassion for my new body. Kindness is key. I became even more passionate about how individual each person’s practice needs to be. Ultimately I realised that an ‘advanced’ practice is an adaptable one, where nothing is presumed and the body is deeply respected.

Friends often joke that it doesn’t take me long to get around to talking about periods. Considering they are a huge part of our lives and drastically under-acknowledged, I’m happy to be that person. I find it a fascinating and crucial exploration to consider how our practice needs to change based on our menstrual cycle. I’m also passionate about helping women appreciate and love the cyclical nature of our being, and how empowering it is to draw on our strengths and different stages.

I have always loved receiving therapies, and finding Polarity Therapy took things to a whole new level for me. Physical touch is ridiculously important for us, and with the right intention and holding, magic happens. Thanks to an exceptional mentor, my learning and understanding of my sensitivity, my fire and my intuition became a gift rather than a challenge. Bodywork provides the depth, acknowledgement and being seen that I crave. There’s not much I place more value on than ‘holding space’ for others to be really seen and held in safe space. The therapeutic potential in that alone, is huge.

The challenging years of separating from my husband taught me that my ‘normal’ yoga practice wasn’t meeting my needs. Down dog just wasn’t cutting it. I craved a more full release and expression, and to meet myself with deep emotional integrity. I danced and cried wildly, seeing and holding myself fully in my experience. From tears I’d move to joy, perspective, and then laughter at the ridiculousness of it all. This is it, I thought. And so I found somatic release, and it’s through this work that I feel the most alive, inspired and in love with life.

Things that I love: my daughter; walking the Norfolk coast; new trainings; Human Design; sea swimming; festivals; hula hooping; therapy; astrology; a cool glass of Sancerre; having a bath listening to Mozart’s Requiem; dancing; my incredible friends; all of the crisps.