I attended my first yoga class when I was about 19. It was in a small church hall in Hamilton, New Zealand with what felt felt like at the time, a wizened older lady with long flexible limbs. I don’t remember much about the class, other than it consisting of slow, long held poses.  I do remember Savansana. I lay with my feet turned away from the front of the room, listening to the rain pelting down on the iron roof top. I didn’t realise I had travelled  so far away until the sound Om echoed around me.  I opened my eyes to find everyone sitting up and chanting together. I left feeling embarrassed, yet totally blissed out.  The next time I visited yoga was a Sivananda yoga class in someones living room, on Old Farm Road, near my university. I was a social worker in a respite home, supporting at risk children, and was working closely with a young lady who was struggling with eating disorders and anxiety to keep moving. I signed us up to these yoga classes once a week. It worked wonders for her at the time, peaked my interest, and opened up an easy conversation between us on the drive home. We formed a valuable connection through those classes. 

 

I committed to a regular yoga practice while living in Hong Kong a year or so later. I was fortunate enough to be able to practice and train with teachers from all over the world. Back then my practice was meaty, about physical strength, working hard, sweating, and often moving quickly. Even though I loved my spiritual practices, I kept them very separate from my yoga.  For me yoga was just physical. Yoga crept up on me though (as it does) and by the time I began to teach in 2007 my life had shifted dramatically. The most dramatic shifts happened after I began working with Ana Forrest in the Forrest Yoga method. I went into her training burnt out and in excruciating pain from injury. I haven’t looked back.  

 

My practice is still strong and conditioning but it is now centred around deep rib expanding breaths. Slow, steady, mindful, nourishing and sometimes playful movements. An exploration of softness within strength. This is where I teach from. 

 

I have taught literally thousands of classes, assisted numerous teacher trainings, and have worked with all ages, levels and physical abilities. I can teach you 1-2-1, or in small groups in person or on-line. I also teach public yoga classes, workshops, events, retreats and teacher mentoring programmes. 

 

I am an insured yoga teacher with hours of training and experience with a number of incredible teachers. Sinhee Yee / Forrest Yoga, Ana Forrest / Forrest Yoga, Patrick Creelman / Anusara, Eileen Gauthier / Advanced Vinyasa, Jason Nemer / Acro Yoga, Sarah Avant Stover / Prenatal, Baron Baptiste / Power Yoga, Sarah Powers / Yin Yoga, and numerous others along the way. 

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