“The Awareness of Squareness”
ABOUT ME
I first started yoga in 1999 when a horse riding colleague got me interested in doing something that would aid my flexibility and suppleness. This was when I met my first yoga teacher John Hawkins who ran the course with Buckinghamshire Adult Education. At the beginning of his yoga career John trained with BKS Iyengar, so I am grateful to him for giving me the grounding in such an accurate and inspiring form of yoga. I am still in regular contact with John, as you will see on this website.
In 2004, I enrolled on a British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) Foundation Course run by Lorraine Newman in Aynho, Oxfordshire. This was an excellent introduction to various aspects of yoga that I had previously been unaware of and is a very good course for anyone looking to further their knowledge of yoga. Having completed the course I was then eligible to attend a BWY Teacher Training Course. After a successful interview I started the course with Swami Adhyātmananda (Fidelma Spilsbury) in Waltham St. Lawrence, Berkshire. During this course I set up my yoga lessons starting with a core of good friends, some of whom still attend my classes. I qualified as a Yoga Teacher in January 2007. In July 2008 I qualified as a TPOT (Teaching Practice Observation Tutor) with the BWY which enabled me to assess student teachers during their Teacher Training Course. Within the BWY I have been Regional Officer for the Southern Region, a Director/Trustee of the BWY and Chair of the BWY National Executive Committee.
Yoga is a journey. In 2010 I completed the BWY Pranayama Module with Philip Xerri. The course has greatly enhanced my knowledge of Pranayama both as a practitioner and teacher. In October 2013 I completed what has been the most inspirational and rewarding Module so far: the BWY Yoga for People Living with Cancer Module with the acclaimed Julie Friedeberger. I continue to share what I have learnt from this valuable course with my students. More information is available on the ‘Yoga & Cancer’ page. In 2015 I attended a Meditation in-service training weekend/retreat with Swami Pragyamurti at the Mandala Yoga Ashram in Pantypistyll, Llansadwrn overlooking the Black Mountains in South Wales. In October 2016, I completed the BWY pilot module on Mindfulness with Cathy-Mae Karelse. This was followed up by a Conversion Course with the Clear Mind Institute (CMI) at the end of November 2016 - I am now qualified as a Mindfulness Yoga Teacher. In April 2017, I completed a Yin & Restorative Yoga 20 hour Immersion with The Yoga Academy and the incomparable Simon Low. An inspiring and informative residential course. I am teaching Yin Classes on a 1:2:1 basis .
In August 2020, I completed the BWY Yoga Therapy Foundation Course with Nikki Jackson in the beautiful Cotswolds. A fascinating and very relevant course in today’s world.
In September 2023 I started a 2 year course with Yoga Therapy Whole Person Healing (YTWPH) to qualify as a Yoga Therapist. A course which will bring together all of of my yoga experience gained to date. It’s going well!
The yoga journey continues…..
