Frequently Asked Questions & Concerns

Yes this is a Spiritual practice, no it’s not new age. Yoga is an ancient practice and the foundation of all Yoga practice is actually Meditation. You gain the most benefit by practicing BOTH together. Physical practice alone without awareness of the deeper nature of Yoga (being your Self!) is to really be missing the point. You may as well just go to the gym if you’re simply wanting exercise.

The main purpose of these classes is predominantly to awaken your Spirit and help you experience more innate Joy, more of the time. You will over time, come to recognise a Spiritual power within you, your own Presence, that will enable you to choose to live your life more consciously as You, cultivating an inner strength to move beyond fears that may hold you back. This is what it means to be Spiritual. To be dedicated to knowing who you are at your very core and living as the Soul you were born to be, not who you think you should be. You will get stronger physically of course. That’s a bonus. You will be strengthening from the inside out.

I can’t do Yoga because I can’t touch my toes..

Do not worry if you currently have a stiff body. That’s precisely what regular Yoga and Meditation helps with. Start where you are. Over time your body will increase in flexibility, especially if you practice regularly the Be Activated techniques taught in Monday’s class.

If I’m a beginner can I do a “mixed level” class?

Yes. Mixed level classes are just that. You make the class your own by choosing the options that your body (not your mind) says “Yes” to. The Yoga postures (called Asanas) are built up gradually so as a beginner you would stay in the easier option, or the option that you feel more grounded and safe in and that allows you the most expansion.

What if I’m a complete newbie (ie I’ve never done a class in my life!)?

Fit and healthy complete newbies are welcome. Start with the basic versions of the poses. Who knows, you may surprise yourself as to what your body can actually do with a bit of guidance and awareness. We can discuss any concerns you have in the clarifiy call to see if you would benefit from a 1-1 “tailoring” session before joining.

Please Note: I would recommend booking a *One to One tailoring session if you’re feeling nervous, are lacking confidence or have any health issues or restrictions in your body that severely limit you physically or may require adaptations. We will then work out what props and adaptations you might need to apply in classes to keep your body safe as I may not be able to fully see you on the screen to give you adjustments in real time as I would in a live class.

What style of Yoga will I be practicing?

The foundation of my practice is Hatha Yoga. I am trained in classical Hatha Yoga and Anusara Yoga, which is an alignment based, therapeutic, slow flowing style of Yoga. I may also do restorative postures and gravity postures depending on my emphasis and the outcome I am trying to achieve. My classes are also infused with the accumulated knowledge and Wisdom of my own practices and healing journey as well as all the other therapies and healing modalities I’ve practiced over the years.

I can’t Meditate because I have too many thoughts

You don’t need to have a quiet mind to Meditate. That’s a Mediation myth. Thoughts are ok. With regular Meditation practice you may find that the chatter in your mind quietens, or it may not but you’ll no longer care so much because you’ll begin see the content of your thoughts for what they are and that they are not you. We will be changing your relationship with your mind so you experience more of what is real beyond your thoughts.

Please Note: Meditation for most people can bring a lot of relief from generalised anxiety and stress, however for some people it can bring up old wounds and suppressed trauma. This is actually a good thing and the beginning of the healing process. Should this happen or you’re concerned that it might, you may need to set up additional support from health professionals to guide you through. If you feel (or have been told) your mental health is unstable, are already working with a mental health professional, or are on prescribed medication, please discuss this with me in your clarity call and let your therapist know that you are starting Yoga and Meditation.

Does it matter if I don’t have my camera on or you can’t see all of me on the screen?

For classes: Having your camera on in a class is optional. In an ideal world I would be able to see all of you on your mat. Next best is that I can see your feet and lower body, but I appreciate this is not possible for some, or you might not want to be seen in your pj’s with your morning hair, lol. If I can see you, I will try to keep an eye and give guidance on your alignment. The verbal alignment principles I use are very effective.

For One to One Yoga: Having your camera on is essential and I will need to see a good portion of your body (feet up).

What is Success Coaching?

Success Coaching is all about identifying authentic success and what that looks like for you. Self enquiries are weaved throughout these classes with an emphasis on awakening to your big Self, what my authentic success teacher, Dr Robert Holden calls, “Your original face”. From that place of authenticity, and with the Heartsease Meditation we practice at the beginning of the class, it gets easier to recognise your Joy and what you really want. We explore what success looks like through the lens of your Heart. You can book *One to One Success Coaching sessions if you’d like to explore this element more deeply.

What is Be Activated Technique?

As well as treating injuries and enhancing sporting performance, it’s a powerful tool for stress management, and can quickly break common patterns of movement dysfunction and chronic pain. If you experience a traumatic event or injury, you’ll notice a slow and gradual decline in function and performance. The body compensates, then gets tired, and eventually breaks down, which its us at more risk of recurring injury. The result is at best a loss of energy,  at worst constant chronic pain and reduced function.

Be Activated is a therapy in it’s own right used by many physiotherapists and sports trainers. “Activating” allows muscles and structures to return to their correct patterns – they start doing their own job rather than someone else’s, so the body and brain can integrate and work more effectively.

In Monday’s class (and sometimes others depending on theme) we play with self activating. You will learn and practice at least the “zone one” self activations (diaphragm, poses and gluten) and will amazed at how much more flexibility and strength you will unlock before we even do any Yoga! You can book *One to One Be Activated sessions where I activate you in person. This one is not for the faint hearted!