My journey through yoga, guiding me to my wholeness

I came to yoga in my late teens, dropping into classes at my local gym and I approached every class, every moment on my mat focusing on fitness; how many calories was I burning and how much of a workout did I get. This carried on into my early twenties and I exercised because I knew you should, I hadn't found a modality I loved and I wasn’t getting a huge amount from it.

While there isn’t anything wrong with that perspective - and let’s be real, it’s how lots of us come to yoga for the first time in a gym or fitness space - it doesn’t acknowledge what yoga is. The fullness, the history, the magic in a practice. An invitation to connect to your whole self on every level.

Through my twenties I started to learn more about yogic values and history and I discovered that a practice, is just that, a practice. I started to unravel the ‘ego’ view that you there’s something to be achieved each time and that you need to be flexible to do yoga. My view on the whole thing started to change and I no longer spent time in classes comparing myself to the person on the mat next to me - we’ve all thought these things right? I want you to know that these sentiments couldn’t be further from the heart of what yoga is and evolving my view on the world to be less judgemental, less expectational, less fixed has helped me find my own sense of happiness and peace and spend more time connecting to the present.

During this time I’d also started CrossFit (for those of you who know me well, if I’m not doing yoga you know I’m probably at CrossFit Vastus). It was clear right away the impact my regular practice was having on my physical training. I’d developed solid mobility, flexibility and most importantly body awareness - this meant I was picking up a barbell and getting to grips with functional movements quickly and safely. This is when the penny dropped that blending yoga and functional training was something pretty powerful.

A calmer practice has it’s own power and strengthens you from the inside out

Movement is medicine in so many ways and I think you’re doing yourself a huge favour mentally and physically if you can incorporate yoga into your regular training routine. You’re supporting your body and mind in a profound way. I have two degrees in Psychology and I’ve always been curious about the body-mind connection. This plays a big part in how I approach my teaching, I’m passionate about giving you practical yoga tools to support your own inner connection.

Yoga has guided me back to my whole self

Beyond the physical asana practice, I’ve dived into the fullness of yoga with a fiery interest and a willingness to learn. The more I learned and did teacher trainings, the more my own practice has grown. Yoga has carried me through grief and soothed years of anxiety. It’s been sitting with difficult feelings through the difficult times, giving myself space to just be. My practice helps me move well, sleep well and approach life with an all around compassion and understanding of myself that makes me feel like the fullest version of me. To accept myself and know that I am enough, it means that now I live in a totally self-created happiness, in a life that is fulfilling and an energy that is authentic. It’s helped me understand and own my softness with my strength.

I’m here to share all of this with you. Yoga is a healing tool in every sense, energetic, physical, emotional and I adhere to support you to come to your own practice that supports you through all the ripples of life so you can live in health.

I don’t take myself too seriously and my teaching style it’s always inclusive. I love connecting with my students in our weekly live online classes and our monthly events and retreats. So whether you regularly move on a yoga mat or have never stepped onto one before, whether you have a dab of curiosity in yoga or want to expand your current practice there is room for you here, friend.

I weave my formal yoga training with a love of psychology, functional fitness, and lived experiences of loss and anxiety to offer a holistic, embodied teaching style

I love sharing yoga in a way that teaches you something new, offers a healing moment, and supports healthy movement that grows with you. I’d love to see you at a class soon.

I like to write from time to time so check out The Journal if you’re interested to learn more about me and how I use yoga to support my life in every way, from supporting my CrossFit training to moving through grief.

Yoga is magic and I am so excited to share it with you.

With loving kindness

G x

*Yoga Professionals Alliance qualified teacher in 200hr Hatha, and Hot yoga, 50hr Yin yoga, 50 hr Pregnancy yoga + 100hr Advanced Master yoga teacher training.