When I was five, I was so hyper and excited that as my father puts it, ‘I’d go beyond the circuit of gravity’ and was therefore very prone to accidents. Through Yoga Nidra (deep relaxation) my father would bring my back to earth, into my body. My path has since been about reconciling the freedom of the spirit with the body’s limitation and to allow a dance between the two.
I was extremely lucky to have parents who were connected to the heart of life, lived a life of truth and always studied and learnt from masters who have left their footprint behind.
Since the age of sixteen, yoga has been an integral part of my life. I learnt asana (yoga postures) practices from a book (Yoga in 28 days by Richard Hittleman) in the quiet of my room. The practice became my solace, my refuge and source of strength, all very much needed at the distressful time of the country. At 19, I was initiated into Transcendental Meditation (a meditation technique taught by Mahararishi Mahesh Yogi of the Advaita Vedanta tradition). Yoga in all its aspects has been a compass through which I returned to myself ever since.
When I immigrated to the UK the regularity of my practice dwindled somewhat for a few years, as I found myself immersed in learning a new language, raising a family and studying for a degree. All these challenged my ability to prioritise with what I now know, I can't do without.
In 2005, I qualified as a yoga teacher and have been teaching since.
My continuous studies are constant reminders of the immensity of the subject of ‘life’ and opens my eyes to the fact that we can only ever be students.
Grateful to many teachers who have inspired me, I have found my roots in the non-dual teaching of Tantra / Zen Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta (Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Sri Ramana Maharishi, Papaji, Mooji, Dogen, Reggie Ray). My take on delving into these teachings and testing their principles in daily living, is that spirituality is not a means to transcend this world but to travel through it with awe and gratitude. The glimpses of being anchored in stillness despite activities, encourage me on the path and are testament to the fact the transcendent and material world are inseparably intertwined. Although yoga is the form within which I explores the body/mind/breath, I have studied and learnt principle of Qi Gong, Feldernkrais, Somatic Awareness and Bioenergetics. The common ground of all, despite different names and approaches, is to move stuck energy to create balance. Teachers who have had an impact in the way I understand and teach yoga are: Richard Hittleman, Matt Gluck, Richard Freeman, Angela Farmer and Simon Borg and Doug Keller. I explore the mind through The Work of Byron Katie (a form of self-inquiry similar to Cognitive Behaviour Therapy). It provides tools to identify the unconscious deep held beliefs that can run our lives in a negative way. I am an advocate of The Work and offer guidance in its application. Among other influential beings in my life are: Erich Fromm, Osho, Alan Watts and Eckhart Tolle all of whom had a deep impact in the unravelling of my journey. Since 2015, I have been fascinated by the voice. A marvellous mirror to the energetics of the body which can be used to identify and release hidden and unconscious blockages on all planes: emotional, mental and physical. Hence, I offers my gratitude to Kristin Linklater with whom I have and continue to study.
I am an enthusiast in imparting my passion of understanding the body (the house we live in), getting to know the mind (the friend we live with) and to know our spirit (the love that we are).
I am committed to passing on this zeal in order for us all to live an endlessly balancing life and to witness the ups and downs of our evolution with total surrender, acceptance and reverence.
I teach everything that I learn in my classes, workshops and retreats and also offers one to one sessions. During my classes, you can expect: making healing sounds, do some form of tension release practices other than asanas (yogic posture) and learn some self massage technique. I have worked with all age groups ranging from four to ninety and enjoys the diversity of study and creativity they all offer.
"We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and to know the place for the first time." – T.S.Eliot