About
Yoga, to me, is an integrative framework through which one can explore deeply personal experiences to heal and grow in an all embracing manner. My teaching is the coming together of my love for psychology, physiology, sociology and spirituality which comes to life in the refinement of the practice of Yoga. We are living walking feeling breathing miracles, mostly unaware of how magical we really are. Delving into intricacies of how the human mind, heart and body works accentuates this for me. And the practice is a place of integration that allows us to live this truth and find greater connection to self and those around us.
I began my own yoga practice in 2003 at my university gym. Soon I realised it was an effective remedy for back pain, as well as anxiety and depression. In 2010 I completed my first training at a traditional Hatha ashram in India. Initially I didn’t plan to teach, I took the training more for myself. The first class I ever taught was Yoga Nidra, because I felt very uncomfortable teaching asana to others. In 2012 that changed when through a curious sequence of events I opened a tiny yoga studio and had one client. His goal was to do a plough pose in 3 months. And so started my real studies on how to meet others where they are.
Before teaching yoga full time, I explored different interests across several industries. I worked in market research as project manager and qualitative researcher, in education as a kindergarten teacher in Namibia and Vietnam, and in the hospitality industry as a private chef and executive catering chef for several establishments. The collective experiences I have had have deeply shaped my understanding of our complexity and resilience as multifaceted beings.
In 2016 looking to create a space for my own ideas to come together, I opened the first multi-teacher yoga studio in Windhoek, Namibia. More than just a place of practice, the Bodhi Room served as a platform for education and community building around yoga in Windhoek. It hosted international teachers for workshops, created a space of continued education for local teachers, and trained new teachers in collaboration with a South African based yoga school. I have co-facilitated on teacher training courses since 2017, presenting modules on anatomy, yoga philosophy, yoga therapy, breathing techniques, teaching skills, yoga nidra, yin yoga and restorative yoga.
Since 2018 I have been focusing more on evolving what I share. This has included developing my own training courses & programs, as well as creating space for continued education for myself. Currently I am exploring the realms of trauma-informed practice, embodying the divine feminine as well other modalities of healing to create a deeper sense of wholeness in myself and in what I offer to others.
As a teacher, my teaching style draws from my diversity of experiences in life. A strong foundation in anatomy and intelligent alignment helps me focus on detailed but accessible movement instruction in the physical practice to prepare body and mind for the subtler practices of self-exploration through breath and meditation. I have an intuitive feel for guiding yogis through challenging emotional landscapes sometimes evoked by the practice. Ultimately, my aim is to connect practitioners with the wonder of the body, mind and heart, the connection between them and how to keep creating a healthy balance.
Qualifications
Bachelors of Humanities – Psychology and Linguistics
2007 || Stellenbosch University (SA)
200 Hr – Hatha Yoga YTT
2010 || Yoga Vidya Gurukul (India)
250Hr – Diploma in Yoga Therapy
2014 || Yoga Vidya Gurukul (India)
250 Hr – Diploma in Advanced Yoga Practice
2015 || Yoga Vidya Gurukul (India)
Mindful Yin Yoga Training
2017 || Jennifer Raye (SA)
Prenatal Yoga Certification
2017 || Yoga Education Institute (Online)
200 Hr – Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training
2017 || Conscious Movement Education (Cape Town, SA)
300 Hr – Vinyasa & Yin YTT
2018 || Parimukti (Goa, India)
100Hr – Foundations – (Module 1 of 300Hr)
2019 || The Yoga Shala (Cape Town, SA)
Professional Certified Coach
2019 || Inner Life Skills (SA)
Shamanic Reiki Attunements
2020 || Just Breathe (Windhoek, Namibia)
Cacao Facilitator (Level 2)
2021 || Tuning In Wellness (SA)