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Why Body and Soul Yoga?

Body and Soul Yoga offers a gentle, flowing style of yoga suitable for all abilities from complete beginner to experienced yogi.

Body and Soul Yoga

Hi, I'm Mary

My yoga journey started in the 70s when I was 15 and discovered Lyn Marshall's "Wake up to Yoga" TV show on Sunday mornings.  I was particularly impressed by her claim that anyone can do yoga and it doesn't matter how far into the posture you go, as long as you reach your own comfortable limit you are getting the same benefit.  Although I continued to "do" yoga at home it took a particularly inspirational yoga teacher to show me that yoga is much more than just a series of movements.

 

Looking to take my practice further, I was drawn to Dru Yoga at the Om Yoga Show in 2009 and went on to complete the BWY (British Wheel of Yoga) Foundation course in 2012. I qualified as a L3 Hatha Yoga Teacher in 2014 with Yoga Professionals Diploma in Teaching Yoga and then decided to do further training with Dru in order to incorporate their gentle, flowing style with the use of energies and visualisation into my teaching.

My style of yoga is fun and accessible to all ages and abilities.  I teach a blend of classic Hatha, flowing Dru sequences (think Tai Chi meets yoga) and Yin inspired stretches.  Groups are small (usually between 8 to 12 students) with chairs and blocks available to adapt poses.  Venues are chosen for access to outdoor space (the RAFA has its own garden and is situated directly opposite a park while Thames Chase is surrounded by forest and interesting nature walks).  

I recently stepped back from my "day" job teaching ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) to focus on building the Body and Soul yoga community.  However, for non native English speakers, I am about to launch ESOL Yoga, combining my passion for yoga with language teaching.

When I'm not practising yoga I enjoy cuddles with my cat, spending time with my family and watching "Mind your Language" on YouTube.

Mary

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Professional Yoga Qualifications

Diploma in Teaching Yoga

CYQ L3 - 500 hours Yoga Professionals/YMCAfit

and

Dru Yoga Teacher Diploma

Meditation Training

Dru Foundation Modules (meditation)

Swami Saradananda - Meditation
(Yoga Alliance Professionals accredited)

Professional CPD Qualifications

Certificate in Adapting Exercise for Pregnant/Post Natal Women- YMCA

Dru Social Prescribing:
Backcare and Wellness specialism

British Wheel Workshops (BWY)

Foundation Course (60 hours)

Adjusting Students in Postures

Yoga for People with Cancer

Restorative Yoga

Working with Forward Bends

Strength in Asana

Working in Pairs

Preparing for Backbends

Assessing and Observing Student readiness for challenging poses

Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs

Teaching One-to-One

Chair Yoga x 2

Emergency First Aid at Work L2

Other Workshops

Dru Dance (Parts 1&2)

Yoga for Women's Health

CACDP - Communication Tactics

with Deaf People

Dementia Awareness (Tapestry)

Dru Meditation for Concentration

Our Mala - Trauma Informed Yoga

(working with asylum seekers & refugees)

Museum of Happiness (Facilitator training)

Yuva - Chair and Accessible Yoga

Other Workshops

Dru Dance (Parts 1&2)

Yoga for Women's Health

CACDP - Communication Tactics

with Deaf People

Dementia Awareness (Tapestry)

Dru Meditation for Concentration

Our Mala - Trauma Informed Yoga

(working with asylum seekers & refugees)

Museum of Happiness (Facilitator training)

Yuva - Chair and Accessible Yoga

General Teaching Qualifications

Cert in Education (Greenwich)

CELTA (Cambridge) - ESOL

Literacy Subject Spec L5

JEB (ICT Prin and Prac)

Community Roles

Havering Health Champion (L2 Cert)

Nutrition for Health Cert (L2)

Mental Health Awareness training

Dementia Friend

Community Roles

Ongoing workshops (BWY and Dru)

Arhanta (50 hrs) Yin Yoga

Chi Ball

Laughter Yoga / EFT

500 Hr GYTA

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