I first attended a yoga class in 2000, having heard that Madonna was a fan of Ashtanga Yoga - it inspired me and I was interested in how it might help me to get fit and tone up after having had a baby.
I had no clue what a yoga class would entail and was far from flexible!
Despite finding it very challenging, I kept attending and was swiftly blown away by how powerfully and effectively the yoga poses (asana) worked on my body, completely healing back stiffness and neck pain which I had long suffered from as a side effect of many hours a day at a desk in my job as a lawyer.
Everything toned up and became stronger, much leaner and my stamina increased enormously. Remarkably - my lifelong asthma symptoms all but disappeared too as I began to master the breathing techniques.
The yoga postures, breathing and meditation practices enhanced my energy levels and hugely increased my positivity and resilience mentally and physically - I found I was much less stressed and noticed that I had begun to look at life through a different lens - one where the endless ‘mental chatter’ of the thoughts did not cloud the deeper wisdom which was starting to reveal itself beneath.
I discovered that far from being just yoga poses, yoga was a vast and limitless resource of wisdom, healing practices and ancient teachings for life - all of which are hugely relevant to our modern daily struggles.
Yoga became my way of life and has been so ever since.
I have been teaching yoga since 2006, initially juggling my teaching with my full time career as a solicitor.
It is my absolute joy to be able to share this knowledge and the alchemy of yoga with you.
I have been deeply fortunate to have been guided by some of the wisest and most inspirational teachers on the planet to light my own yoga journey - inlcuding Mark Stevens, Andrea Kwiatkowski, Ruth Lauer-Manenti, Jules Febre, David Life and Sharon Ganno, Swami Govindananda, Claire Missingham.
I originally trained in India in 2006 at the Sivananda Yoga and Vedanta Ashram, in Kerala. This is where you surrender to a traditional life of Guru and student, with a full and thorough range of training in Kriya (cleansing practices), Pranayama (breath & energy control), Asana (posture), Shastra ( yogic scriptural study), Anatomy & Physiology, Meditation as well as daily Karma Yoga, which is taking one's part.
In 2009 to 2010 I spent a year studying Vinyasa flow (krama) with Claire Missingham as I loved the dynamic movement which enhances energy flow.
I'm also Level 4 British Wheel of Yoga accredited: my specialisms included Restorative Yoga and advanced biomechanics (with 'Yoga Sports Science' , an internationally renowned academy)
However I was literally knocked into orbit by the method of Jivamukti Yoga. In Jivamukti Yoga absolutely no part of yoga is left un-chartered. An experience of Jivamukti Yoga will always include lots of yoga Philosophy and spiritual discourse, Sanskrit mantra and chanting, rigorous physical sequences (some good strong vinyasa not unlike Ashtanga) , meditation, as well as Savasana. deep relaxation
I trained in India in the Jivamukti Method with Jules Febre, Ruth Lauer-Manenti and the founders , Sharon Gannon and David Life.
I also love to practice and teach Yin Yoga.
What do I do:
* lead accredited Yoga Teacher Training courses
* offer yoga and meditation retreats in the UK and worldwide.
* run workshops and courses aimed at Yoga teachers to deepen and broaden their own palette of experience to include the potency of more traditional practices
* offer regular classes workshops and events in my locality
*I am an Ayurvedic Yoga Massage Therapist
Practice with me:
I practice and teach traditional, 'un-watered-down' yoga. This means that you will get to experience a lot of beautiful Sanskrit , whether it's me sharing and teaching you a Sutra, or a sloka from the Bhagavad Gita, or devotional Kirtan chanting.
I hold the following yoga qualifications and certifications:
2006 - Yoga Siromani (teacher) - Sivananda Yoga Vedanta School, India
2009 - Diploma in the art of teaching Vinyasa (Krama) Flow Yoga, including Mama Flow ® (pregnancy Yoga) London with Claire Missingham
2014 - Advanced Diploma in teaching Yoga - British Wheel of Yoga, including Advanced Biomechanics, Restorative Yoga, Yoga Sports Science and Yogic Philosophy
2016 - Certified to teach the Jivamukti Yoga method, Maharastra, India
With any yoga teacher, of course, it is not how many qualifications we hold that count- but our experience and wisdom - and how authentically, consistently and humbly we practise in our everyday lives what we seek to share with others.
Jivamukti Yoga founders
David Life and Sharon Gannon
My inspiring and very beloved teacher
Mark Stevens of Yoga Studio Ely
From Jivamukti NYC
Jules Febre
Hip Hop Asana
My beautiful and inspirational teacher
& my main mentor
Andrea Kwiatkowski
Advanced Jivamukti teacher
Santosha Yoga , Cambridge
My very beloved first yoga teacher, artist, the very unique
Tom Newstead
The wonderful Swami Govindananda
who originally taught me to teach the sacred discipline of yoga and gave me mantra initiation in India in 2006
The beautiful and talented world renowned
Claire Missingham
under whose expert tutelage I spent a year studying the art of teaching Vinyasa Flow Yoga in 2009
“Lady” Ruth
Ruth Lauer-Manenti
World renowned author of
“An offering of Leaves”
my Jivamukti teacher from NYC with whom I trained in India
hello@jacquelinegodfreyyoga.co.uk
0778 430 1499