About Chaya

The name ‘Chaya’ has various meanings including ‘Alive, Living’ and ‘Lustre Beauty’ or just simply 'Life'. The exact Sanksrit translation however means ‘shadow’ reflecting the belief that ‘shadows’ can inhabit parts of the body or mind creating blockages for an individual and obstacles in life.  Yoga enables us to find ways to move beyond those shadows and towards the light that is 'true life', allowing our 'true selves' to emerge.  By teaching us to be more alive in the moment and to 'be with' things just as they are, Yoga helps us to see the real beauty of life and in doing so promotes a deep inner peace, contentment and sense of freedom. Hatha Yoga's central aim is the 'realisation of potential' within the human being.

My choice of logo, a lotus flower, symbolises this ancient philosophy. The lotus flower grows out of the shadowy, murky muddy waters and it's petals blossom open towards the light. In order to grow and gain wisdom first you must have the mud - the blockages and obstacles of life and its suffering.  These blockages, which can be felt as sadness, grief, loss, trauma, jealousy etc are held deep within the body and mind. Through yoga practices we learn to overcome them, they become our spiritual lessons, we grow from them and just like the lotus flower we are able to blossom open towards the light. 

"No mud no Lotus"  (Thich Nhat Hanh)

Chaya yoga was founded in 2013 in order to share this philosophy and to support people in their journey towards becoming truly awake and alive in the moment. I personally endeavour to enable students to see the full splendour, beauty and potential of life within and without.  Chaya Yoga encourages students to work towards a better physical, mental and spiritual self.

When practicing with Chaya Yoga you can expect intelligent, functional, flowing sequences; which combine asana and movement practice with breath work, pranayama, relaxation and mindfulness meditation techniques. The yoga philosophy is subtly weaved into all of my classes. 

About me

My own yoga journey started 22 years ago when I began practicing for purely physical reasons to help my lower back pain, however I quickly discovered that this was just one beneficial aspect of yoga and there was so much more to gain mentally and emotionally. For me personally it was self belief, confidence, contentment and clarity, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the reflective journey it has taken me on ever since. I am definitely a better version of myself having discovered this amazing practice. 

I gained my Level 4 Diploma in Teaching Yoga in 2016 with the British Wheel of Yoga, ( the Sport England recognised national governing body for yoga) and I am passionate about sharing what I have learnt on my mat with others looking for inner peace and contentment in their life. I teach various styles of Yoga including Hatha and Vinyasa flow, Yin and Restorative, meditative practices, relaxation and breathing techniques known as pranayama. I have a nurturing style of teaching and promote self reflection in my students. This is combined with a more technical teaching style which focuses on finding your own personal alignment alongside anatomy and physiology teaching and learning about intelligent functional movements. And of course, most importantly, I try to bring a sense of fun and laughter to my classes as much as possible.  

I put my heart and soul into every session and feel so incredibly rewarded by the work that I do. I am very lucky to be able to say I love my job; I love teaching yoga. 

I hope you enjoy your journey as much as I have!

Taking care of yourself

Your health and safety is paramount at Chaya Yoga and we are happy to answer any questions regarding your health and safety prior to your yoga class/course.  It is your responsibility to tell your yoga teacher about any injuries or health conditions that may affect your safe practice.  Please do notify your teacher if your circumstances change. A completed health questionnaire will be required before you begin practicing with Chaya Yoga. 

If you are unsure whether or not you can practice yoga due to a current health condition or injury please seek the advice and the approval of a health professional.  

If you are pregnant or become pregnant during a course, you must tell your teacher as soon as possible to ensure we can adapt to your changing needs and unique journey. 

During classes with Chaya Yoga your teacher will always emphasise the need to listen to your body and understand its own limits however, you are ultimately responsible for any injuries suffered while practising yoga.