James Jewell

Yoga is for everyone and anyone and is not limited to any particular body type, age or set of beliefs.

My intention as a teacher is to provide a safe, enjoyable environment - using an intuitive approach whereby the teaching can be adapted to suit the person/group. I like to be as creative as possible to encourage, stimulate and deepen the practice and self enquiry.

As such the rhythm of a session can vary enormously - sometimes with flowing sequences, other times with longheld postures and always with self-reflecting meditations and relaxations. Sometimes partner work too is practiced to give, receive, learn from and appreciate the experience with others. 

You do not need to be able to do headstands, shoulderstands, handstands or advanced back bends to come along and participate on the courses! 

I am far more interested in the quality of awareness brought to each person's self- journey rather than the attainment of advanced physical postures. While any session may contain some more "challenging" postures, everyone is always given alternative options so that they can practice safely and wisely. 

This is an integral part of the practice, one in which everyone is always encouraged to move in the direction of self reliance and self responsibility. You are, in truth, the only person who can perceive what is happening inside you! Awareness to this truth is to then consciously walk the path of freedom through our lives. 

Background

I became initiated into yoga in the late eighties, whilst suffering with a prolonged period of illness. Yoga helped the healing and indeed its daily practise has continued to provide me with an inner foundation from which to live. 

I started to teach yoga in 1994 and became an InnerYoga teacher in 1999, under the
guidance of Jenny Beeken.

The love of yoga and how it can transform people's lives led me to train further within this school, so that I could help on their 3-year teacher training programmes around the UK.

Other strong influences have come from the Viniyoga, Scaravelli, Yin Yoga and the Feldenkrais traditions, from many other spiritual texts and teachers from around the world, and of course not to forget the myriad of people and animals that grace my everyday life! 

Mother Nature continues to inspire me daily with her beauty and intricate simplicity and I feel strongly, that to be in touch with Her in all Her beauty and variety is a healing in its own right; She reminds us of the natural rhythm of life and thus has the power to reconnect us to our own true nature - expanding our vision out from the restricting limits we alone have set around our own minds and lives.

Margherita Dal Pra "Yoga has been a constant part of her life for the last 14 years. 

The main influences on her style of Hatha yoga are the Astanga Vinyasa, Dynamic, Viniyoga, Shadow Yoga and Iyengar schools. She has studied with many of the world's leading yoga teachers doing workshops, retreats and training with the likes of Jivamukti, Shiva Rea, Donna Farhi, Adhil Palkhivalha, Richard Freeman, Tias Little and Rod Stryker. 
 
Drawing from the different traditions of the Khrishnamacharia lineage, her style takes yoga to a deeper level by integrating rhythmic breathing with conscious movement with intelligent asana sequencing (Vinyasa Krama).

As in all physical yoga, the student will increase strength and flexibility -- and by uniting body and breath,  will learn to  move from moment to moment with absolute awareness.  With her gentle yet powerful approach to yoga, her classes become a meditation in action and are enjoyable and fun.  She likes working with a variety of themes and sequences to help the students deepen their practice and understanding. 
 
Margherita teaches yoga classes at a number of venues across London, she covers regularly at yoga Centres such as Triyoga and The Life Centre, and teaches her own yoga classes in North London and privately.
 
Margherita is British Wheel of Yoga Accredited and Yoga Alliance Certified.

Note: although Margherita adapts the postures to support the individual with any level of experience and capacity, this retreat is not suitable for absolute beginners.

Please visit her website at: www.yogam.co.uk 
 
    

Chris James

Yoga Teacher Chris James is a sought after name on the international yoga circuit and regularly contributes to a variety of Health and fitness pages in national newspapers and magazines.

Chris puts his sensitivity as a teacher down to a 'strong One-to-One approach'.

"I am able to adapt Yoga to the individual rather than the individual to the Yoga. This enables you to explore postures in greater depth. It also allows you to work on individual areas of resistance, alignment, and practice.”

Chris leads Masterclasses and Workshops, as well as providing bespoke One-on-One private tuition. He has been practicing for 13 years and specializes in providing tailor made nutrition and Detox programs and Yoga therapy to a variety of clients across the world.

Certified as a teacher by the British Wheel of Yoga, Chris studied in Rishikesh, and at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai, India.

 

Susan Chopping

Susan Chopping has an eclectic teaching style and adjusts it to the best interest of the people she is teaching. 

She started practising yoga after a back injury and has been teaching for four years.  Susan is influenced by her background in dance and has been inspired by 'Shadow Yoga', and 'Vinyasa Flow', the movements follow the breath to discover a little juice 'rasa' within the breath. 

She uses music and endeavour to inspire a deeper understanding of yoga practice.
 
Her training is ongoing, beginning at 'Yoga Arts' in Byron Bay and continuing in India and more recently in London at 'The Life Centre'.