Anna Livia Yoga

I practise and teach Hatha yoga, offering bespoke one-to-one, small group and online yoga classes. If you'd like to know more please get in touch.

I took up yoga in 2008, when I was in my forties - a lunch hour class which became a highlight of the working week and which I am still taking (on Zoom). My teacher is Lee Carter (who studied with Faustomaria of Innergy yoga and went on to complete the Sivananda yoga teachers training), who has been a great inspiration to me.
*
I have also tried various kinds of yoga and different teachers, especi

ally over the last year when I have had more time to practise. These classes have included Yin, Restorative, Scaravelli-inspired, Vinyasa and Kundalini Yoga, and I also enjoy Yoga Nidra and meditation practices. My core practice remains Hatha Yoga, but I will continue to discover different ways of practising and to share what I learn when I teach.
*
In September 2020 I completed the intensive teacher training course in Hatha Yoga offered by T K Yoga Ltd with Tina Brewer in France, and was awarded the 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Diploma, accredited by World Yoga Alliance (based in India). So, my evolution as a teacher is beginning.
*
My aim is to offer classes for beginners as well as more experienced yogis, with an emphasis on the individual - I am keen to encourage those who feel (as I did) that their physical limitations or idiosyncracies mean they'll never be 'good at' yoga. There are many different ways to practise, and you will probably find that in time you can do far more than you thought possible. But the main thing is taking the time to get on the mat and get started. Then do it regularly. Plus, of course, the asanas, or physical postures (poses) are only one aspect of yoga practice. So there's no reason not to try it, and discover how good this time with yourself can be for you.
*
Why find a teacher when there are so many great free classes online? Online videos can be brilliant, but the teacher cannot see you. It can be hard to tell sometimes if you are doing something right - should it feel like that? You could be doing yourself more harm than good without proper guidance. So it's best to join a class until you are confident enough to know what's right for your body. Even then, it's good to have someone there with you and for you.
*
Zoom has been a good way of taking classes during this strange year, when we have had to be physically apart, but may not be so great if you are not already familiar with the practice - it's not easy for the teacher to see exactly what everyone is doing, or to make suggestions or adjustments if you find a position challenging.
*
So, while some may feel uneasy about going back to a physical class, it seems to me that the best way forward is to start with an individual or small group session or sessions, so that you and your teacher can get to know each other and build up a relationship that can continue in person or online. Let's see how things go. In the meantime, if you are interested in doing something positive, please get in touch with me about what I can offer.
*
Namaste!

14/11/2020

Here's my article on why and how yoga can help us cope with and reduce stress:

Yoga and Stress - Health & Wellbeing Stress is a physical and mental reaction to situations which we find challenging, the ‘fight or flight’ response governed by our sympathetic nervous system.