About Paula

Want to know more about me as a person and my personal practice? Starting yoga at the fledgling age of 21 and having personal yoga practice, it soon became an ingrained part of my life and has been for the past 27 years. In my first 16 years of stepping on the mat, I was simply a student with no desire to teach. I was extremely fortunate to learn from inspirational teachers from a young age who wove deep philosophical teachings alongside skillful breath work wrapped around the physical yoga stretches & movements (asanas). These rich teachings were thoughtfully crafted offering me tools and meaning for navigating my young life. My initial attraction to yoga was that it made me feel ‘good’, proud of myself, and calm. The benefits were quite inexplainable to a word-shy 21-year-old but my sense of awe for the practice grew. During those early days, the physical side of yoga was more relatable for me. The flowing sequences from posture to posture, complex poses, tension releasing stretches, character building arm balances and handstands. The beauty of moving body and breath was (and still is) awe inspiring. As a young adult, it gave me confidence and more importantly, trust in my ‘physical’ body at a time when many of my peers were comparing their physiques to the ‘heroin chic model trend and diet culture’ of the 90s. With inspiring guidance and the gift of time, I was finally ready to hear and realise the richness of the philosophical yoga teachings, meditation and mindfulness. Exploring what it meant to practice and live your yoga. After 16 years of being a student of yoga, I undertook an 18-month teacher training. Slowly I followed a path that organically opened into teaching. In the last 11 years, I have continued to absorb different trainings with a melting pot of teachers to fuel my passion of learning and sharing. I have studied and trained under renowned and respected teachers* and have the love of integrating their wisdom into my classes and 1:1 offerings. Yoga for me now I follow my passions in life; that which lights me up: Yoga, Movement, Art, Nature and Story. Yoga for me is a lifetime practice. The teachings are a long road, one I still travel every day. It’s not always an easy road but it gives me a healthy ability to regulate myself and face difficulties and life stresses, rather than shy away from them. This practice gives me independence of movement and thought. It showers me with awareness, awe, and love for this one life. It keeps me curious and helps me question standard societal narratives through a yoga lens. Yoga is my way of life with tangible tools of breath work, meditation, focus and movement to keep me grounded and present of mind. It keeps me calm and content (most of the time, nothing is perfect) and helps me sit with and address ‘what is arising’ from moment to moment whether joy or difficulty. Physically, yoga gives me amazing practices to balance fluctuating energy levels and regulate my nervous system as I grow older and wiser in years. The stretches, mobility, isometric strength holds, stillness and movements help keep me supple and responsive through muscles, joints, balance and cognition. All of which leads me to embrace my ageing body and not fear it. For me, yoga is a whole-body experience, with depth and meaning which I consider to be the real magic in helping me be fully present to my one precious life. Creativity Art and creativity run through my veins and trickle into my teachings and practice. I have a first-class honors degree in fashion, art and textiles and I have designed over two decades for every high street store in the UK (and a few in the USA / Europe) As a creative, our imagination is a gift and a curse; a gift when ideas are brimming, a curse when it goes blank. Seeking pleasure through art, design, physical creations, words and poetry is what lights me up. To me, the blank canvas of art is much the same as the blank canvas of stepping on the yoga mat, it can be daunting, but a little magic will always happen. My beliefs I believe in the kindness of people and their potential. The potential of movement and ability to feel calm and content. I have only ever met people who want to feel love and be seen. People who enjoy feeling part of something and in there is where I rest my trust. In the complexities of the current world situation of misinformation, destruction and war holding the headlines, I believe….in fact I know, the majority of us are seeking calm, peace, kindness, stability and love. It’s WE the people who can make the difference.