Your teacher
“Sally’s teaching approach is friendly, unhurried, kindly & non-judgemental”
Cathy
“I leave each session feeling relaxed both mentally and physically”
Jamie
“Just listening to Sally relaxes me”
Jenny
“Sally is an inspirational person and her classes are friendly, supportive and offer the opportunity to challenge yourself at your own pace”
Claire
“Sally is a wonderful teacher. I highly recommend her classes. She makes sure everyone feels included, whatever their ability and you always come away feeling refreshed and renewed.
Suzanne
My Yoga
I have been practising Yoga in a range of styles & approaches for over 30 years. This, together my extensive professional experience in Education, teaching Dance and PE to school children & training student teachers, informs what and how I teach it. And it’s always evolving.
I have been teaching Yoga for 22 years and hold: a British Wheel of Yoga Teaching Diploma (500 hour course); a Diploma in Children’s Yoga with Research on Yoga in Education (300 hour course); a qualification with Satyananda Yoga, to teach Yoga Nidra (200 hour course); and a Masters Degree in Mindfulness with the University of Aberdeen, having spent an 8 year period studying and training at Samye Ling Tibetan Buddhist Centre and Holy Isle in Scotland. I also study/practice the Feldenkrais Technique, Somatics, and Qigong.
As well as my own yoga classes in the community, I teach weekly classes to participants with multiple disabilities for the charity SENSE, including in-person classes at SENSE Touchbase Pears in Birmingham, at a residential home for the ‘sight-impaired’ elderly, and a ‘Phone-Yoga’ class for sight impaired/ blind/ participants. I have also taught weekly Yoga classes to primary and secondary school children.
“Sally creates a very friendly environment for the absolute beginner through to the more advanced ‘yogi’, always taking care to make sure everybody is getting the most out of the experience. I leave each session feeling relaxed both mentally and physically.”
Jamie
“Sally is always furthering her own understanding and development in mindful yoga and is expert at translating this into our sessions, making them fresh, interesting and rewarding”
Alison
My Yoga Journey
I first found Yoga after a nasty car accident left me with neck and back injuries & stiffness. After extensive physio, I asked what I should do next? ‘You go to Yoga’! – I followed this advice, exploring different forms of Hatha Yoga and enjoying practising Vini Yoga for many years. But for the last 18 years I have been practising and studying an approach to Yoga, based on the profound teachings of Vanda Scaravelli. I have attended countless Retreats and Workshops over the years, studying extensively with: my teacher Bill Wood; regularly with two of Scaravelli’s long-standing students Diane Long and Sandra Sabatini, here and abroad; as well as their protege’s, Caroline Reid; Louise Simmons; Robin Stamm; John Stirk; Gary Carter and Pete Blackaby. These experiences, as well as those in Meditation have fed my personal practice from which my teaching emerges, creating a less ridged, more creative and innovative approach, infused with great personal understanding and insight.
“As complete beginners, Sally had the ability and experience to drop us straight into class, without us feeling too much out of our depth”
Mike & Gill
“I absolutely love your classes Sally, thank you for being such a kind, welcoming and patient teacher. You create such a lovely atmosphere in class and it’s given me the confidence to continue
Adam
Meditation
I began a personal meditation practise in 2000, training in Transcendental Meditation (TM) initially and then other forms of Meditation. I have been a member of the Stourbridge ‘Community of Interbeing’ Sangha, who practice mindfulness and compassion according to the Zen Buddhist teaching’s of Thich Nhat Hanh.
In 2005, I began attending retreats with Buddhist teacher Rob Nairn and studied extensively with him (and his proteges) for years at Samye Ling Monastery in Langholm and on Holy Isle off the West Coast of Scotland. I spent a 5 year period practicing and studying on a Masters Degree course at Samye Ling Monastery and have a Masters Degree in ‘Mindfulness Studies’ from the University of Aberdeen, based on the application of these teachings in Education. I graduated in 2015 and continue to train & study with the Mindfulness Association and other Buddhist & secular teachers.
I teach secular Mindfulness and Meditation in the local community and trained to teach the ‘Mindfulness Based Living Course’(MBLC) and the ‘Compassion Based Living Course’ (CBLC) with the Mindfulness Association. I have also been a supporting teacher for their ‘Being Present’ programme, and receive supervision to support my own practice and teaching, together with regular CPD programmes and silent retreats. I have been a member of a Compassion-based Mindfulness group of teachers, who discuss the teaching of meditation and practice together. I have also trained with the ‘Mindfulness in School’s Project’ to teach the ‘dot b’ course to school children.
“I love Sally’s Meditation and relaxation classes. Over the past years I have been able to take techniques away from the classes and lead a calmer less stressful life”
Dave
“Sally is a warm and supportive teacher. My yoga class is an important part of my week”
Clare
“Meditation sessions are expertly lead by Sally and I always come out feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.”
Ellie