wendYogini
Yoga Teacher
'Yogini' - Sanskrit term for a female practitioner of yoga.
"Yoga is a light, which once lit will never dim.”
B.K.S Iyengar
About Me
I love to practice yoga outdoors
where I feel a deep and abiding connection with nature.
My all time favourite place is on a sandy beach in the Gili islands at sunrise
as the sky turns red with the promise of a new day. Nothing beats moving through a slow
morning flow with the sights and sounds of nature as a backdrop... It feels like coming home.
These days my favourite place is just as special but much closer to home at the side of a local lake.
I come here to walk, run, practice yoga, meditate and to just be....
And one of my new favourite pastimes is SUP (stand up paddle boarding) ... I particularly love
the challenge of trying to keep my balance as I strike a few yoga poses on my board!
If you’re feeling down, step outside, find a park or green space, BREATHE ... and let the
healing power of nature dissolve any stress or negative emotions you may be feeling.
‘My heart is tuned to the quietness that
the stillness of nature inspires.’
Hazrat Inayat Khan.
My Yoga Journey
My yoga journey started properly in 2006. I had returned to my job as Head of Art in a large secondary school after having my son. Although my hours were part time, I was essentially trying to balance two full time jobs - leading a busy Department and being a full-time mum. I was constantly stressed and under pressure and suffered frequent migraines. Life was hectic and I longed to press pause on my busy life and have some time to myself ..... and then I discovered a local Chi Kri Yoga class run by Neil Patel and found the time and space that I had been craving.
I have always had an interest in yoga and had tried 2 or 3 different classes over the years, but it always seemed like just another way to bend and stretch the body. The Chi Kri style offered so much more than just physical exercise and included philosophy, inspirational readings and deeply calming pranayama and meditation. After attending only a few classes I felt much more grounded, a sense of peace and calm and a reconnection with myself and the world around me.
Yoga continued to be a large part of my life and I attended regular classes, workshops and retreats,
all which helped me to better navigate the many challenges of life. In 2015 I made the decision to
train with Chi Kri to become a Yoga teacher and after completing my ‘Gold standard training', I started teaching in 2016. Later that year, a thirst for learning and greater knowledge led me to continue my studies and delve even deeper into the wonders of yoga with the ‘Platinum standard advanced training’.
In January 2019 I started teaching two yoga classes a week at Rickmansworth School and in that
time built up a welcoming and supportive community of like-minded souls. I have also taught yoga in schools to staff, sixth formers and other students adding a welcome dose of calm to their busy lives.
With the arrival of COVID-19 and knowing that yoga and meditation would be needed more than ever, I immediately took my classes online. Although nothing can beat the atmosphere and energy of
in-person classes, it was invaluable in keeping our community connected and able to continue practicing together. I also found one of the unexpected benefits of being online meant that some former students who had moved away from the area were able and keen to practice with me once more.
I will always remain a student of yoga and am forever grateful to my first teacher Neil Patel, whose wisdom and teachings I will continue to share, as my yoga journey now moves to the next stage and
I step out as wendyogini.
Wherever you are on your yoga journey I hope you will join me to discover for yourself
all that yoga with wendyogini has to offer.
My Teaching Style
My teaching style is a blend of authentic hatha yoga and slow gentle flow.
Postures and sequences are designed to stretch the body and help build strength and flexibility,
and by connecting with the breath, encourage movement around the mat with poise and balance.
I have an interest in the spirituality and history which underpins authentic yoga and am also drawn to
the healing power of nature and the enduring connection we have with its organic cycle of life and seamless flow from season to season. These elements of yogic philosophy and nature often weave themselves into my classes helping us to be fully present and removed from the stresses of daily life.
It is these teachings, designed to offer support on and off the mat, which many of my students
report help them to overcome anxiety, grow in confidence and
better cope with life's challenges.
For me yoga is not about pushing the body to extremes
in order to achieve the perfect pose – it is about the journey.
‘Yoga is not about touching your toes. It is what you learn on the way down.' Jigar Gor
Yoga can help us to understand our bodies better
if we are sensitive enough to tune in to what it is telling us.
It is about stretching in a safe way working with (and not against) the body.
Authentic yoga is non-competitive and non-judgemental – with no expectations.
'If you listen to your body when it whispers, you won't have to hear it scream.' Unknown
So whether you’re a complete beginner or wanting to return, I will meet, guide and support
you wherever you are in your practice and invite you to meet yourself
on the mat and accept your body exactly where it is today.
Take the first step!
"Chitta Vritti Nirodhah"
Yoga Sutras (1:2) - Patanjali
'Stilling the fluctuations of the mind'
