About Me
Let me tell you about myself and what to expect from me as a yoga teacher...
Before yoga
When I started practicing yoga, I was certainly not living what could be described as a ‘yoga lifestyle’. I had recently arrived in Portugal after teaching English and traveling in Asia and Eastern Europe.
It was 2006, I was in my mid twenties, and I had found the process of launching myself into the world as an adult human quite challenging. I had also found that moving between different countries and partying a lot was a good distraction from this fact, and also quite fun. Unfortunately, this routine was depleting my vital energy and stressing my body, which meant that I felt anxious and overwhelmed a great deal of the time too.
Hello to Coimbra & yoga
I found that Coimbra was a great place to start over. Cautiously, I began to introduce some healthier habits to my daily life. I mentioned to a friend that I would like to try yoga. She lent me a DVD and I began to practice at home.
I was drawn to yoga because of the quietness, the esoteric curiosities, the weirdness, the notion that I may be able to achieve this illusive ‘peace of mind’ thing. Also, I hoped it would help me lose weight and look wonderful in a tracksuit (specialist yoga clothing was not yet a thing on my radar).
To begin with, I was interested in flowing and athletic yoga forms of practice with lots of movement and challenging poses. Then I got pregnant and switched to a slower, gentler style of yoga. I have gone back and forth between more and less dynamic practices over the years, depending on what felt good at the time.
Deep studies & growth
Since 2006, I have studied with various teachers, both virtually and in person, who themselves trained in different traditions and forms, such as Hatha Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Kundalini, and Yin Yoga.
In particular, through practicing with local Coimbra teacher Lara Lima and UK based teacher Carolyn Cowan, I have trained in a broad range of Yoga and Breathwork practices.
I completed my Level One Yoga Teacher Training in February 2020 with MAA Yoga, Brazil, in association with Centro Bem Me Quero, Coimbra. I completed an advanced qualification in Breathwork with Kundalini Global in 2023.
Since qualifying as a teacher, I have continued to deepen my studies, with a special interest in using breathwork and posture as tools for establishing and maintaining mental health.