MINDFULNESS & YOGA
Yoga uses the vehicle of the body, breath and mind to restore balance and harmony. It is a metaphor for life and teaches us how to mindfully deal with difficult situations as they arise.
Everyone is different and each of us can benefit from yoga. Certain types of yoga are better suited to certain people. Mia’s teaching and personal practice has been influenced by four styles in particular (Ashtanga, Iyengar, Yin and Forrest). She now mainly teaches Yin Yoga and her own version of Forrest Inspired Yoga.
Mia’s yoga qualifications
Mia is a qualified yoga instructor (500 hour Iyengar-based course, International Yin-Insight course and Forrest Yoga course). Mia is ITEC qualified in Anatomy, Physiology and Swedish massage. Mia is also a certified mindfulness teacher having trained in Mindfulness with the Mindfulness Training Institute.
Mia has appeared in yoga magazines and written many articles on Yoga (see press section). She has a deep knowledge of yoga and teaches from the heart with insight and compassion. Her teaching feels “wholesome, physical and spiritual”, at the same time as being very clear and down to earth (see Clients’ views for her students’ perspectives). Mia creates a safe space in which people feel safe to learn and be themselves – they carry this learning outside of the yoga rooms and into their lives. To Mia, teaching yoga, is like teaching mindfulness in action. To Mia, the deeper purpose of yoga is to teach us how to deal with tricky situations when they arise in life.
Mia’s yoga background
Mia is fortunate to have studied with a number of phenomenal yoga teachers. In particular, she is grateful to have had the opportunity to study directly with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (Ashtanga yoga founding father) and to have trained as a teacher with Ruth White (Karuna yoga, Iyengar-based) and Sarah Powers (Insight, Yin-based Yoga). In 2003, Mia spent 4 months in Mysore, India, practising yoga under the guidance of Sri K Pattabhi Jois. She also spent 10 days in Nepal in silent meditation. Mia considers that time to have been formative in her development. She is now mentored by Sarah Powers who has been a significant influence in her life and teaching approach.
In her yoga writing, Mia has been lucky enough to have studied with and interviewed some of the world’s top yoga teachers and is indebted to them for giving so generously of their time to help her develop her series on different yoga styles (see Press section). Not only has this helped her writing and teaching, but it has transformed her own practice and understanding of yoga. They are each leaders in their fields and Mia is humbled by their knowledge and dedication. Thank you: Aadil Palkhivala, Chuck Miller, Hamish Hendry, Kino MacGregor, Paul Grilley, Ruth White and Sarah Powers, as well as David Gorman, an expert in anatomy, the Alexander Technique and his own technique, LearningMethods.
Mia’s yoga offerings
Teaching is a way of sharing the fruits of one’s practice. At some point Mia felt that her practice began to overflow and it became obvious that she needed to share it with others. She now does this in 3 ways:
- Public classes: Mia offers public classes at two of London’s top yoga studios. Her schedule can be found here.
- Events and group sessions: Mia is available to teach yoga at events and for groups
- Private sessions: where appropriate as part of her coaching work or in certain circumstances where one to one attention is required, Mia is available for private yoga sessions.
Mia can provide private yoga sessions, small and large group class sessions, coaching in yoga, recommend a teacher or type of yoga to meet your needs. A teaching timetable for public classes is available here.