Rachel is a dedicated and passionate yoga & meditation student and teacher. Working full time as a yoga teacher since 2009 and practicing since the nineties.
You will find Rachel teaching mainly online these days, which she absolutely loves and has built a beautiful community of yoga students over the last few years who meet most days to practice together through the power of the internet.
Rachel is known for her extremely clear instruction and explanation of yoga postures, breath practices and yoga philosophy. She has a talent to teach a group of various levels and experience in a way that makes everyone feel comfortable and safe, yet appropriately challenged.
Yoga sessions with Rachel are fully integrated, including all aspects of yoga not just 'the asana' (yoga postures) which has become the main focus for many western practitioners. Classes are fluid, strong and dynamic with a deep belief, trust and personal experience of the positive effects yoga can have, not only physically but energetically, mentally and spiritually.
Following many different trainings, teachings and traditions including-
Himalayan Tradition through the lineage of Babaji with Anand Mehrotra)
Patanjalis yoga sutras, the ashtanga eight limbs of yoga, Iyengars precision alignment and Desikachar's spiritual influence (Krishnamacharya lineage) Vinyasa Flow with Claire Missingham
Other big influences and trainigs with Jai Dev, Jivamukti and Ram Dass.
So you can expect a fully integrated practice with Rachel…including the physical practice of yoga with plenty of focus on intention, building self belief and confidence to make changes in your life and break old cycles, patterns and bad habits. Using the power of breathwork and meditation Rachel’s classes will have a profound and positive effect on the way you live your life. The practices will help you to transform your life into whatever you want it to be.
Rachel feels blessed to be on this incredible ever evolving journey and is eternally grateful for all the teachers in her life. Continuing her studies is an essential and exciting part of her yoga practice, most recently studying intensively with Anand Mehrotra, Master and Founder of Sattva Yoga Academy in Rishikesh, India. Rachel has also studied with wonderful teachers Claire Missingham, Stewart Gilchrist, Annie Carpenter, Jivamukti (Sharon Gannon and David Life) Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati and Jai Dev.
"Your purpose here is to evolve, to transform, to experience your radical aliveness, to awaken to your True Nature. You are the Path. The Path is you. The time is NOW."
Anand Mehrotra
I started out in this life as a very shy and self conscious person that struggled to fit in. I found school really tough, I just couldn't understand or absorb all the information and left knowing little more than when I arrived.
What saved me in those early years was DANCING.
My first passion and one that will never leave me.
Once a dancer always a dancer.
There is no feeling like it and it turned out I was pretty good at it too.
Little did I know then, that I was tapping into something deep within me that I would re connect with once I found yoga.
Even though I was a great dancer (not easy for me to say!) I had a mediocre career, as I was easily distracted by other things such as the rave scene, clubs, parties and good times, that I would not change for the world!
So, thank god, I eventually found yoga to bring me back on track or onto the path, as we say in yoga.
I remember my first deep connection to yoga so vividly. It was at Tri Yoga in a Goddess workshop with my first wonderful yoga teacher, Claire Missingham. We were in child's pose, reflecting on a Goddess that had guided us through our lives. A profound connection to my late Nan came to me so strongly in that moment, I was moved to tears. Literally sobbing in child's pose but in a happy sort of way.
It was a moment of pure Gratitude and Grace for life and everything we are so fortunate to experience. I felt deeply at peace with the fact my Nan was no longer here in physical form, as I was feeling her deep in my heart, where our loved ones always reside. This is when I realised yoga was more than just some fancy postures.
I went on to learn over the years that even the most challenging of experiences are an opportunity for us to grow and ultimately, shine. Something I would never have believed before I discovered yoga.
So for the last 15 years I've been on a consistent, conscious journey of self evolution. It never ends. There is always something new to learn or realise in this practice, which is ultimately a reflection of the life we are living.
Yoga is a way of life.
Yoga is life.
I'm still shy, I still lack self belief sometimes, I am terrified of public speaking and I have suffered from anxiety for many years but I have come a long way and conquered many of the negative traits I acquired through life's challenges, thanks to Yoga. I now feel empowered and passionate to help others step into their power and conquer their fears and self doubt.
I do not know where I would be or what I'd be doing if it wasn't for this practice.
It teaches us that we are life and life is what we make it. We have so much power within us to experience this life the way we wish to experience it.
It's just a case of peeling back the layers and finding that strength and courage to look inwards.
"The experiencer is the experience"
Yoga teaches us to look deeply in to ourselves and discover the truth. I won't lie, it's not an easy thing to do but It teaches us to accept who we are, to celebrate who we are, to let go of past stuff that holds us back, to let go of the pressures society puts on us, to be and look a certain way or achieve a certain amount of material 'stuff' .......look how unhappy some of the rich and famous are. It teaches us self love and when we can love ourselves we are a beacon of light and love for others.
It's deep, I know...until suddenly one day, it clicks and you realise the potential you have to live a magnificent life.
Everyone gets there in their own time and I would love to guide those that wish to know more and those that are curious.... because if you are intrigued, then it's highly likely you are ready to dive in deep and discover your inner power.
I am forever grateful to my yoga teachers that continue to guide me-
Claire Missingham
Stewart Gilchrist
Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati
Jai Dev
Anand Mehrotra