Imagine finding your inner peace on a sunny Portuguese beach, teaching yoga to a group of smiling faces. That was my reality just a few years ago. But life, as they say, is full of unexpected twists and turns. And I love it!

Six and a half years ago I created Love Yoga Crew in the sunny East Algarve. I had recently completed my Foundation yoga teacher training (YTT200) and was teaching locally with a happy heart and not much idea of what was to come. It was glorious! Meeting so many wonderful people and teaching on the beach, in a local salt spa and retreats … Walking in the ocean was my daily commute and enjoying so much time outside, it was heaven!

After some time I decided that I wanted to study further and came home to prepare to go to India. But the universe knew that it wasn’t my time for an Indian adventure and instead I taught locally at a wonderful Wellness studio before moving to Strathaven, just before the world went into lockdown!

Teaching via Zoom was initially a great challenge, but we quickly found our wee community growing. With the ‘unprecedented times’ and the anxiety from unfamiliar rules, I quickly realised that something different was needed and I began Yin yoga teacher training. A much calmer and quieter practice than I was accustomed to teaching ,I found that students as well as myself loved it.

Looking back I cannot believe the connection that we created online. People were more confident to try new things in the safe environment of their own home and confidence, as well as strength and flexibility soared!

There was reluctance about getting back into the studio and although I had been living locally for more than 2 years, nobody knew me. I taught a few Absolute Beginners courses and in person classes again became the norm, we grew and expanded. I have taught in many beautiful spaces locally and have been overwhelmed with love and support from the always ending community that we created. Looking for a little bit more of a challenge, I undertook Pregnancy, Post natal and Toddler/family teacher trainings. I really hoped that I was going to love it, but I had no idea the impact that this was going to have on me.

The energy and enthusiasm of Wee Yogis is fabulous! When I began teaching pregnancy yoga I was nervous but I couldn’t measure how amazing these classes have been. These classes are designed for mums that are new to yoga and looking for a way of gently moving and easing aches and pains. I wasn’t ready for the messages and wee photos of new-borns! As I’m writing this, this afternoon I have just had another message and another baby yogi has joined us! Welcome and congratulations! Mummy & Baby Yogis is a class for new mums and their babies. It’s about gently rehabilitating the body after growing and delivering your baby It’s very calm and gentle and we also focus on bonding with baby and chatting about what’s current, in our worlds and class. Less than a year ago I began teaching pregnancy yoga and now I know l these wonderful mums, babies and toddlers! It’s so special.

As much as I loved living very rurally ( no pavement and no bus!) I got to a point where I felt too isolated and surrounded by sadness after the death of my neighbour. In a shock horror move, we relocated to Paisley. There’s millions of pavements, buses and people!!

Again, I have had to readjust my sails as I consider what’s the best way for me to continue to offer the magic of the mat with the world. Business Mentoring has been fabulous and really enabled me to see a clear, exciting future!

With classes consolidated in Strathaven and Stonehouse, my next adventure takes me again online. I know that its perhaps ironic for me being visually impaired, but the convenience and ease is crazy to me. I now do quite a bit of commuting on public transport and cannot believe how easy it is to study, learn and even meditate with my tablet or phone.

Love Yoga Crew @home is relaunching on 1st September and its bigger, better and with brilliant bandwidth!! IYKYK!!

A monthly membership that offers you 4 hour long Yin yoga classes (access to catch up) and a library of classes, Yoga for Lunch and Yoga Snacks sessions that you can pick and choose anywhere, anytime to meet your needs for the bargain introductory price of £25 a month! Once we are up and running, I’ll be adding more options. But more about that later, need to stop having ideas!

You will be able to join Love Yoga Crew @home September membership from tomorrow and I’m super busy creating magic for the members area of the website.

As fabulous as this is, don’t tell everyone just yet! I’m going to have a limited number of spots available to begin with and I don’t want you to miss out.

I teach a lot of different people and at very different stages of their lives, but a lot of what I do is encouraging people, mostly women to feel better about themselves, to feel more at home with themselves. Did you see what I did there?!

My hope for the future is that as well as coming to class, which we need for connection, that you have access to me kinda on your shoulder, helping you along. I hope that we all become more self aware, kinder to ourselves and feel happier and more relaxed in ourselves.

Please come and join me as this new adventure begins.

Namaste

Stephanie