Harriet Taylor will join the studio team teaching the 6:45am class and 9:30am class on a Thursday. She teaches a dynamic and powerful style of vinyasa with an emphasis on alignment.

How did you get into yoga?
I first came to yoga after being diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. In 2014 I moved to London, discovered Dynamic Vinyasa and Power Yoga and was totally hooked! Like many, at first it was the physical demands of asana practice I enjoyed the most but after experiencing the life changing physical and mental effects it was having on my body, I came to truly appreciate the wider benefits of yoga.

Was there a moment when you realised you wanted to pursue yoga seriously?
I was working at a Yoga studio part-time whilst trying to figure out the ‘right’ career for me. Little did I know I was right where I needed to be! I was practicing daily,I understood what balance and clarity felt like for the first time in my life, that was when I knew I wanted to embark on my teacher training.

How has yoga changed you?
Before yoga I was very unsure about where I was going. Yoga has given me this inner confidence to try new things regardless of what the outcome might be. At school I was not the most focused to say the least! I never felt passionate about any subject, therefore I am so grateful to have found something as vast as yoga. Genuinely, everyday I wake up feeling overwhelmed (in a positive way) but excited about what that day has in store for me; a new teacher to discover, book, pose, training, adventure, business idea, opportunity, the list is endless. I can safely say I am passionate about yoga in its fullest sense and sometimes I feel my journey is only just beginning!

What’s your advice to people considering starting yoga?
Be curious. Be open. Be patient. There are lots of different styles of yoga and teachers out there, some that will be more suited to you at different points in your life (in my opinion!) so it’s important to find one that works for you. Your yoga practice should cultivate balance to both the body and mind at all times, if it isn’t find a new teacher or style and make sure you’re always exploring to help keep that balance. Yoga is a lifetime journey and like any journey there can be bumps in the road but persevere because overall the yoga journey is magical and exciting.

Do you have a favourite yoga quote?
B.K.S Iyengar “Light on Life”: Yoga is the rule book for playing the game of life, but in this game no one needs to lose. It is tough, and you need to train hard. It requires the willingness to think for yourself, to observe and correct, and to surmount occasional setbacks. It demands honesty, sustained application, and above all love in your heart”.

What is your approach to teaching?
My approach is to teach a dynamic, creative and challenging class full of good humour and love, reminding students constantly the shapes (asanas) are there to focus the mind, not to see who is the best at putting themselves into pretzel like positions! I encourage students to have fun in their practice and not to put any expectation on themselves. In my class there is a strong emphasis on moving precisely and functionally with good form, enabling students to feel the asana (pose) and its benefits as much as possible in their body. I believe it is my responsibility as the teacher to educate students to move their body in the safest and most efficient way and I hope people leave my class having learnt something new. I want people to come to my class and leave feeling content, whether they spent the whole time in Childs pose or up in handstand (whatever works for you!), students should leave their mat feeling balanced and energised.

Is there anything else outside yoga that would be interesting to share?
I studied International Relations and Politics at University. I am a professional chef. I love to workout, I believe you need other forms of functional mobility training to compliment your physical yoga practice. I eat chocolate everyday and my family (especially my nieces and nephew) are the most important thing in my life. Finally, although I love the name Harriet, most people call me Tay!