Yoga with Erling

My Yoga Journey: A Life in Practice, Teaching, and Discovery

A yoga Journey of Self-Discovery

As a Scaravelli-inspired yoga teacher, my journey has been one of self-discovery, growth, and a deep connection to the transformative power of yoga. With over 25 years of practice and teaching experience, I have come to understand that yoga is not just a physical practice but a path to knowing ourselves as awareness – a journey of self-inquiry.

Erling McCracken’s Story how my yoga journey started

I started delving into yoga and meditation back in 1996. I now teach Scaravelli-inspired yoga as I have grown comfortable with this Somatic approach’s intuitive sense.

How I Discovered Yoga

My journey into yoga began in 1996 with Sivananda yoga, under the guidance of Barbara Gordan. She was a co-founder of Sivananda in London during the late 1960s. Barbara gave me my first instructions and set me on my path. Since then, I have had the privilege to learn from various esteemed teachers in different styles of yoga and meditation. From the Dynamic Agori Tantra of Clive Sheridan in Nepal and India to the Advaita Vedanta teachings of single-pointing awareness with Mooji during silent retreats in Portugal. I have also studied under renowned Scaravelli teachers such as Angela Farmer, Diane Long, Sophy Hoare, Pete Blackaby, Marc Acquaviva, Sandra Sabatini, and Gary Carter.

My 1st Yoga teacher qualification

Based on the teachings of the Sivananda tradition, I completed my initial 200-hour yoga instructor training at Barbara’s Sunra School of Yoga. My intention was to sell my business and transition into a full-time teaching role, with the ultimate aim of establishing a residential yoga retreat on my birthplace, the Isle of Wight. In that same year, I met Elaine, my soul mate, who had also trained with Barbara. Two years later, with our newborn daughter, we purchased and renovated our dream home to open the island’s first yoga studio with residential facilities.

Our first yoga studio

In 2002, my wife and I established a yoga centre in our home on the Isle of Wight, initially named Yogi Generation and later renamed the Isle of Yoga. Since then, we have been hosting retreats, workshops, classes, and residential courses, sharing the gift of yoga with others.

scaravelli inspired yoga

As my practice evolved, I found myself drawn to the Scaravelli approach after suffering a prolapsed disc in 2001. This experience led me to study with many renowned Scaravelli teachers, including Angela Farmer, Diane Long, Sophy Hoare, Pete Blackaby, Marc Acquaviva, Sandra Sabatini, and Gary Carter. This intuitive practice suits my introspective nature, and the gentle yet profoundly accurate anatomical approach has helped me countless times to find ease in both my body and mind.

My 2nd yoga teacher training course

I graduated with a 200-hour diploma in Scaravelli-inspired yoga teacher training from the IYN-accredited Acquaviva School of Yoga. During my journey, at age 50, I sought nothing more than to embody my yoga studies and enrolled in Marc Acquaviva’s Scaravelli-inspired Yoga course.

Isle of Yoga

Elaine and I decided to rebrand our residential yoga centre to provide a space for visiting teachers and their students to experience the calm and wonderful sense of peace that our family home and the Isle of Wight offer. The Isle of Yoga has been a success from the outset; the unique perspective of our family home and dedicated yoga hosts has provided a wonderful opportunity for guests and teachers to immerse themselves in the unity of yoga.

Senior yoga teacher qualification

Accredited IYN 500-hour yoga instructor. My experiences have been rewarding.

Humanist Yoga

I studied with Pete Blackaby in The Humanist Yoga course, where his practical and empowering approach to the human experience in yoga has been profoundly impactful and incredibly helpful for me as a teacher. I can confidently say that my understanding has deepened. Pete combines evidence-based movement science with Scaravelli-inspired principles, drawing from over four decades of teaching experience. This unique blend provides a solid foundation for exploring our innate mind and body patterns and understanding how we are shaped by life. Innate mind and body patterns and understanding of how we are shaped by life.

3 Ways We Can Work Together

If you’ve read this far, you might want to meet me for yoga.

One to one yoga

classes

yoga retreat

High Praise + kind words

A Journey of Self-Discovery Through Yoga

Erling McCracken’s Yoga Philosophy

As a Scaravelli-inspired yoga teacher, Erling McCracken’s philosophy is deeply influenced by the principles of this approach – a profound trust in the body’s innate wisdom, a surrender to the natural pull of gravity, and a patient, introspective listening to the subtle whispers of the breath. For nearly 25 years, he has immersed himself in this ever-unfolding journey of embodied self-discovery.

In his classes, rather than imposing external forms, Erling McCracken encourages a spirit of playful, curious exploration. Students engage in functional movements that echo the natural rhythms of daily life, not striving for aesthetic ideals but instead asking “why?”—why this pose, why now, how does it feel in this present moment? When they encounter discomfort, they see it as an opportunity to pause, listen more deeply, and question whether their movements are in harmony with their body maps.

Students awaken an exquisite inner sensitivity by attuning to sensation and the subtle currents of the breath. They discover how to move with rather than against the force of gravity, finding ease and spaciousness where there was once resistance and restriction. In this process, the nervous system begins to unwind, and asanas emerge not through willpower but through a kind of grace, a return to their natural state.

Erling McCracken’s role as a teacher is to hold space for this intimate inner journey, offering guidance and support as each student navigates their own unique terrain. More than just physical exercise, this approach to yoga is a pathway to greater self-knowing, a gradual peeling away of layers to reveal the essential truth of who we are. As students learn to inhabit their bodies with more presence and compassion, the fruits of their practice ripple out into all aspects of their lives.

As a Scaravelli-inspired yoga teacher, my journey has been one of self-discovery, growth, and a deep connection to the transformative power of yoga. With over 25 years of practice and teaching experience, I have come to understand that yoga is not just a physical practice but a path to knowing ourselves as awareness – a journey of self-inquiry.

Qualifications and Experience

Vanda Scaravelli’s profound approach has shaped my yoga for many years now. I would encourage you to think of yoga as an exploration without a goal of perfection.

  • 2018-2019: Studied with Pete Blackaby on The Humanist Yoga course.
  • 2018: Accredited IYN 500-hour yoga teacher.
  • 2015: Graduated with a 200-hour Dip. 2 Scaravelli-inspired yoga teacher training qualification from the IYN-accredited Acquaviva School of Yoga.
  • 2011-2013: Attended Silent Meditation retreats with Mooji (3 x 8-day retreats).
  • 2007-present: Studied with leading Scaravelli teachers, including Angela Farmer, Diane Long, Sophy Hoare, Pete Blackaby, Marc Acquaviva, Sandra Sabatini, and Gary Carter.
  • 1999-2002: Studied with Clive Sheridan at yoga retreats in England, Nepal, and India.
  • 1998: Graduated with a 200-hour RYT Yoga Alliance qualification with Sunra School of Yoga teacher training, based on the Sivananda tradition.