My Yoga Philosophy

As a Scaravelli-inspired yoga teacher, my yoga philosophy is shaped by my life experiences and the influences of my teachers and practice. I have been dedicated to my yoga practice for nearly 25 years, and my perspective has evolved through that dedication.

Humans are organisms that have evolved in relationship with our environment. We engage with our environment through our nervous system, and this constant interplay shapes us throughout our lives. As a result, we form musculoskeletal patterns that are unique to each individual, and yoga can help us reveal and understand these patterns.

My approach

My approach to teaching yoga focuses on functional movements that resemble normal human functions. I believe that poses and postures should not be a form over function and that our yoga practice should be mindful and intelligent. By practising movements that align with our everyday lives, we can experience the full benefits of yoga and improve our overall well-being.

My teaching

In my classes, I encourage students to ask why they practise certain poses and postures and listen to their bodies. For example, if a pose or posture causes discomfort, we should ask why and consider whether it aligns with our body maps and natural movement patterns. By approaching our practice this way, we can avoid extreme movements and focus on movements that support and enhance our well-being.

In my classes, I strive to provide a safe and supportive environment for students to explore and deepen their yoga practice. I encourage them to listen to their bodies and move in a natural and comfortable way. I also provide a framework for addressing and improving movement patterns, which can become restricted and lead to stiffness and other complications if not practised regularly.

By focusing on how the body feels during movement and listening to the sensations provided by the central nervous system, my students can learn to move more fluidly and with greater freedom. This approach to practising yoga allows students to truly embody their practice and experience the full benefits of yoga.

In short, my philosophy as a Scaravelli-inspired yoga teacher is to encourage an intelligent, mindful practice that aligns with our individual body maps and natural movement patterns.

By practising in this way, we can experience the full benefits of yoga and improve our overall well-being.

In addition to providing a supportive environment for individual practice, I offer guidance and support to help my students develop a deeper understanding of yoga philosophy and principles. This holistic approach to teaching yoga can help students cultivate a lifelong relationship with their practice and continue to grow and evolve as practitioners.

How to work with me

Yoga Classes

In my yoga classes, I encourage students to focus on the sensation of movement and to listen to their bodies rather than striving for deep stretches or advanced poses. This allows students to fully embody their practice and experience the benefits of yoga without feeling pressured to perform.

I believe this approach to teaching yoga is accessible to students of all levels, regardless of their flexibility or experience. In my classes, there is no need to be flexible or advanced to be a yogi – all that is required is a willingness to listen to your body and move in a natural and comfortable way.

By focusing on the feeling of movement and noticing how our bodies respond to sensory input, we can develop a deeper understanding of our body maps and movement patterns. This can help us move more fluidly and with greater freedom and provide a framework for addressing and improving any restrictions or stiffness that may arise.

The power of yoga to benefit the practitioner seems to arise- at least in part from nothing more complicated than the release of physiological and psychological tension and the quieting of the mind.

William J. Broad

William J Broad concluded this in his excellent book The Science of Yoga (Washington Post Review). I completely agree with his findings; yoga should release tension, and my Scaravelli inspired yoga approach to teaching yoga has the central aim to do this. 

An example of Functional Yoga

Seated Side Bend to Down Dog

Humans evolved to sit on the floor, and sitting on the ground or floor is a fundamental physical process often overlooked in our developed society. We usually choose comfort over functionality, but moving from the ground to standing and sitting allows us to experience a range of beneficial and essential movement patterns. These patterns are crucial for optimal mobility and health.

Sidebending is very beneficial for our spines. This pattern we have inherited from a long time ago in our evolutionary chain. Sitting like this, we enable inward and outward rotation of the hips and a gentle side bend, opening one side of the body and contracting the other. The spine is stable, and we can notice if there are tensions and release with the breath.

Enjoy