About Mary

“Yoga is like untying knots in a piece of string, not just the knots of tension in the physical body but the easing of the tangled mind”

My earliest memories of yoga are from when I was about 5 years old. I would practice sun salutations with my mum, and at bedtime, she would guide me through Yoga Nidra (a relaxation practice). I’m so grateful to her for introducing me to yoga at such a young age.

Like many teenagers, I went through a “yogic rebellion” phase. I thought anything my parents did was uncool, so I ditched yoga in favour of nights out, drinking, and eating junk food. During that time, I became stressed and burnt out. I remember feeling like something was missing, especially on days when I felt anxious or tired. I tried to fill the void with food, baths, or wine, but nothing worked. I was still searching for something.

One rainy Sunday afternoon, I found a first glimpse of that something. While browsing my parents’ bookshelves, I came across a 1970’s yoga book. I spent an hour or so working through the postures, and as I did I rediscovered a sense of calm and stillness I hadn’t felt since childhood. My worries seemed to melt away, and I knew right then that yoga was the answer. Soon after, I enrolled in weekly classes. What started as one class a week quickly grew to two, and eventually, I began practicing daily before work.

At that time, I was working as a swimming teacher, and I started using simple yoga techniques to help students who were afraid of the water. I was amazed by how much of a difference it made. When I shared this with my yoga teacher, Gillian, she encouraged me to pursue yoga teaching further.

I’ve been teaching yoga since 2001. There’s no feeling quite like the contentment I experience when teaching and practicing yoga. My mum, who once watched me rebel against yoga,attends my online classes. I think it’s hard for her not to say, “I told you so.”
I now practice Hatha, Yin, and Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to learn from and work with incredible teachers, including John Scott, Liz Lark, Donna Farhi, Kino MacGregor, Godfrey Devereux and Sarah Powers. Their teachings have enriched my practice and inspired me as a teacher, and I’m deeply grateful to them.

For me, practicing yoga is like untying knots in a piece of string. It’s not just about releasing tension in the body, but also easing the knots of a tangled mind. I look forward to welcoming new students into my classes and witnessing the positive impact yoga has on their lives.

I am now a level 4 yoga teacher and therapist. Breathwork instructor, level 2 swimming coach, open water swimming coach and RLSS open water lifeguard. I am is also a qualified Thai yoga massage therapist and is a level 3 Reiki practitioner.