About Us - Sarah & Steph

Sarah Vaughan

I began practicing yoga in the Iyengar method and practiced pilates for several years. When I discovered Astanga yoga about six years ago I immediately loved it. For me it brings together the body and the mind in a physically demanding practice which brings health, stamina, focus and peace of mind. Becoming familiar with the sequence of postures has brought an understanding of the subtle, natural and graceful flow that is astanga.

Astanga yoga became a passion for me in 2001 when I found a local class taught by James Bradford. His energy and devotion to astanga inspired and encouraged me to build up my own practice to six times a week practicing both in a class environment and on my own. Yoga has given me the fitness, strength and flexibility to focus on a personal journey that has helped me to achieve a sense of wellbeing and inner calm.

In 2005, I underwent the stringent Ashtanga teacher training at the Union Yoga centre in Edinburgh, completing the Yoga Alliance 200 hour teacher training course taught by Brian Cooper and Nawajoti.

Learning is a continuous process and I continue to progress my teaching through the development of my own practice and regularly attending workshops and intensives with world class teachers both at home and abroad. Shri K Pattabhi Jois is the guru of the astanga system and it was a humbling experience to practice with him in London last year.  

Contact Sarah on 0770 3599 609 or email at slvaughan@blueyonder.co.uk

 

Stephanie Turner

I started practicing astanga yoga in 2001. Sarah and I met in James’s classes and were both driven by his tough and personal approach to teaching. Fifteen years ago I trained as a ballet dancer and transferred the displine into my yoga practice after the birth of my second child.

I undertook the Yoga Alliance 200 hr teacher training at the Union Yoga Centre in Edinburgh taught by Brian Cooper and Nawajoti. In addition I have attended many workshops with eminient and renowned teachers who have inspired me in my progression along my yoga path. Both Sarah and I regularly practice at the Sangam with Gingi Lee and benefit greatly from his experienced teaching. Like Sarah it was a great honour to practice under Pattabi Jois in London last year and it is an ambition of mine to return to India and practice with Guruji at the Astanga Institute in Mysore.

Returning to the familiarity of the astanga sequence on my mat every day is never the same. Observing my practice and feelings each day gives me a greater understanding of the subtle changes that manifest in the world around us. Yoga teaches you honesty and compassion to yourself and others around you. Astanga has given me the confidence to realise that small achievements on the mat can be taken outside and realised in everyday life. Sarah and I feel hugely privileged to be able to share this practice with others.

Contact Stephanie on 07949 069 347 or email at stephturner@blueyonder.co.uk

 

Astanga yoga has become a way of life for us. We teach small classes and have developed a precise and compassionate method of teaching, working with the individual at their own level. It is important to remember that yoga is completely non-competitive and that each practice must be a joyful experience with consideration of tomorrows practice!