Contributor Biographies Nina Sebastiane

As an accomplished TV & Radio Broadcaster Nina’s work has taken her all over the world in a variety of on and off camera roles. But she always felt that there was another career calling. Nina’s yoga journey began in 1998. Practicing at the local Iyengar centre a friend suggested she tried hot yoga. After just one session she was hooked. Nina moved to Hertfordshire with her family and her regular searches for a local studio drew a blank. In the end there was only one option – to go to teacher training herself and open Hertfordshire’s first dedicated hot yoga studio. Nina studied and qualified with The Bikram Yoga College of India and is also an accredited member of The Yoga Alliance (UK). Nina’s background in NLP/Visualisation techniques bring another dimension to her classes.  “The teacher training is for me the natural step towards nurturing and empowering others in this incredible mind and body practice. It’s not just about finding health and well being it’s about taking the next step in your life journey.” Namaste.

David Tidd David had an active interest in Yoga for many years and was fortunate enough to practice at Bhaktivedanta Manor in Letchmore Heath, with a wonderful spiritual atmosphere, being the only institution where Hindu priests are formally trained. This gave him a more traditional yogic background and an in depth understanding and appreciation of yoga teachings and philosophy. When not working with adult yogis, he enjoys sharing his teaching knowledge through schools and  local children's’ clubs. David’s passion for yoga stemmed from his fascination with sports science and anatomy. Realising the benefits of yoga in relation to improved injury recovery times and optimizing sports performance, lead him to marry up the yoga with the heat. He hasn’t looked back since. His tangible affinity with asanas and anatomy make his classes informative, unpredictable and fun.

Chris Swain It was whilst studying for an English degree at UEA in the early eighties that Chris started regular formal training in the arts of Yoga, Kempo (a martial art) and Meditation. Following these trainings he developed a deep interest in natural healing which resonated with his childhood growing up in the countryside. Over the next 14 years, he dedicated my time to training in and teaching the above arts within the framework of Shingon (Chen Yen) Buddhism. Chris moved to London in 1996 to take a degree in Osteopathy, deepening his understanding of anatomy, physiology, pathology and western medical models. This was a four year full time degree, which involved dissection at Guy’s hospital during the first year. On graduating he went into private practice in North London and experienced working voluntarily at the Osteopathic centre for Children in Harley Street. He currently has a private osteopathic practice in Brighton and Hove. Chris has had articles published in The Times, The Telegraph and Climber magazine, where he ran a four month feature on ‘Yoga and Climbing’. His travels have taken him to study Thai massage in Thailand, Yoga in India and he has experienced training in various Buddhist monasteries. He appreciates a simple realistic life, closely connected to nature. Chris has been teaching anatomy and physiology for 11 years and is a member of several yoga teacher training faculties. In this capacity he is able to combine his experience of having practiced and taught yoga for 30 years with his knowledge of anatomy and physiology to make it relevant and accessible to yoga teacher trainees.

Louise Palmer Louise is the founder of Camyoga, and was introduced to Yoga aged 11, whilst at school. The profound effect of that first Yoga class has remained with her to this day. Over the last 30 years Louise has studied various forms of Hatha Yoga, in particular Iyengar, then Ashtanga. The births of her two daughters at home, combined with her experience of Yoga, meditation, the power of mind, and a chance encounter with Frederick Leboyer (author of Birth without Violence), Louise has developed a style of teaching Active Birth. She is also Pregnancy Yoga teacher, and has trained as a doula with renowned obstetrician Michel Odent. Louise has a background in the world of music and the arts, and before founding Camyoga she ran a digital arts company for many years. On the FHY TT Louise will be introducing breath work for self development. In the session Louise will guide students through a session of Transformational Breathing ®, with individual attention to each students' breath pattern. Transformational Breath ® is a powerful modality for healing and self transformation, and is a perfect self development tool for yoga teachers and students. For those wishing to take their practice of Transformational Breath® further are advised to contact TBFUK (http:// www.transformationalbreath.co.uk) for details of their comprehensive training courses.

Catherine Potter

Catherine qualified in 1990 from the Queen Elizabeth School of Physiotherapy, Birmingham and has continued her learning ever since, gaining a Postgraduate Diploma in Practical and Academic Sports Physiotherapy and recently completing her Masters in Neuromusculoskeletal Physiotherapy. She also practices acupuncture and is a qualified Body Control Instructor in Pilates. Before working for Bupa Sports Medicine, she headed up the sports injury clinic, leading a team of physiotherapists at the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital, Stanmore, She then became team physiotherapist to the Saracens R.F.C for four years during their inaugural year of winning the cup and the league. She was then asked to become the National Physiotherapy Manager for Bupa Health & Wellbeing being clinical lead for a team of 35 physiotherapists nationwide. Catherine now works between her clinic, ‘Alpine Physiotherapy’ in Harpenden and an onsite multi-disciplinary clinic within a large investment bank in the City. She believes that successful outcomes are the result of forming an accurate diagnosis and applying early intervention of customised treatment that includes an understanding of patients’ work and exercise needs.

Peter Connolly

   

Peter read for BA, MA and PhD degrees in Comparative Religion and Philosophy at the University of Lancaster and a BSc in Psychology with the Open University. He has taught Indian religion and philosophy on BA and MA courses for over 20 years and has worked with various yoga organisations throughout that time, offering a variety of lectures and short courses. He is interested in how people go about constructing histories of yoga and the methods they use for making sense of yoga texts. His own approach is strictly non-partisan and educational. He presents the history and teachings as he understands them, all the time encouraging students to make up their own minds and challenge authority figures, including himself, to provide evidence in support of their claims. His overview book: A Student’s Guide to the History and Philosophy of Yoga, was published by Equinox in 2007 Dr Connolly has, for many years, been fascinated by all forms of altered states of consciousness. From the late 1960’s until the mid 1980’s he studied and practised a variety of meditational techniques, ranging from the devotional style of the Divine Light Mission and the Radha Soami Satsang to Tibetan Lam Rim and the more austere approach of Theravada insight meditation as well as some shamanistic methods. He has also trained in both Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and hypnosis, both of which offer an interesting perspective on the psychology of yoga and offer a range of valuable resources to yoga teachers. His classes are well known for their clarity of exposition and informal style.

Philip Xerri

Philip Xerri was born in Cardiff, Wales. He was an accomplished athlete and rugby player in his youth. He became a ‘wanderer’ in his 20’s and then aged 28 walked into a yoga class run by Philip Jones. This was a major turning point. Since this time Philip Xerri has continually practiced and taught yoga and pranayama throughout the UK and Europe. Philip studied yoga and pranayama with Dr. Swami Gitananda in India 1980/1981, graduated with an Honours degree in Comparative Religion 1984 and a Post Graduate Certificate of Education in Religious Studies 1985. Philip Xerri has experienced many different schools of yoga, qualified in Remedial Massage, Reflexology and Touch for Health. Philip Xerri has run Yoga Quests for the last 25 years. The main focus of Philip’s yoga practice has always been pranayama culminating in the formulation of the one year Pranayama Foundation Course in 2000. The Pranayama Foundation Course encapsulates Philip’s two fold approach to the practice of pranayama - structured, progressive, developmental, logical but also holding firmly onto the power and spiritual poignancy of the practice.

Pippa Wilson

Pippa has worked with voice since qualifying as a speech and language therapist 22 years ago and in recent years has developed her practice as a vocal coach; working in a range of settings: both healthy and disordered voices. Clients can have severe vocal pathologies to needing guidance with vocal presentation skills and singing. Pippa is at home working with a variety of professionals such as actors, singers, teachers, Alexander technique practitioners, physiotherapists and surgeons. Having crafted her unique style from an eclectic set of techniques; postgraduate qualifications include training in The Accent Method, Vocal Profile Analysis and the Estill Voice Training System (Levels 1 and 2), her particular interests are breath and the ageing voice. Registered with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and the Health Professions Council, Pippa is also a member of the British Voice Association and the Voice Care Network. Although Pippa goes wherever her work takes her, her base is at The Albany Centre, St Albans, Hertfordshire.

Alex Williams

Alex completed the Ashtanga RYT Yoga Alliance 200 hour teacher training in 2006.  Alex started teaching yoga immediately, teaching her own athletic fusion to music, bringing a balance of strength and flexibility into her ever changing Vinyasa classes. She travelled all over to attend a multitude of workshops to train with many a great yogi including Patthabi Jois himself.  Alex subsequently discovered Jivamukti, where her passion for music was integrated with the dynamic, flowing and often upsidedown yoga! Her training continued under the guidance of the Jiva teachers and associated friends, shaping further her yoga style today, which is strong, playful and challenging. Integrating her already hot and sweaty style of yoga to Feel Hot Yoga was a natural transition!

Eliane Codiroli Eliane Codiroli is a British Wheel of Yoga trained Teacher (2006) with additional qualifications to teach Children’s Yoga, Teen Yoga and Ashtanga Mysore. She has a background in working as a Social Worker in Mental Health, Disability and with Children. Eliane started practicing Yoga at the age of 19 years, using books to guide her practice. This was only an exploratory phase that deepened as she matured into an adult. She practiced Yoga during all her three pregnancies and this played an important role in helping her enjoy the pregnancies and manage childbirth. In fact, Yoga has over the years helped her cope with all sorts of different life stresses and Trauma’s. She is committed to teaching Yoga as a spiritual practice, where the main aim is to help her clients find inner peace, joy and strength. Her classes have a flowing quality and she strongly encourages her students to practice with inner focus and awareness.