Westminster School of Yoga
We offer yoga teacher training accredited to the IYN
Independent Yoga Network. This basic yoga teacher training course consists of 200 hrs training of which 160 hrs are contact teaching.
All teaching and practice is firmly based on the Yogic principle of Ahimsa (non Violence). Students learn Anatomy and Physiology to enable them to teach yoga safely to their students. Yoga teacher trainees will learn how to teach in stages to enable students of various abilities to practice yoga safely.
The emphasis on safe and non-violent, non-competitive yoga practice are paramount to becoming a responsible yoga teacher graduating from this school.
Testimonial:Gabriele's teacher training is a very well structured and interesting course that I enjoyed immensely. The class size was small and initimate which gave me a great chance to build my confidence in teaching gradually. There were lots of opportunities to teach in a bigger yoga class, too which was great and I felt I improved my own yoga practice hugely during the course. Gabriele is a wonderful teacher, very kind and patient, and I would thoroughly recommend this course to anyone who wants to learn how to teach yoga as well as to those who want a deeper understanding of yoga in order to improve their own practice.
- Rachael F. -
A new Teacher Training course is starting in 2011. Places are limited to ensure maximum support. Yoga teacher Training takes place in London Westminster/Pimlico and New Malden, Surrey. If you are interested to find out more, please call or email Nataraja (Gabriele).
Nataraja (Gabriele Steen) is the principal and main tutor of the school and has been practising yoga in one form or another for over 35 years. She has taught a large variety of different groups, from pregnant ladies and prisoners to people with learning disabilities and is committed to her own daily practice of pranayama, asanas and meditation. Nataraja trained as a yoga teacher in the UK but also in Rishikesh/India and in Germany. She started teaching in the UK in 2002 after qualifying as a yoga teacher in this country. In 2005 she completed her training as an internal verifier and assessor.
She has continued her yogic journey completing an in depth meditation training to further deepen her own knowledge and understanding.
Her caring and patient approach as well as her thorough understanding of the human body has made her a popular yoga teacher with a large loyal base of students in the UK and abroad.
She also runs regular yoga retreats for all her students in the UK as well as abroad to encourage them towards a healthier, happier life through yoga.
The two guest tutors and the assistant tutor for the school are all well respected in their own field of expertise.
Swami Saradananda (guest tutor) teaches the Philosphy aspect of the course. Her classes are inspirational and fun, with the ancient philosophical Truths being illustrated by modern experiences. She has taught yoga for more than thirty years. As former director of the Sivananda Yoga Centre and senior student of Swami Vishnu-devananda, she has literally “written the book”, including her most recent books “Chakra Meditation” and "The Power of Breath"
After returning from an extended period of personal practice in the Himalayas, she is now based in London and teaches world-wide. Visit her website for more information Swami Saradananda
Mary Dalgleish (guest tutor) teaches the Anatomy and Physiology aspect of the course. She is a qualified teacher and complementary therapist and teaches various complementary therapy courses as well as Level 3 courses in Anatomy & Physiology and was a tutor at the renowned Tisserand Institute in London for several years. Mary has co-written 2 books which were published by Hodder Arnold – “Indian Head Massage in Essence” and “Ear Candling in Essence” (now available in German) and is currently working on another book. For further information visit Mary's website Mary Dalgleish
Pollyanna Stokoe (assistant tutor). She gained a BSc(Hons) in Human Biology at Kings College, London in 1992 and worked in the corporate world whilst practising yoga and pursuing various interests in complementary therapies. Early in 2002, she trained as a yoga teacher with the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre in India, returning for advanced training in 2005. Pollyanna has undertaken various courses in areas of special interest, such as Yoga and Low Back Pain with the Yoga Biomedical Trust, Structural Yoga Therapy with Mukunda Stiles, Yoga of the Heart with Nischala Joy Devi, Healing accreditation through the College of Psychic Studies and Yoga Nidra with Bihar School of Yoga. Her love for India is deeply rooted in her family history and is inspiring. Pollyanna led a very successful yoga retreat to India early in 2009 with Nataraja. For more information about Pollyanna visit her website Pollyanna Stokoe