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.

The new Teacher Training course which was scheduled to start in autumn 2020 has now been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic We will update you at a later stage.

Here is a selection of Testimonials from previous yoga teacher trainees

Yogini Nitu P.: "Gabriele's teacher training course taught me so much about all the principles of yoga. From postures, breathing, philosophy, the body, diet and meditation. By the end of the course, I felt confident to structure and teach a 90min class of varying abilities, I was able to adapt postures, and pace my teaching and voice to accommodate the needs of the students. Gabriele is a very knowledgeable and patient teacher, every class was insightful and varied, I always left feeling energised and motivated. The philosophy module I felt very connected to, it was taught in a simple, yet powerful way and left me wanting to read books and do my own research.
The course prompted me to start my own regular daily yoga practice, something I had always struggled with, and I feel I have a much deeper understanding of all aspects of yoga and would without hesitation recommend this course to others."

Yogini Chrissie S: "Whether you wish to teach yoga or want to gain a more indepth understanding for yourself to develop your own practice, I would highly recommend this course. The class size is small and informal which bodes well for allowing time and oppotunities to learn. Teaching in larger classes is introduced very soon into starting the course, but is done in gradual stages to build one's confidence, and there is even the oppotunity to teach on some of Gabriele's retreats, which I found to be extremely valuable experience. Although demanding at times, the course is throughly enjoyable and as spread over a year and half, it allowed me time to study, practice and work at the same time. Although following a well structured and thorough training schedule, Gabriele gears the teaching very much to the individuals progress. She is extremely kind and patient and wonderfully generous in sharing her knowledge and expertise."

Yogini Georgina J: "I have very much enjoyed Gabriele’s teacher training course. It is a well-rounded, very in-depth course which covers not only the teaching of yoga but also the anatomy and physiology of the body and the philosophy of yoga. On top of the teaching, I feel I have gained a really good understanding of the body and how yoga affects it as well as an appreciation for the ideas upon which yoga is based. All three teachers are very knowledgeable and offer enthusiasm as well as expertise in their fields. It is a small class which allows the right amount of time and attention to be spent on each student. It is also a very comfortable environment which allowed me to develop my confidence gradually, and this is something that I have greatly benefited from. Gabriele is very patient and tailors the course to the right pace for students. I feel a great sense of personal achievement at now being able to take a whole 90 minute class in front of several people and I thank Gabriele for her help and encouragement. I have found the course to be a very valuable experience and think that it would benefit anyone wanting to teach or even just to develop their own understanding and practice of yoga."

Yogini Racheal F: "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."

Nataraja (Gabriele Avery) 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 and has taken groups to France, Spain, Italy, Egypt but also to Retreats in India to encourage them to go deeper 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