Joey Miles
I came to yoga in 1998 after a mis-spent youth pursuing the circus, martial arts and physical theatre. While at Goldsmiths University studying a BA in Drama I set up and directed the Yoga Society, there doing my practice of seva (service). On graduating I began assisting Hamish Hendry at Ashtanga Yoga London and for 3 years I practised and assisted daily. During this time I spent 2-3 months every year in Mysore with Sri K Pattabhi Jois (Guruji) and Sharat.
In 2004 I was authorised to teach by Guruji and following that taught daily Mysore classes from 2005-2008 at Triyoga in Primrose Hill, London. In January 2009 I relocated to Yorkshire with my wife Donna and our two children, Caleb and Daisy. I started Ashtanga Yoga Leeds with the intention of supporting people’s daily yoga practice.
Donna Southwell
After trying various forms of yoga over the years I discovered ashtanga yoga in 1998 while in Rishikesh, North India. I was immediately hooked and from then have practised as regularly and often as possible. In 2000 I moved to London so I could further my practice under the tuition of Hamish Hendry, of Ashtanga Yoga London. I practised there daily for four and a half years. This is where I learnt to adjust people in postures and teach in the traditional Mysore style.
I first visited Mysore in 2002 to study with Sri K Pattabhi Jois (Guruji) and Sharat for 3 months. I have returned twice since, the last trip being in 2008 with my two children, Caleb, then aged two and a half and Daisy then aged 1. For the past four years I have had to adapt my practise to suit the needs of my body during my two pregnancies and post natally.
I started teaching ashtanga yoga in 2002 teaching at Ashtanga Yoga London, Triyoga and the Life Centre in London.
In 2003 I started to train in teaching pregnancy yoga which I have taught ever since. I also qualified in teaching post-natal and mum and baby yoga just after the birth of my first child.
Having moved to Yorkshire our aim is to share our experiences and help develop the ashtanga community in the north of the country.
Alan O’Leary
I teach Modern Italian Culture at Leeds University and try to maintain a balanced life through the practice of Ashtanga Yoga.
I trained as a teacher of Hatha Yoga with Brian Cooper of Union Yoga and have practiced and studied with many respected senior teachers including John Scott, Graham and Leone Northfield, Rolf Naujakat and Mathew Sweeney. I have been to Mysore to practice at the KPJAYI and now assist and teach in the traditional Mysore Style at Ashtanga Yoga Leeds on Monday mornings.
Marie H Andersen
I came to Ashtanga yoga in 1999 to improve flexibility on the suggestion of my ballet teacher in Denmark. Yoga remained an essential complement to my training as a contemporary dancer, and five years as a professional dancer later I continue to have a regular practice with Joey Miles in Leeds. I have enjoyed studying Iyengar yoga and vinyasa flow but always come back to the Ashtanga sequence. What I enjoy about Ashtanga yoga is the combination of challenging postures merged with the constant flow of breath and movement. I have been taught and inspired by Sharat and Manju Jois and done intensive yoga training with Danny Paradise in Oxford and Thailand. I started teaching in 2008 and have been assisting Joey for 2 years. I alternate the Monday mornings with Alan and regularly assist during the week.