Yoga lessons and private classes for all levels and all ages…

About

Thora Helgadottir

About me…

I have been practicing yoga since 2008; it began as a way of balancing the demands of my professional life. I have tried many different types of yoga but as a trained dancer the strength and fluidity of the Ashtanga Vinyasa system resonated the most with me.


I found Ashtanga yoga in 2011 and the strength and fluidity of the system really resonated with me

Started as a dancer but found yoga…
I have always been active; I started practicing jazz and ballet at the age of seven at the JSB dance studio in Iceland (JSB). I graduated with a dancer’s diploma in 2001 and taught jazz and dance aerobics for several years before I moved to London in 2007.

I found yoga in 2008. After my city job – that had kept me occupied 24/7 for over 3 years – suddenly disappeared it dawned on me that perhaps the city wasn’t the be all and end all. I decided to try yoga. What started as a way to keep fit has become my way of life. Suddenly I was sleeping better, feeling more relaxed and had more energy. I knew early on I wanted to become a teacher and share yoga with others.

Ashtanga resonated with me…
My first port of call was a Hatha yoga beginner’s course but I quickly found myself practicing Bikram yoga every day. I found Ashtanga yoga in 2011 and the strength and fluidity of the system really resonated with me. I attend Mysore classes at Triyoga most days and I finished my 200RYT Ashtanga teacher training with Ryan Spielman in July 2012. I am now a registered teacher with Yoga Alliance UK. I have also trained to teach restorative yoga which I think works very well with a dynamic practice like Ashtanga as well as yoga for children.I have been lucky to practice under a number of excellent teachers, like Eileen Gauthier, Ryan Spielman, Anna Ashby and Susannah Hoffman.


Good for everyone…
What I find most appealing about yoga is how it can help almost everyone. You don’t need to practice daily; just one class a week can be beneficial. I see this everyday with my students as they get more in tune with their own body and breath. Yoga can help strengthen the body and increase flexibility but it can also help fight stress and various symptoms of stress. It is not so much about mastering the poses but working with your own body and breath. There is no such thing as a perfect pose and you do not have to be flexible to practice…. have a go.

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