Annie Cryar BWY, BSc. Cert.Ed.(1974) Dip.Shiatsu, FwSS BTEC Level 4 Yoga
Annie has been practising and studying Yoga for 52 years and teaching for 30. Her interest in the movement of energy flow in the body took her from her original career as a trained teacher to learn and teach Shiatsu, Qigong and Yoga. She is Co -Director of the Shiatsu College Qigong teacher training programme, creator of the college’s accredited Anatomy Physiology and Pathology course and Principal of Shiatsu College, Hastings. She is a certified teacher of the ‘Yoga for Back Pain‘ programme, evidence based Yoga therapy from a successful large clinical research trial. Inspired by many teachers; Zowie Martin, Rosabella Jordan, Marilyn Freedman, Trish Peake, Helen Noakes, Sandra Sabatini, Elizabeth Paunce, she values the discoveries of self practice above all.
Zowie Martin BWY
Zowie Martin is a British Wheel of Yoga teacher and a Thai Yoga Massage practitioner. With 20 years experience of teaching community classes, one to ones, workshops and European retreats she holds regular drop-in classes in Hastings, St Leonard’s, Battle and surrounding areas for gentle, general and intermediate level, as well as specialist groups for pregnancy, Mother and Baby, Over 60’s and Chair Yoga and believes Yoga should be accessible to all. Zowie qualified in 2004 with a British Wheel of Yoga Teaching Diploma and in 2006 went on to complete a BWY Yoga for Pregnancy teaching module. Her post graduate studies include workshops with Gary Carter, Peter Blackaby, John Stirk, and a course in mindfulness training with Cathy-Mae Karelse. Zowie is Co – Director of St Leonards Studio, a yoga studio created to support the local community.
Rosabella Jordan Dip. Shiatsu, MSc.Complementary Therapy
Rosabella has been teaching Yoga for 45 years! Her work is inspired by Vanda Scaravelli and she has taught with Sandra Sabatini, a student of Scaravelli and author of ‘Breath’. She qualified as a Shiatsu practitioner with the Shiatsu College in 1995. Rosabella worked closely with the late Marilyn Freedman to create the first BTEC Yoga teacher training at Morley College, Westminster University, inspiring Yoga students from around the world. Her entry as a Voiceline facilitator reads;
‘The Naked Voice and its practices, that integrate mind body and spirit, drew all the threads of my experience and knowledge together. They brought me to The Voice as well as integrating sound, sound breath, vibrational & resonant breath, the cosmic wobble and the undulation of the spine.’… Rosabella’s work was the inspiration for this course.
Cat Westwood BA (Hons) Dance, Dip.Shiatsu SrSS, Director & Manager The Shiatsu College Norwich
Cat enjoys sharing the richness of bodywork practice as a Yoga teacher, international dancer, and Shiatsu practitioner. She is the Manager of The Shiatsu College Norwich. She believes these practices are interconnected, having beneficial effects on both physical and mental well-being.
Catherine Burnett BWY B.Ed, Dip.Shiatsu, FwSS
Catherine’s B.Ed in Physical Education from Chelsea College is a degree in the art and science of human movement. Her life-long study of physical education is underpinned by understanding how learning occurs and the factors that determine how individuals engage with and experience physical activity cognitively, emotionally and socially; including the influence of culture and environment. In addition to her immersion in Shiatsu, Qigong, Yoga and Reiki she has expertise in exercise physiology, anatomy, sports psychology, biomechanics, applied pedagogy in P.E. From age 18 Catherine was an elite squad gymnastics coach and her experience in safely progressing the teaching of standing balances, arm balances, forward bends, back bends, spinal twists, inversions and the physiological and psychological effects of the movements is a welcome contribution to the course.
Surrinder Chera
Surrinder has been interested in Yoga since childhood. Having attended classes in Hatha, Ashtanga, Jivamukti and Iyengar yoga for many years he completed intensive trainings, qualifying as a teacher with the British Wheel of Yoga in 2011. Since 2001 he studied and practiced with the renowned Mira Mehta (author of the Iyengar Way) qualifying as a teacher with her Yogic Path School in 2016.
Surrinder has attended annual retreats in India and the UK for many years deepening his understanding of practical applications of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra’s and the Bhagavad Gita alongside the theory and practice of Pranayama.
He worked as an Addictions Counsellor for over 20 years, and currently practices as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist in Mental Health services. Surrinder aims to bring alive the physical, emotional and spiritual teachings of Yoga by relating them to daily life using his wealth of life and professional experience. Surrinder is part of the St Leonards Studio collaborative of teachers who are working together to support the whole community in health matters.
Sundeep Sitara
Sundeep is a Sikh Punjabi, born in Kenya. Her cultural roots and traditions inspire everything that she does, including her yoga journey, which began over thirty five years ago. She fell in love with the deep, spiritual power of yoga in India where her ancestral roots are and where she has lived for a number of years. Sundeep’s practice has developed across a range of disciplines, such as Iyengar, Asthanga and the Scaravelli approach. She is drawn to yoga biodynamics, and the art of listening to and trusting our intuition. To compliment this, over the past six years, she has been integrating elements of Zen Shiatsu and Qigong, under the brilliant guidance of Annie Cryar. Sundeep is also a qualified lawyer and law lecturer, which has enabled her to understand the demands of the modern world while finding inner peace and balance. Sundeep’s great love for being in nature provides her with further insights, which she combines with Forest School in the woodlands. She is passionate about sharing the belief that yoga enhances all aspects of our lives, awakening the body in powerful, surprising and healing ways. It is also incredibly playful and imaginative. Ultimately, yoga is a limitless adventure, embracing freedom, empowerment, and a deep exploration into the uniqueness of each individual person’s body.
Linda Clifford BWY
Yoga has been a part of Linda’s life for over 35 years. She discovered yoga in her early 20’s and instantly fell in love with the practice. For many years, Linda was a dedicated student of Iyengar yoga. A few years ago Linda discovered ‘Scaravelli Inspired Yoga’, and fell in love with this approach to yoga, pioneered by Vanda Scaravelli. Having come to teaching later in life, Linda feels that her innate connection with nature truly reflects the beauty in this practice. She has a passion for health and nutrition, being outdoors, foraging, experimenting with fermentation and growing food. Having taken a Permaculture Design course revealed how seemlessly the principles of permaculture and yoga merge together. ‘Permaculture is the sustainable merging of people with nature that creates an ecosystem for all to thrive in.’ This echos beautifully what yogic philosophy teaches us: when we embody these ancient principles, we are forging and creating a more harmonious existence with the world within and around us. “Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature”. In the same way that Vanda’s philosophy is one of ‘working with the body, not against it’. Linda loves how her passions spiral together and looks forward to supporting you to do the same in your journey to becoming a teacher.