About Carolyn
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Thank you for visiting my website. Let me tell you about me.
Yoga for me began in 1990 as my body began complaining after years of enjoying various sports – mostly netball, squash and badminton. I was and still am competitive. I practised lots, enjoyed the exercise but also liked to win so gave it my all. I was a full-time working mum of two young children. I enjoyed pushing myself. I was never still – always rushing from one thing to the next and usually multi-tasking to satisfy the needs of all. I prided myself on my ability to “spin the plates of life”. My body was suffering though. I had by this time had two hip surgeries. I was also struggling with asthma. I kept those plates spinning but recognised that if I wished to enjoy being active into later years, something needed to change. I needed to look for a different way. |
Back then, each summer, the local college advertised the courses they were running from September. Yoga was listed. Believing yoga was rather like “gymnastics for adults” (apologies to all the amazing gymnasts out there), I signed up. I met the lovely Deena who introduced me to yoga in a way that intrigued me, satisfied my need to explore and develop and to move into shapes and feel deep stretches and twists. However, critically, she challenged me to slow down and to tame my busy mind. She challenged me more to relax.
That last section of the class that I know for so many is the most popular part; the part that some even admit is the only reason they come to a class. That was my biggest challenge. For several weeks, I followed the guidance but lay rigid, mind whirring around listening to the sounds of life outside the room and planning and worrying. Then one evening, for just a few moments, it happened. It caught me by surprise. I had briefly dropped into relaxation. I liked that moment. From that moment, I was hooked. I needed to learn more.
Classes changed, the college stopped offering them and yoga teachers began setting up their own. I experienced the teachings from Margaret and Pauline and Ruth. Just like Deena, they were all fabulous teachers and each with a different style and focus for their teaching. Yoga really does offer up such a rich buffet of delicious experiences and “foods” to sample. From that buffet, there are a few special “dishes” that tempt one to delve further into study and to make it their speciality.
In the mid-nineties, thanks to a suggestion from Pauline, I joined a British Wheel of Yoga Foundation level course through which deeper studies could be made. It seemed the more I learned from Jan and Andrew, the more I became fascinated in the subject of Yoga. I began to learn about me and I began a journey of self-development. At this time though, I had absolutely no intention of teaching yoga or the slightest belief that I even could.
Post foundation course, I enrolled on a three-year Yoga Teaching Diploma Course with the British Wheel of Yoga with Andrea. My intention to learn further - not to teach but to complete and gain certification. It was necessary to train, practice, be assessed and pass the teaching side of the course. I had to teach – I was so nervous. Why was I doing this? I wasn’t going to teach after all! However, I would have been very unhappy if I did not pass the course. I had to get through the assessed teaching practices. It’s true what they say – learning really does take on a whole new trajectory when you begin teaching. I began to believe in myself. In 1997 I began teaching a few friendly and supportive people and from there gained confidence, increased group numbers and began to think I might actually be able to “share my love of yoga through teaching others”.
After qualifying, I taught one, then a couple of evenings classes each week after work. This continued for years, until I bravely left my day job managing an NHS GP Practice. I was recognising an improved work/life balance was becoming a priority for me.
In 2020, after being inspired by some humbling life progressions in yoga students which demonstrated the power and transformative potential of yoga, I began a two and a half year training as a Yoga Therapist with Yoga United. The 2020 Covid Pandemic offered up logistical challenges along with opportunities for additional learning and technological upskilling. The Yoga Therapy training course was rich in content and demonstration from international teachers. There was so much valuable self-exploration as well as supported case study work, assessed sessions and hundreds of hours-worth of written assignments.
Setting up and developing Freedom Yoga and Relaxation has been an extremely rewarding journey. It has been a rewarding journey to date, offering nicely tarmacked road surfaces, as well as rough sections where I needed to beat my own path. There have been easy downhill sections as well as long hauls up-hill, rewarding me with unexpected views. Of course, I have found the occasional pothole. I remember saying at the beginning of 2020 there is no way I could teach yoga online. It was very much an exploration and challenging period, but I’m glad I persevered. I’m also incredibly grateful to those students who allowed me to trial with them the IT, learning and confidence building and how best to teach online. Now I really love offering yoga to people in their own homes, holiday home or even workplace. Freedom Yoga and Relaxation really does allow me the freedom to teach from where I am and where you are.
As my tag line “Freedom Starts Inside” suggests, I truly believe, if we wish to make positive changes or progression in our lives, we (adults) must start within. Everyone experiences life challenges. Some challenges are easier to meet than others. Challenges can be opportunities in disguise. Challenges can shape us. They can appear to slay us or consume us. We can respond to challenges in different ways. We can always learn from difficulties and pain. The challenges and experiences in my life helped shape me into the person I am today. I am still a “work in progress”. I will always be a student. Past experiences may appear to “cage” us, but we can free ourselves by starting inside. Yoga continues to and will always help me in that process.
In my yoga classes and private one to one sessions, I aim to facilitate an experiential journey through body, breath and mind. I hope that students feel welcomed as they are in their own body. I introduce them to movement, encourage them to feel inwards, finding the right level of flexibility and strength. I aim for them to experience their breath and to link it with their posture work, to deepen that connection and then learn the energetic change potential of the breath. I hope that through body and breath, the student can experience a mind-quietening/balancing effect. I aim to teach students the importance of relaxation. I hope, that through regular practice, the student can create a toolbox of yoga-based techniques to help them in daily life.
I love to facilitate adults giving themselves the gift of yoga. This can be via a group class, or private one to one session (in person or online), to gain guidance and support in Freedom of body, mind or breath via Yoga and Relaxation. I aim to inspire adults to take the skills they learn into their lives to find Freedom of body, mind, breath and much more.
In my yoga therapy sessions, I meet the client where they are physically, mentally and emotionally and together, we find the right combination of yoga tools to assist the client as they work toward their goal.
I look forward to welcoming you onto your yoga mat wherever you are, accepting your body, breath and mind, however they show up, on your journey to Freedom.
Remember – Freedom Starts Inside.
That last section of the class that I know for so many is the most popular part; the part that some even admit is the only reason they come to a class. That was my biggest challenge. For several weeks, I followed the guidance but lay rigid, mind whirring around listening to the sounds of life outside the room and planning and worrying. Then one evening, for just a few moments, it happened. It caught me by surprise. I had briefly dropped into relaxation. I liked that moment. From that moment, I was hooked. I needed to learn more.
Classes changed, the college stopped offering them and yoga teachers began setting up their own. I experienced the teachings from Margaret and Pauline and Ruth. Just like Deena, they were all fabulous teachers and each with a different style and focus for their teaching. Yoga really does offer up such a rich buffet of delicious experiences and “foods” to sample. From that buffet, there are a few special “dishes” that tempt one to delve further into study and to make it their speciality.
In the mid-nineties, thanks to a suggestion from Pauline, I joined a British Wheel of Yoga Foundation level course through which deeper studies could be made. It seemed the more I learned from Jan and Andrew, the more I became fascinated in the subject of Yoga. I began to learn about me and I began a journey of self-development. At this time though, I had absolutely no intention of teaching yoga or the slightest belief that I even could.
Post foundation course, I enrolled on a three-year Yoga Teaching Diploma Course with the British Wheel of Yoga with Andrea. My intention to learn further - not to teach but to complete and gain certification. It was necessary to train, practice, be assessed and pass the teaching side of the course. I had to teach – I was so nervous. Why was I doing this? I wasn’t going to teach after all! However, I would have been very unhappy if I did not pass the course. I had to get through the assessed teaching practices. It’s true what they say – learning really does take on a whole new trajectory when you begin teaching. I began to believe in myself. In 1997 I began teaching a few friendly and supportive people and from there gained confidence, increased group numbers and began to think I might actually be able to “share my love of yoga through teaching others”.
After qualifying, I taught one, then a couple of evenings classes each week after work. This continued for years, until I bravely left my day job managing an NHS GP Practice. I was recognising an improved work/life balance was becoming a priority for me.
In 2020, after being inspired by some humbling life progressions in yoga students which demonstrated the power and transformative potential of yoga, I began a two and a half year training as a Yoga Therapist with Yoga United. The 2020 Covid Pandemic offered up logistical challenges along with opportunities for additional learning and technological upskilling. The Yoga Therapy training course was rich in content and demonstration from international teachers. There was so much valuable self-exploration as well as supported case study work, assessed sessions and hundreds of hours-worth of written assignments.
Setting up and developing Freedom Yoga and Relaxation has been an extremely rewarding journey. It has been a rewarding journey to date, offering nicely tarmacked road surfaces, as well as rough sections where I needed to beat my own path. There have been easy downhill sections as well as long hauls up-hill, rewarding me with unexpected views. Of course, I have found the occasional pothole. I remember saying at the beginning of 2020 there is no way I could teach yoga online. It was very much an exploration and challenging period, but I’m glad I persevered. I’m also incredibly grateful to those students who allowed me to trial with them the IT, learning and confidence building and how best to teach online. Now I really love offering yoga to people in their own homes, holiday home or even workplace. Freedom Yoga and Relaxation really does allow me the freedom to teach from where I am and where you are.
As my tag line “Freedom Starts Inside” suggests, I truly believe, if we wish to make positive changes or progression in our lives, we (adults) must start within. Everyone experiences life challenges. Some challenges are easier to meet than others. Challenges can be opportunities in disguise. Challenges can shape us. They can appear to slay us or consume us. We can respond to challenges in different ways. We can always learn from difficulties and pain. The challenges and experiences in my life helped shape me into the person I am today. I am still a “work in progress”. I will always be a student. Past experiences may appear to “cage” us, but we can free ourselves by starting inside. Yoga continues to and will always help me in that process.
In my yoga classes and private one to one sessions, I aim to facilitate an experiential journey through body, breath and mind. I hope that students feel welcomed as they are in their own body. I introduce them to movement, encourage them to feel inwards, finding the right level of flexibility and strength. I aim for them to experience their breath and to link it with their posture work, to deepen that connection and then learn the energetic change potential of the breath. I hope that through body and breath, the student can experience a mind-quietening/balancing effect. I aim to teach students the importance of relaxation. I hope, that through regular practice, the student can create a toolbox of yoga-based techniques to help them in daily life.
I love to facilitate adults giving themselves the gift of yoga. This can be via a group class, or private one to one session (in person or online), to gain guidance and support in Freedom of body, mind or breath via Yoga and Relaxation. I aim to inspire adults to take the skills they learn into their lives to find Freedom of body, mind, breath and much more.
In my yoga therapy sessions, I meet the client where they are physically, mentally and emotionally and together, we find the right combination of yoga tools to assist the client as they work toward their goal.
I look forward to welcoming you onto your yoga mat wherever you are, accepting your body, breath and mind, however they show up, on your journey to Freedom.
Remember – Freedom Starts Inside.
enquiries and BOOKINGSTel: 07789 893467
Email: [email protected]
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Copyright Freedom Yoga and Relaxation, 2025
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