My Story

I am a highly qualified Yoga + Meditation Coach + Myofascial Release ELDOA™ Practioner with thousands of hours training over the past 9 years, including the following certifications:

British Wheel of Yoga BWYQ Level 4 Diploma 500 HR ~ the highest level qualification for yoga teacher training

YogaWorks 200HR ~ 5-Star Yoga Alliance Rated Teacher Training in Los Angeles, USA

SomaTraining UK ELDOA™ Level 3

Having practised many forms of Yoga now for 22 years and teaching for 9 years of that, I consider myself a Human being Yoga. I don't do yoga, I live and breathe yoga, on and off the mat. Whether it be singing thanks to the sunshine each morning as I walk my dog dylan, or climbing my favourite tree barefoot to sit in deep meditiation, feeling like a rainbow bridge between Earth and Sky, yoga has become the best way to describe what letting light flow through me feels like. My style of yoga is rooted in breathwork and somatic movement choreographed to develop your mindful awareness of the body and strengthen connection with your inner teacher.

I do not advocate using Yoga to "spiritually bypass" the harsh realities of this world. To the contrary, my practice is a resource for resetting the central nervous system, releasing trauma and pain to cultivate resilience for navigating the seismic shifts that Mother Earth and humanity are faced with at this tumultuous time.

My exploration of yoga has taken me through practising many different styles but when I discovered YogaWorks I knew I had found the perfect balance of alignment-focussed Iyengar and energising Ashtangha Vinyasa Flow.

In January 2015 I completed a 200-hour teacher training with Yogaworks and received the RYT-200 certificate with the internationally recognised Yoga Alliance. By the Autumn of 2015, I opened my yoga and meditation studio in a beautiful room at The Tallow Factory in Dedham. I deepened my philosophical knowledge of the practice by completing the 500-hour diploma with the British Wheel of Yoga in 2017.

In 2018 I added Thai Yoga Massage to my training and later that year I also discovered the ELDOA™ Method of myofasical stretching invented by osteopath Dr. Guy Voyer, D.O. In 2019 and 2023 I completed ELDOA™ Levels 1, 2 and 3 with Somatraining, UK.

ELDOA exercises are postural self-normalising techniques designed for widening the space within a chosen articulation. This is accomplished by creating fascial tension to fix the vertebra below and contraction in extreme range to normalise the vertebra above the targeted disc. For example, it is possible in one minute a day to relieve disc compression between T6-T7 or even more specifically at the base of the long arm of the left sacroiliac joint. Dr. Voyer developed an ELDOA exercise for every articulation in the spine starting at the base of the skull and ending with the sacro-illiac joint. It is possible to create more room in a particular articulation with an exact position adapted to each person.

ELDOA postures are very specific compared to other techniques. Disc compression existing at any level of the spine can be addressed through a specific ELDOA exercise. If a client experiences pain because of compression between the 5th lumbar and 1st sacral, the de-coaptation position should target this exact level and not the one above or below.

Lower back pain is an uncomfortable and often debilitating condition that many people deal with on a daily basis. ELDOA can effectively alleviate and over time help fix acute and chronic back pain. ELDOA exercises, when done on a regular basis, can help offset many of the risk factors that can cause degeneration and herniation of the intervertebral discs. ELDOA is also excellent rehabilitation for athletes who play assymetrical sports.

In 2023, I moved my yoga studio out of our holiday cottage at Dedham Retreats and into the home of my Welsh grandma Harriet Mair Tahany, who named it Tegfan, which she told us meant "Happy Place" in her mother tongue. The new space at Tegfan is cosy, but we can still comfortably accommodate groups of up to 8 people which allows me to give each client the attention they deserve. Dedham Retreats is still running as a four bedroom holiday cottage at The Tallow Factory, where we offer bespoke yoga, writing, art, and photography retreats to include use of the new yoga studio, which is just up the High Street.

Over the past few years,, my daily meditation, yoga and ELDOA practice has connected me with more miraculous teachers, supporting my soul growth with Craniosacral Therapy, Crystal Reiki Healing, Kinesiology, Ayurveda, Hatha Yoga Kundalini and Vedic Astrology. I have integrated all of these teachings with deep gratitude while also strengthening the voice of my own inner teacher to develop a unique practice focused on reducing tension in the body while bringing us more in harmony with the natural rhythms of the Earth, moon, planets and stars, tuning into a vibrant flow of life force within and without.

My intention is always to honour and embrace each of my clients' search for holistic well-being by providing the highest quality yoga and meditation classes to people of all ages and from all walks of life.

As the mantra of my Alma Mater states, Yoga works for every body. Literally. So if you think that you're "not good at yoga" or "not flexible enough to do yoga" then come to one of my classes and I will show you how to make a start on the journey. It's by no means a quick fix solution, but with regular practice and dedication you will see improvements to your physical, mental and spiritual health.

I am filled with gratitude for all of my family, ancestors, Angels, Spirit Guides and Teachers, and their Teachers, who have inspired me to reach where I am today,

Stephanie Phelan, Dearbhla Kelly, Amy Lafond, Janice Chiou, Jasmine Lieb, Elaine Fletcher, Wendy Shubin, Peter Bodi, Kate Pryor, Paula Rose, Cheryl Fenner-Brown, Maggie Dewis, Linda Goldman and Alexis Cox.

Let your inner light shine,

Lou

xoxo