Why did you start practicing Yoga and when did you realise you were hooked?
I ‘did’ Yoga at drama school, but the first time I ever thought of my own practice–the concept of practice as a continuous journey of discovery–was when I discovered Power Yoga.
The Power Yoga Company had a lot to do with my yoga addiction. Power Yoga specifically, for me, creates a kind of unmissable physical and mental presence that’s hard to not have in your life. I’m aware that I probably sound a little evangelical when I’m talking to my friends about this, but I don’t really mind!
Why did you decide to become a Yoga teacher and why did you choose to train in Power Yoga?
There are lots of reasons! The timing was right for me, so it was a relatively spontaneous decision. I had a quiet month or so with work and was keen to use that time learning something I felt passionate about that wasn’t acting. There’s a part of me that’s very big-hearted and loves looking after people and I felt that teaching Power Yoga was a way to express that side of myself.
I would never claim to be the sportiest card in the pack, quite the opposite in fact, so I felt a sense of challenge and excitement to be training in a physical profession and in such an aerobic form of yoga.
There was fear, too. Would I be discovered to be the gawky one who didn’t like standing on her head? I soon discovered that it really didn’t matter, being a Power Yoga teacher wasn’t about that. It was about my love for Power Yoga and what it did for me, as well as, my energy and what I could give to a class.
How did you manage to fit the teacher training into your busy schedule?
Compared to many of my classmates, I had it easy. No kids. No 9-5.
I had a couple of auditions that I had to fit around the training, but mostly I was just living, breathing, eating, sleeping Power Yoga. It feels that way when you’re doing such an intensive course. There’s little room for anything else, but there’s also a purity to it. You’ll feel incredibly vital most of the time.
How do you balance your acting career and teaching Yoga?
I’ve only had a few weeks where I wasn’t on an acting job since I qualified as a Power Yoga teacher! Sods law! I’d love to have the time to teach scheduled classes again but at the moment covering is wonderful for me too.
Is teaching and practising Yoga helping you in your career as an actress?
On an energetic level, teaching yoga and acting together have been a great match for me. I’m using my voice ever day to guide a roomful of strangers. As acting, by nature, can occasionally feel a little selfish, Yoga helps me constantly ground myself and look at the bigger picture, plus it’s great to be focussed on other people’s well-being.
What is your ambition in your Yoga career?
I’m proud to have Yoga teaching in my skills-set because it’s something can travel anywhere with me and benefits so many different people. Despite some great opportunities that have come out my training, becoming a full time teacher isn’t on the cards right now but anything could happen in the future. I do know that in the greatest vision of my life long-term, I will still be teaching and practicing Power Yoga.