Olivia Clarke : Yoga Teacher

Insight Yoga and Buddhist Mindfulness


Olivia Clarke

Spinal twist poseEvening sky

Tree pose

 

 

A long term practitioner of Yoga and Buddhist Mindfulness, Olivia has been teaching since 1998 and came to yoga at a young age. She went to her first class in her early twenties and never looked back. Very quickly she realised this was to be her path and vocation in life and committed fully to it. She has trained with global experts and is a fully endorsed Insight Yoga Teacher and member of the The British Wheel of Yoga. Her teaching style is slow, mindful, insightful and deep and will appeal to those who wish to integrate psychological and spiritual teachings, in an embodied and nuanced way. She helps individuals to craft a consistent, intelligent and personal practice, that feels relevant, potent and intentional, empowering others to become their own Healing Master. A mother of two daughters, a lover of horses, whippets and wild landscapes, Olivia lives in Monmouthshire, Wales and runs a private, wellbeing retreat, where she loves to work in an intimate and personal way, with individuals and groups - www.thecoachhouseretreat.co.uk

Lineage of Teachers

Originally trained with Sivananda Yoga in Southern India and the Bahamas (Teacher Training & Advanced), Mandala Yoga / Bihar, Shiva Rea (Vinyasa), Simon Low (Yoga Academy, RYS 200), and since 2011 Sarah and Ty Powers, who she regards as her primary and most transformative teachers (https://sarahpowersinsightyoga.com/). Also trained as a Healing Shiatsu practitioner (MRSS) she studied TCM, Five Elements and Meridian Theory with the late Chris Jarmey and late Sonia Moriceau, who was her first Buddhist Mindfulness Teacher and to whom she owes a deep bow of gratitude.

Sonia encouraged all her students to become their own Healing Master and Olivia has taken this legacy deeply to heart. Sarah Powers, author if Insight Yoga and Lit from Within, has stretched Olivia like no other teacher. Her endorsement of Olivia as an Insight Yoga Teacher is a qualification that shines deeply in her heart. In terms of Psychological Training, Olivia has also done foundation year in Karuna Psychotherapy and is an IFS (Level I) Facilitator. She intends to pursue Internal Family Systems, in more depth, to Level 2 and is grateful to her ongoing mentoring with Ty Powers.

What brings you to the Yoga Mat and Why do you practice?

Understanding the why of your practice, what motivates you and what is your deep aspiration and intention? These are questions Olivia encourages her students to ponder. Where do you go when things get difficult? What do you do when life is challenging? Where do you seek refuge? Olivia is more than an asana teacher, not overly concerned with the gymnastics of yoga and much more interested in helping students to craft a path and practice that is transformative, compassionate, and inclusive, built on a foundation of wisdom and intentionality. These foundational bones are more likely to birth longevity, consistency, dedication and commitment. She asks a lot of her students, in terms of commitment. Without commitment, there is hesitancy, doubt and a chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. She knows, deep in her bones, the power of commitment and is primarily interested in yoga as a path of Awakening.

Yoga and Buddhist Mindfulness as a Path of Awakening and Insight

In the West there is great emphasis on yoga as a form of exercise and in many ways this can put a lot of students off. Does it really matter if we can do strong arm balances and stand on our heads? In the early years of practice (a more Yang season of life) perhaps it does matter and certainly it's a powerful training and discipline but as one ages, other matters become more important, such as how can we meet life on life's terms, its beauty, challenges, complexity and simplicity? How can we grow in wisdom, compassion and deep self-care, able to meet our middle years, the challenges of parenting, being single, living alone, facing poor health, ageing and death? How can we navigate life skilfully with love, care and support? Yoga and Mindfulness offer life-long tools, that have been tried and tested by a lineage of ancient practitioners. The Buddha means "Awakened". We all have Buddha nature and each human birth is a precious opportunity, to awaken for the benefit of ourselves and all beings everywhere.

Yin Yoga

Sometimes called the Quiet Practice (Paul Grilley) is a teaching on inward drawn attention, a contemplative practice, meditational in nature, using long held floor based postures, to enhance the meridian and organ systems, while often engaging in enquiry practice. In a Yin Yoga class you will find a place for stillness and silence, in which you are encouraged to listen deeply and intuitively to the feedback of your body, heart and mind. Inspired by Taoist Yoga and held for several minutes at a time, Yin Yoga can be a challenging experience, in which we are invited to stay with ourselves, coming to an appropriate edge, that is deep but non aggressive and then becoming still. Learning to stay and learning to be with ourselves is a big part of Yin Yoga and Mindfulness Training, that can birth insight, wisdom and compassion.

Yang Yoga or Mindful Flow

Is a practice that is strengthening, warming, building heat and energy, in a series of flowing, mindful movement. Yang poses tend to be more standing shapes, working muscles, that can be energising, enlivening and empowering. The fierce qualities of Yang Yoga are balanced beautifully with the soft strength of Yin, which is cooling, calming and grounding. Like brothers and sisters, Yin and Yang dance in dynamic movement and stillness.

Insight Yoga

The cultivation of balance between Yin and Yang, the marriage of Yoga, Buddhism, Taoism and Transpersonal Psychology, with the intention to enliven the body, heart and mind, becomes a life long practice and path of Awakening, an orientation towards self-investigation, self-acceptance and compassion; all of these teachings helping us to open to our authentic nature with love, care and support.

Please call for more information: Tel: 07816 512563 or Email: olivia@oliviahealingyoga.co.uk

If you are interested in Private Retreat, please see: thecoachhouseretreat.co.uk
or email: contact@thecoachhouseretreat.co.uk

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