“You are not a drop in the ocean.
You are the entire ocean in a drop.”
Rumi
About me
I’m Kirsty, a dedicated lifelong learner and someone who actively seeks inner stillness. Each day, I strive to present my best self to the world. I am also a recovering perfectionist who has come to embrace the beauty of imperfection (wabi sabi).
Constantly learning to identify what's important and letting go of fleeting thoughts and emotions (pratyahara) helps me remember what truly matters.
This allows me to focus on things with lasting value. I aim to remain calm during difficult times (dhyana) and strive for my best self (samadhi).
Thank you to my teachers, guides and spirit elders
I am deeply grateful to the teachers and guides who have illuminated my path on the yogic journey.
Sheryl Hodgskin, my mother, a Yoga teacher herself, first introduced me to Yoga in my early teens. My mother trained with Winne Young Yoga Institute, whose teachings follow the lineage of BKS Iyengar.
Katy Appleton of appleyoga - In 2002, I serendipitously discovered Katy Appleton's appleyoga classes in Southfields, London and have been a student of Katy’s since. I ultimately completed my Yoga Teacher Training with her in 2018.
Shiva Rea, my teacher's teacher, also profoundly influenced me through an intensive I attended in 2005. Shiva’s online Yoga Alchemy portal and her books have enabled me to develop my understanding of the eight limbs of Yoga.
Seane Corn - I was fortunate to attend classes with Seane Corn at the iconic Yoga Works in Santa Monica, California.
Donna Farhi, Donna is known as the “Teacher’s teacher”.
In June 2019 and again in 2025, I attended a 5-day intensive with Donna Farhi.
Max Strom - In 2005, I attended Max’s classes in the USA and a 2019 workshop in Europe.
Mary Taylor and Richard Freeman- In 2019, I participated in a workshop intensive in Amsterdam.
Christopher Hareesh Wallis: I studied with Hareesh in my YTT. Sanskrit, Yogic Philosophy have opened the doorway for me in my studies of Classical Tantra, Tantric practices, and meditation, into which I enter to enrich my practice and teachings.
Finally, I sincerely thank all my students, past and present, whose kindness has played a key role in developing my teaching skills.
As part of my seva (charity work), I have offered free Yoga classes to the elderly from 2019 to 2023 at a community hall in West Molesey.
"Remember, it doesn't matter how deep into a posture you go. What does matter is who you are when you get there."
Max Storm
Why Vinyasa Flow?
Vinyasa Yoga has its roots in the ancient traditions of India, emerging from the foundational practices of Hatha yoga.
Historically, it was shaped significantly by the teachings of Tirumalai Krishnamacharya in the early 20th century.
Krishnamacharya, often regarded as the father of modern yoga, introduced the concept of Vinyasa Krama, a method emphasising the transition between postures with synchronised breath.
This method was not only revolutionary but also deeply grounded in the Yogic philosophy that every movement can lead to a meditative state. His disciples, such as Pattabhi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar, further popularised these sequences globally, each offering their interpretations and styles.
Vinyasa Yoga Today
Is an integral part of many yoga traditions, continuously evolving while maintaining its core emphasis on breath and movement.
Vinyasa yoga facilitates a flow state, a type of consciousness— the place of being fully absorbed and highly focused on what you are doing.
During “flow”, everything feels so easy and connected, which can be called “effortless effort”.
In Vinyasa flow yoga, you sync your movements with every inhale and exhale.
My teacher Katy of appleyoga, a former Royal Ballet School Dancer, whose teacher Shiva Rea was an innovator in the evolution of Vinyasa Flow Yoga.
Image: Tara Brach’s Book, Trusting The Gold
Core Principles of Vinyasa Flow
Embodiment of Flow:
Vinyasa is seen as a dynamic "moving meditation" that aligns the mind, body, and breath, fostering a state of conscious motion and mindful awareness.
Prana and Breath:
The practice focuses on aligning actions with the breath, initiating expansive movements with the inhalation and contractive movements with the exhalation, harnessing the vital life force (prana) within.
Fluidity and Rhythm:
My teaching incorporates rhythmic movements, often inspired by water, to promote flexibility, spinal health, and the release of creative energy.
Connection to Nature:
The practice embodies the rhythms of nature, such as the wind, to create a sense of grounding and connection to the world around us.
Energy and Vitality:
Vinyasa flow aims to stimulate and cultivate the body's inherent energy, resulting in increased vitality and a deeper sense of being alive.
Jālandharnāth at Jalore
By Amardas Bhatti.
India, Rajasthan, Marwar, Jodhpur, ca. 1805–10.
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper; 39 x 29 cm.
Mehrangarh Museum Trust, RJS 4126
The Luminescent Website: Jason Birch
Medieval and Modern Meanings of Vinyasa
Yoga cultivates an appreciation for beauty, igniting moments of profound understanding and empathy.
For many, a deep sense of truth and purpose emerges naturally, offering insight into the interconnectedness of all
The Sanskrit word Vinyāsa ((विन्यास)) can be broken down into two components.
Nyasa, meaning to sanctify and draw one’s full attention into a meditative focus and then release the content of the focus.
Vi means to arrange or sanctify in a specific way in response to context or lack of context. This implies a sequence of steps and countersteps.
Vinyasa can be defined as a mindful process that naturally occurs when we arrange our circumstances correctly.
We can best observe this through the breath. The action of our breathing, the inhaling and exhaling of breath. This pattern has been with us since we drew our first breath and will remain as a consistent background until our final exhalation.
A special feature of the asana system of Krishnamacharya was vinyasa. Many yoga students today are no doubt familiar with this word – it is increasingly used now, often to describe the 'style' of a yoga class, as in 'hatha vinyasa' or 'vinyasa flow'.
Vinyasa is essential, and probably unique, to Krishnamacharya's teachings. As far as I know, he was the first yoga master in the last century to introduce this idea. A vinyasa, in essence, consists of moving from one asana, or body position, to another, combining breathing with the movement.
The term vinyāsa is used in many different contexts in medieval literature.
In describing a temple (mandira) in which a yogin should practise, for example, the Nandikeśvarapurāṇa specifies that it should have a beautiful design (ramyavinyāsa).1 In this context, vinyāsa means design or arrangement.
The term vinyāsa rarely occurs in medieval yoga texts. However, it does appear more frequently in the ritual sections of medieval Tantras. Nonetheless, never does the term vinyāsa mean the movement that links breath with postures (āsana) as is the case in modern yoga.
Contact me
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