My name is Amanda McGorry and I am a qualified yoga teacher based in North Oxford, offering one on one private classes, and small group sessions.
My yoga journey began initially because of my passion for running. As a keen long-distance runner, I realised that maintaining muscle flexibility via stretching is the best way to avoid injury, and yoga is the best stretch! As I started increasing my practise, I gained physical strength and core stability, but I also realised yoga is so much more than exercise: it is a spiritual experience and a way of life. Being a mother of four, I have always led a very busy life and been an active person, and I have found that yoga is a brilliant antidote to this, teaching me to slow down and breathe. This is how my passion for yoga was ignited.
When I turned 60, and after my mother died last year, I decided to leave my job for something new and more worthwhile. I pursued my love of yoga further, travelling to India to qualify as a teacher. I qualified at Hatha Yoga World, in the yoga capital of the world: Rishikesh, Northern India. Two weeks into my training, the Covid-19 pandemic hit, adding another dimension to the course. We were put under strict lockdown, with little understanding of whether I would be able to complete my course, or how or when I could return home. My yoga practice, breath work, and meditation definitely helped me through this stressful and worrying time, and I am proud to have completed my certification in spite of it all.
Now, back home in Oxford, I specialise in Hatha Vinyasa classes, teaching Hatha postures with a flow. I have been running Zoom classes (a skill in itself!) to develop my practice, and now run small group and one to one at-home classes, teaching all levels and all ages. As part of my training I studied and learnt to teach pranayama and meditation. I prioritise breath work in my classes, as learning to breathe properly is key to developing and maintaining postures, and achieving meditation. I also studied philosophy and anatomy in relation to yoga. I enjoy utilising this practical knowledge in my classes to enhance my students' practice and engage them in yoga philosophy.
