Our Teachers
We are lucky to have a number of fabulous teachers at our centre, offering tons of experience. Click on a teacher to find out more about them.
Margaret Carter
Margaret has a wealth of experience as both a student and teacher. She has been practising Iyengar Yoga for over 50 years and teaching for more than 35 of them. She started teaching in 1983 once her children had started school, and in 1996 gained her Senior Teaching Certificate. In 1987 she became an Assessor for the Iyengar Yoga Association and has been assessing trainee teachers ever since. In 2006 Margaret was delighted when Mr BKS Iyengar personally gave his permission for her to open a dedicated Iyengar Yoga Centre in Knutsford.
Her love of Iyengar Yoga was pretty instant. She remembers attending her first yoga class with a friend, not really knowing what to expect. She was instantly hooked. She loved the precision, the emphasis on correct alignment in the postures and the feeling of wellbeing after the class.
Her interest and love of the subject has grown steadily over the years, and she continues to develop her own practice through attending workshops and intensive courses. This has included a number of visits abroad to further her knowledge and experience, as well as attending classes with the Iyengar family at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in India. She feels very fortunate to have had the chance to attend classes taught by Mr Iyengar himself.
As well as developing her practice, Margaret has been very active within the Iyengar Yoga network. She spent many years as a Committee Member of the Manchester and District Institute of Iyengar Yoga as well as being a member of the National Iyengar Yoga Association (UK) Executive Council. As a member of the Executive Council she held the post of Treasurer and then Vice Chair, as well as being one of the main organisers of the Association`s Annual Conventions.
Margaret still enjoys teaching classes for complete beginners as well as teaching at a higher level for more experienced students.
You can contact Margaret on:
Tel: 07807 348441
E-mail: knutsfordyoga@aol.com
Cath Elton
Over 15 years ago a Physiotherapist recommended that Cath take up yoga or pilates after injuring her back whilst pregnant with her third child. She found a local Yoga class which happened to be Iyengar Yoga.
She fell in love with Yoga, attended class every week and found that not only did her back benefit but so did the rest of her body. She found the Iyengar method of learning and progressing very logical (although, at that stage, she didn’t know what or who an Iyengar was!).
What she loves the most is that, unlike most other physical activities, age doesn’t impair you, slow you down or stop you joining in. Instead, you’re never too old to start.
She also enjoys that, with yoga, you’re always learning and you get to do things you’ve not done since you were a child, like handstands and “the crab” (back arch) … or in her case, the things she never could do as a child! It might take a few years’ practice, but Cath believes you should “never say never”.Cath qualified as an Iyengar Teacher in 2011 and wants to pass on her enthusiasm for Iyengar Yoga to her students.
You can contact Cath on:
Tel: 07974 936365
E-mail: cath01.elton@gmail.com
Elise Fleming
A stressful job, a lower back injury and a desire to spend weekly quality time (and laughter!) with friends brought Elise to yoga. Twenty years later and her back is stronger, more flexible, and more stable. She’s ditched the job for a much better one and enjoys yoga several times a week with friends and new colleagues. Yoga makes her feel good, both physically and mentally, and allows her to eat more chocolate – a basic for a happy life!
Elise teaches the Saturday morning class and couldn’t wish for better students. They are friendly, committed, ask questions and really enjoy their yoga. The class has a mixture of beginners through to intermediate students, and the age range spans from 15 to 60+. Classes are designed to ensure that everyone can complete the sequence of poses and leave feeling better than when they arrived. She usually themes the classes so that they practice a particular action or actions in a variety of poses each week.
Margaret is her teaching mentor and has trained her for the past 10 years. Elise qualified as an Iyengar Yoga teacher seven years ago and currently teaches to intermediate junior level. Margaret’s patient and knowledgeable support continues. She attends two classes with her every week and is a regular student at workshops held at the Centre, taught by senior teachers from around the world. In 2015, Elise spent an unforgettable month at BKS Iyengar’s yoga school in Pune, India, being taught by the Iyengar family.
You can contact Elise on:
Tel: 07976 723631
E-mail: elisecf@hotmail.co.uk
Jules Murray
You can contact Jules on:
Tel: 07946519573
E-mail: jamyoga@gmail.com
Lindsay Jones
Lindsay has practised yoga for over 30 years and has been teaching for nine of them. She went to her first class after babysitting for a friend who invited her along. Years later, she ended up teaching her friend’s granddaughter.
Keeping her body and mind healthy is what attracts Lindsay to yoga, and in her teaching, she loves to see the effect the practice has on others. Often students arrive at class tense and anxious and it gives Lindsay pleasure to see them leave calm and relaxed as they leave.
You can contact Lindsay on:
Tel: 07847 225890
E-mail: lindsayjj20@yahoo.co.uk
Rebecca Morris
She started going to yoga classes in 2000 and became a teacher in 2011. In 2014 she passed her Junior 1assessment, and in 2015 she visited India for a month at the institute. Here she took part in Yoganushasana with Geeta Iyengar, which was a real experience!
Rebecca enjoys going to workshops with teachers both in the UK and abroad, where she often travels in her campervan.She also teaches at a retreat in Morocco and does a lot of cover work for other teachers who also travel abroad.
She teaches a foundation course at Knutsford and finds it a great honour to be able to teach at the Centre, as it is such a special tranquil space. Her end of term class always finishes with tea and cake – after the class of course!
You can contact Rebecca on: Tel: 07523 852284 E-mail: bektrat@hotmail.com
Tanja Kohl-Christian
Tanja qualified as an Introductory Level 2 teacher in 2013 and has since enjoyed teaching the Monday night foundation at Knutsford Iyengar Yoga Centre.
Tanja especially enjoys teaching beginners and feels it is important to keep developing her knowledge, which she does through regular workshops, both at the Knutsford Centre and further afield.
You can contact Tanja on: Tel: 07775 884485 E-mail: tkc09@hotmail.com
Maxine Wollaston
After attending her first Iyengar yoga class, Maxine knew she would be practising this for the rest of her life. She knows from experience, that working through the asanas (postures) and opening ourselves up, it can be uplifting and profoundly transformative. Maxine loves to share what she has learned and continues to learn, with her students.
Maxine teaches a General/Beginners Class on Tuesday afternoons. She really enjoys teaching beginners as she loves to see the dramatic development in their practice.
You can contact Maxine on:
Tel: 07811 767559
E-mail: max.yoga@mail.com
