Natasia Cook:
My first passion was dance. Having trained in various styles of dancing since the age of 5 & later worked as a professional ballet dancer for 7 years, I have a huge respect for the incredible human body & it’s ability to transform and heal itself. After retiring from the stage, I moved into the corporate world & later studied Reflexology & Meridian Therapy, registering as a Therapeutic Reflexologist & running my practice “The Sole Sanctuary” for 6 years. Returning on & off to the corporate world over the years taught me a great deal but nothing quite fed my soul until my yoga journey began in 2001 when I attended my first yoga class. Finding yoga felt like coming home!
My yoga journey so far has included exposure to the Hatha, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Indieyoga, Sivananda, Anusara, Budokon, Yoga Synergy, Yin, Restorative, Partner/Acro, Dharma & Shadow Yoga styles. My special interests are mobility, anatomy & the healing potential of yoga.
I am profoundly grateful to my teachers & mentors; the late Ingrid Eriksen, who first guided me into teaching in 2008 (Hatha & Vinyasa), as well as Kerry Weavind from Haum of Yoga (now IndieYoga) whose insightful & life changing IndieYoga course (2013) inspired me to finally take the leap out of my ‘day job’ & make sharing this incredible art & discipline my full time passion. Taryn Herselman from Shakti Yoga Centre has deepened my knowledge of & respect for Hatha yoga & the power of yoga therapy to heal & transform. I embarked on further training with Shakti Yoga Teaching Academy & Therapy Centre, qualifying as a Yoga Therapist in Oct 2022.
I continue to attend courses & workshops to update & expand my knowledge as Yoga is an ongoing journey of discovery; the more you learn the more there is to learn!
I started Namaste Yoga Studio in June 2008 & it has grown over the years to become my happy place, community & purpose.
What a privilege it is to interact with people from all walks of life & work with them as they develop their own awareness, strength, peace & healing journey.
Steph Salomo:
I took my first ever yoga class in 1997, in Ireland, at work, encouraged by a colleague, for one hour during Monday lunch times, and it completely changed the whole week!
For the next ten years I fluctuated between basic self-practice at home, attending one or two yoga classes a week, which helped to control back aches, tendonitis and migraines, exploring different styles until I was introduced to Pilates in 2007 which helped me develop the core strength I needed to take my yoga practice to a whole new level… and thanks to Natasia’s support, I made the decision to qualify as a Hatha Vinyasa yoga teacher at Yoga Warrior in Rosebank in 2012. This first level of yoga teacher training started me on a new path, with new tools and a deeper understanding of yoga asana, meditation and philosophy, enabling me to share this wonderful gift with you.
I continue to develop my self-practice and teacher training whenever, wherever I can, exploring different styles such as my very special favourite, Yoga Synergy, with intensives in 2014 and 2015 with Simon Borg-Olivier visiting from Australia, and advanced teacher training with Jim Harrington of ReUnion Yoga & Meditation in Cape Town, leading to my first visit to India in 2015. The following year, I was introduced to Budokon yoga, thanks to my teacher Dave Gardner, which swiftly led to attending his first ever Budokon yoga teacher training in South Africa. I continued my Yoga Synergy journey with Jim Harrington’s advanced teacher training in Cape Town in 2018, and the Fire-Air-Earth-Water-Ether sequences online starting in 2020. The corona virus lockdown also introduced me to Breathwork Africa, qualifying as an advanced breathwork practitioner in March 2023, and I am very glad to be adding breathwork to my sharing of movement practices.
Kylie Coleman:
The journey of self-discovery is the most important journey we can take. It is about finding ourselves, accepting ourselves as we are and expressing that divine power within, without fear; uncovering and tapping into the very best we can be. It is a lifelong journey and it all starts with a single step; onto the mat.
My first step onto the mat came at a time in my life when I thought I had exhausted all options and had nowhere left to turn. From that first step, yoga showed me that the happiness I was continuously searching for in this life was already within me. And I promise you can find that same, elusive happiness within you too. All you have to do is take that first step.
I am a 500 level hatha yoga teacher with a devoted love for everything calm, tranquil, slow and serene. I specialise in traditional hatha yoga but also like to incorporate and explore principles and techniques from more gentle, introspective styles like yin yoga and restorative yoga.
My classes follow a balanced approach, focusing on uniting body, mind and spirit through the use of asana (postures), pranayama (breath-work) as well as mindfulness and meditation techniques in a way that induces complete relaxation on all levels. My intention? To ensure that everyone who leaves class feels a little lighter, more balanced, calm and collected and fully committed to continuing down their own path to reconnecting with their true selves.
*Kylie’s recorded Yin classes are available by request.
Annabelle Fulton (Mindfulness meditation)
As far back as can I recall, I’ve been pioneering a lifelong journey of self-discovery, a continuum pathway of self-actualization.
I deeply know, from personal development, that we can heal ourselves through introspection and self-awareness.
Acquiring the right set of tools, skills and mindset is pivotal in cultivating a daily practice of mindfulness intentions, for my own wellbeing and to also approach the world with a kinder lens and attitude.
My passion for understanding our humanness guided me to become an integrative life coach, and a teacher of mindfulness based interventions.
My understanding has evolved from a deep knowing that there is a better way; just ‘being’. We can choose either to be victims of our circumstances, or empower ourselves to build an authentic life we want to live.
Coming to terms with my own shortcomings and suffering has not been an easy awakening, yet quite insightful in understanding how interconnected and relatable we all are, to some degree.
I’m learning that mindful self-compassion is a key ingredient for healing and also in living a conscientious life. As I befriend myself fully as I am, including my shadow self, I’m free to respond to life with more ease, grace and patience.
Teaching and sharing what I’ve learned in my self-reflecting journey is not only helping me in many myriad ways, just the same helping others in their paths of healing, to be present with whatever arises, even if difficult.
I have successfully completed a two-year post graduate certification, training in Mindfulness Based Interventions from the University of Stellenbosch in collaboration with The Institute of Mindfulness South Africa (IMISA), and prior to this qualified as a law of attraction life coach with the Quantum Success Coaching Academy, USA.
Life is teaching me that I function best when I cultivate daily meditative & mindfulness practices. This keeps me grounded, present, aligned and attuned to life.