Michelle Finlay Yoga

As a yoga teacher it's hard to admit that your 200hr YTT wasn't as sufficient as other courses out there. But I'll let you in on a secret - none of them are!

200hrs is the equivalent of about half a school term. And not all of those 200hrs are classroom, contact hours.

During the time you have with your teacher,

you're learning poses
sun salutations
anatomy
how to sequence
how to help people with injuries and conditions to keep everyone safe physically
how to offer and use props
how to guide a relaxation
and if you're lucky, a little bit about yoga philosophy

Most 200hr courses are focused on the physical aspect of the practice. How to teach people to move their bodies.

You might have signed up for a 200hr training thinking that you'd learn all of this AND all about the history and philosophy.

But the reality is there's only so much you can fit in to a short 200hr course.

Give yourself a break. Be kind to yourself. 200hrs is just the beginning. No one expects you to know everything. No one expects you to have the sutras digested and memorised.

The fact that you realise you need more knowledge is a good thing.

It means you care.

You care enough about yoga to know that there is more to it than the physical practice you've been taught. You care enough about your students to want to offer them something more meaningful than a sequence of poses. And you care enough about the practice to want to understand the teachings that sit underneath it.

So please don't beat yourself up for what you don't know yet.

But don't use your 200hr training as a reason to stop learning either.

If you love yoga, then yoga philosophy deserves your attention. Because the philosophy is what gives the physical practice its context, its purpose and its depth.

This is our Tuesday Chair Yoga class for women. And it's fully funded by Wellbeing Workshops so free to attend! No need to book, just turn up! 💚

🧘‍♀️ WOMEN’S IN-PERSON SEATED YOGA

Join Michelle Finlay Yoga for a welcoming weekly seated yoga session designed especially for women.

Enjoy gentle, mindful movement, calming breathing, and relaxation, all without getting up and down from the floor. These supportive sessions can help improve mobility, release tension and calm the mind.

📅 Every Tuesday, 15 September–15 December
⏰ 11.30am–12.30pm
📍 St Budeaux Baptist Church, Fletemoor Road, St Budeaux, Plymouth PL5 1TF

✔ Suitable for all ages and abilities
✔ Ideal for anyone with limited mobility or who is new to yoga
✔ No previous yoga experience needed
✔ All movements can be adapted to suit your needs
✔ Women-only, friendly and supportive environment

Please wear comfortable clothing and bring a drink. Chairs will be provided.

Sessions are delivered by Michelle Finlay on behalf of Wellbeing Workshops Devon CIC.

This welcoming session is open to all women, including trans women

Spaces are limited, so advance booking is recommended.

She'd tried so many different methods, classes and relaxation techniques in the past and none of them worked for her.

She was beginning to think that there was something wrong with her.

She was about to give up but agreed to come along to my class because her friend wanted company but she didn't expect much from the class.

What she got from this class that she hadn't experienced before...

There was time and space for exploration and feeling in various positions and the invitation was for her to land with what felt right in her body today.

From the outset she was given autonomy. She was invited to tune into her own experience that day and to make decisions about what she chose to engage with and what she didn't.

She was given enough options to explore without feeling overwhelmed and she knew that it didn't matter if she was doing it "wrong" or "right" because that isn't the point.

For her, this was a game changer. She not only figured out what works for her own body, but she learnt that she is in charge of what goes where.

She felt trust in herself and trust in her body. This led to her feeling so relaxed because her nervous system finally felt safe enough to let her.

Have you ever had that moment when something just clicked in your practice (or life) because you were given the space to do it your own way?

Grateful for a weekend of friendship, honest conversations about trusting ourselves in this crazy world, and sunshine.

Cups well and truly filled.

Thank you Ali

True story.

A yoga student shared with me recently how much she appreciates my inclusion of the "mind stuff" in the practice.

This is a complete practice. When you watch what your mind is doing in a yoga practice, you begin to notice how it might be affecting your life. From there you can apply what you learn in your practice to your life.

If you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders from your job, it can be the difference between going home and snapping at your partner and kids and knowing that you need just a little bit of space between office and home to decompress so that when you walk through that door, you're more your own self.

If you can't get to an in person class with me, I also teach online and you're welcome to DM to know more.

Dharma often gets taught as life purpose like it's something to do with your job or whatever. But it's more than that.

It's the essence of who you are.

Your unique perspective.

think about the friend that always comes to you when they want the raw, honest advice rather than being told what she wants to hear. It's that!

or

the student who chooses your programme over someone else's because they resonate with who you are, not just what you're teaching.

It's more than what you do. It's how you do it as only you can!

There's a lot of confusion in the yoga world over what Dharma is because of the way it often gets framed up.

Have you ever thought that Dharma is something you must seek and find or something to do with the job that you do instead of the essence of who you are?

Lemme know...

All too often physical ability and self-worth get enmeshed in the yoga room.

As teacher maybe you congratulate the student who nails it and point them out to everyone else as an example.

Or praise the person that tries super hard and almost has it...

but you overlook the student taking a rest because her wrists are sore. (perhaps the student resting is more in-tune with herself and present moment awareness than anyone else)

I'm not saying don't teach poses and don't have fun doing so. I still teach poses and love the physical side of the practice.

What I am saying is that when you learn what's underneath the pose and how to communicate effectively to your students what they can look out for and observe, you're teaching them way more than shapes they can make with their bodies.

They learn to observe themselves and recognise when ego is talking. They learn to trust their own wisdom.

Then the pose becomes a vehicle for conversation and inner dialogue. A way into the practice, rather than the ultimate goal of it.

A seated yoga practice offers a wealth of benefits, especially when practiced regularly

- Improve flexibility and mobility
- Build strength and balance
- Reduce stress and tension
- Support joint health and circulation

All movements are carried out seated or using the chair for support, making yoga accessible, safe, and enjoyable for everyone.

Come along, give it a go, and leave feeling refreshed and re-energised! 💚