Jenny

MORE ABOUT ME

Originally from England, I've had the privilege of studying yoga since 2006 in China, Thailand, the Netherlands and now here in Prague. I've been a certified yoga teacher since 2014. In 2017, I did an MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) course and my life changed for the better! I trained to teach mindfulness to others in 2021.

I'm a mum to two girls, passionate traveler and drinker of tea. Through all life's changes and challenges, yoga and mindfulness help me be true to myself. 

In addition, I have twenty years' experience in teaching English as a foreign language. I still love teaching English and teach English to kids from 3rd grade through to secondary school 4 mornings per week. I really enjoy incorporating mindfulness techniques into my classes. I've noticed this helps to boost confidence, improve learning and motivation as well as focus and memory. It also helps me be a more present, calm and happy teacher. 

A passion for yoga

I've always loved movement and the joyful feeling you get when you stretch your body. It was actually my older sister who got a book of yoga poses for Christmas one year - she wasn't interested, but I couldn't put it down. Seven-year-old me could me seen struggling with diagrams of shoulder stands and trying to figure them out for myself!

When I did my first real class in my early twenties, I was hooked immediately. I went in thinking it would just be another type of physical exercise like aerobics or going to the gym. But I left feeling like a new person!

Yoga means union and the bringing together of the breath, body  and mind had a profound effect on me physically and emotionally. Through yoga, I also came to understand that all human beings are in union together. 

Yoga became a passion and I trained to teach others with the wonderful Mukesh Kothari in Prague in 2014.

I have since taught in yoga studios in Prague, to private groups, individuals, and in organisations including:

• CEA and AIFS Study Abroad
• Yoga Space
• Mandarin Oriental Spa
• British Council Prague
• Amazon

Why mindfulness?

Mindfulness means intentionally and non-judgmentally paying attention to the present moment. 

This sounds so simple! But that doesn't mean it's easy or that it doesn't have profound effects on our lives. So often we go through our lives on automatic pilot - acting and reacting without being aware. In fact, studies predict that our minds are wandering for around 80% of the time. This was certainly me 5 years ago. And it doesn't make us happy.

Mindfulness helps us to train our attention to come back to the present, while cultivating at attitude of kindness and self-compassion. My teacher, Shamash Alidina, likes to call mindfulness 'kindfulness'. And for me, this is the greatest benefit of my own mindfulness practice: being kinder to myself and kinder to others. 

Just some of the clinically proven benefits of mindfulness are:

• stress reduction
• decreased likelihood of depression relapse
• reduced anxiety
• improved memory and focus
• improved relationships

Mindfulness involves meditation as well as a more 'informal' paying attention during day-to-day activities. 

My own personal benefits have been less emotional reactivity, a greater sense of calmness, an ability not to become overwhelmed by the most challenging of life events, greater compassion for myself and others, and an increased sense of fun! :) 

Qualifications 

• Teaching Yoga to Children ages 2 - 17, Peaceful Babes, 2023
• ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy/Training) for beginners, 2022
• Certificate in Teaching Mindfulness with Shamash Alidina, 2021
• Workplace Yoga Teacher Training, 2017
• 200 hour Yoga Alliance certified Bindusar Yoga Teacher Training Certificate with Mukesh Khotari, 2014

Other:

• Certificate in English Language Teaching Management Skills
• Delta (Cambridge ESOL Diploma in English Language Teaching)
• CELTA (Cambridge ESOL Certificate in English Language Teaching)
• MSc Violence, Conflict and Development, SOAS, University of London
• BA Development Studies with Sociology, University of Leeds

Other experience:

• English language teacher for 20 years
• Corporate courses coordinator for the British Council for 5 years
• Assistant director of studies of a language school in Amsterdam for 3 years