Teacher biography

Mark Stanford

I came to yoga in the late 1990's after enjoying other disciplines including running, Tai-Chi, and Tae-Kwondo. I enjoyed these activities, but they weren't exactly what I was looking for. I first studied Ashtanga Yoga under a senior yoga teacher called James Critchlow in Birmingham. James has the outer as well as the inner qualities of a yogi. After I had spent several years doing a regular practice and self study he encouraged me to become a yoga teacher. I am grateful for his encouragement and always endeavour to do my best. This is the traditional, cyclical way of knowledge being passed from teacher to student, whom then becomes the teacher. In today's society it is all too easy to pay your money and get the qualification to teach. This is apparent in many professions, and not just yoga teaching.

Whilst I had the good fortune to have learned the art of teaching from a top teacher, I studied for a formal qualification in 2002 at ItsYoga (San Francisco, USA). I have taught ever since and have had many good people as my students. Those who have stuck with it report noticeable improvements in their physical abilities and reap the mental benefits too.

A yoga teacher needs to keep expanding their knowledge. Besides studying and keeping my own practice, other input and inspiration has come from attending workshops and classes held by experienced teachers, particularly David Swenson, Richard Freeman, John Scott, Danny Paradise, David Williams, and the guru of the Ashtanga system Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois (1915-2009). Of those I've only read about or seen recordings of include Vanda Scaravelli, Eric Schiffmann, and the great Krishnamacharya. I am indebted to all.

During 2007 I embarked on an Ayurvedic Nutrition and Lifestyle course learning with a very knowledgable and sincere teacher called Atreya who runs the European Institute of Vedic Studies (EIVS Ltd). A simplistic description of Ayurveda (pronounced "Eye-your-vay-der") is it's an ancient system of health care from India which promotes physical, mental, and spiritual health. It's depths and scope is immense. Every aspect of life is covered. Yet it is often so simple, logical, and practical. It helps remove the obstacles to self realization, such as physical and mental illness which obstruct the practice of yoga. In fact yoga asana (the physical postures of yoga) can be viewed as an Ayurvedic treatment.

In 2008 I furthered my knowledge of Ayurveda by learning Ayurvedic Massage, again with the EIVS. This form of massage usually uses nourishing oils which are absorbed by the body and also employs certain strokes and massage techniques appropriate to the patients constitution to bring their three forces or humors (called "doshas" in Ayurveda) into balance.



August 2008.