Hello and Welcome to Katham Yoga and Wellness Centre.
It’s been a long journey to get here, at least fifteen years in the making! I’ve been a devotee of yoga since I was a little girl when my dad and I used to practise together using books he borrowed from the library. He was naturally good, but as a bendy five-year-old I was naturally better!
Yoga has been a mainstay of my life on and off since then. I’ve always been interested in health and wellness which culminated in my first career in nursing. I found that I loved teaching student nurses allocated to me as a nursing sister, which started my second career as an academic, lecturing and researching in healthcare within university settings. Now, it’s time for my third career as a yoga and wellness teacher.
I qualified as a yoga teacher several years ago and since then I’ve taught various types of classes alongside my day job – private sessions for individual clients, huge classes at large corporate events, and I’ve also covered classes for yoga colleagues in church halls, colleges, community centres, gyms, schools, universities and, of course, I taught online during the Pandemic. So, all in all, plenty of experience.
My yoga and wellness centre is based in Walsden, a sleepy little village in West Yorkshire, with breathtaking scenery and wildlife. The studio is a truly beautiful room within a gorgeous, old Victorian vicarage, which comfortably holds six yogis, plus the teacher. I strongly believe in small, personal classes where time is spent ensuring correct anatomical positioning when practising asanas (postures). In this way, injury through incorrect postioning is eliminated and yoga stretch, stamina and strength improve noticeably. I also believe that spiritual practices, such as yoga, should be celebrated in beautiful surroundings to maximise joy and well-being.
The ‘How’ of yoga is the philosophy behind Katham Yoga and Wellness. Asanas are taught patiently and carefully with dedicated attention given to every yogi in the room. Emphasis is placed on the whole of yoga (the postures are just one of yoga’s eight limbs) with teaching also concentrating on pranayama (breathwork) and the spiritual side of yoga with meditations and yoga nidra (deep relaxation) practised during class.
This is quite a different style of yoga to that experienced during larger public classes, as small classes can afford individual attention and gentle posture correction. Yogis soon adapt to Katham yoga, and I am often told by attendees that they can’t imagine practising other types of yoga now as they love Katham so much. Friendships are formed over refreshments served at the end of class and a real atmosphere of peace and harmony pervades throughout sessions.
Due to the small number of attendees, classes must be prior-booked through this website to ensure a place. Classes are taught in blocks of six weeks with one session per week. Each six-week block is designed to engage all major muscle groups, alongside soft tissue and internal organs. Therefore, all yoga bookings are for the six-week block only. Should you be unable to attend a class, someone can come in your place if you wish to give/sell your booking to a friend.
The studio opens 30 minutes prior to class to allow yogis to settle in and begin their personal warm-up practice if desired. Classes are £15 each for 90-minutes, which includes refreshments served after practice as the studio stays open for an additional 30 minutes. Bookings are for a block of six classes which amounts to £90.
Nervous about booking? Please don’t be! I’m friendly and approachable and it’s my aim to offer you an enjoyable experience which enhances not only your yoga practice, but also your health and well-being. If you don’t float out of class at least one centimetre above the ground, I’ve failed you 🙂
Next blog, I’ll be discussing other offerings at Katham Yoga and Wellness Centre.
I’m so looking forward to meeting you all.
All good things.
Jill x