Tell us a bit about yourself
I’ve been practicing yoga for 25 years and teaching since 2005. I initially trained with the British Wheel of Yoga but went on to study yoga therapy with Svastha Yoga. I have also trained as an iRest level 2 and Menopause Yoga Teacher. Over the last six years I have delved deeply into studying breathwork which is where my passion now lies.
Outside of yoga, I’m a mum and wife. I enjoy walking, reading and traveling. And love making home-made dark chocolate.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Professionally my day always varies but I work a lot less than I used to because I developed an auto-immune condition 7 years ago. I was extremely unwell for a long time so nowadays, I try to arrange my work around my needs so that I can stay well and focused.
My own practice is very much ingrained and weaved into daily life. It isn’t a long practice anymore but more bite-sized chunks to support me throughout the day. That means starting and finishing my day with a pranayama practice and having a daily mid-morning walk to clear my mind. If I have time in the afternoon, I will practice yoga nidra.
Teaching, which can be online or F2F, is often in the morning or afternoon since lunchtimes are about preparing and eating good food and making myself home-made chocolates (my greatest vice!) Currently I only teach one evening a week but run workshops on a weekend.
How did your yoga journey begin and what inspired you to become a yoga teacher?
My first experience of yoga was when mum took me to a local yoga class and I have to admit I really didn’t enjoy it.
But, in my early thirties, I started practicing yoga in a local gym after having given up karate. I had no idea where this would lead me and really just saw the practices as a way to keep moving.
I then became pregnant and moved to pregnancy yoga. At this point, I knew that I wanted to become a yoga teacher because I was feeling such enormous benefits from the practice, not only physically but mentally too. And that’s when my journey really started.
What inspired you to specialise in your practice?
When I was finishing my first training with BWY, I already knew that I wanted to use yoga therapeutically.
And although I started off working in gyms and covering for friends, I was very lucky that opportunities presented themselves allowing me to specialise and work with communities such as stroke survivors, Parkinsons, cancer patients etc.
The more I worked within the therapeutic field, the greater the joy for me as a teacher and where I felt I was doing the most I could to help others access yoga.
How have you seen yoga benefit your students?
Having worked with diverse communities, I have seen yoga support so many people in a variety of ways. So for example, when I worked with stroke survivors, it gave them the opportunity to practice movement in a modified way that catered to their unique needs.
What’s your favourite quote?
‘Wellness is the complete integration of body, mind and spirit – the realization that everything we do, think, feel, and believe has an effect on our state of well-being.’ by Greg Anderson
What’s coming up for you in 2024?
Firstly, I’m excited to be joining the Yoga Matters Community.
I am continuing to expand my studies this year and am particularly interested in breathwork from an Eastern and Western perspective and excited to be offering various workshops around this topic.
Find out more about Stacey
Website: https://staceylandau.com/
Instagram: @stacey.landau
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