Sue Cheung is a yoga and mindfulness meditation teacher with over a decade of experience teaching at some of London’s most popular studios. In 2023 Sue qualified as an Integrative Change Worker with the Ethical Coaching Collective and as a certified Life Coach with the Life Coach School.
Tell us a bit about yourself…
I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada and moved to London in 2005. I’m a yoga & meditation teacher with over 13 years teaching experience. I recently trained as an integrative life coach, which has been a lot of fun. I’m a keen student and always looking to learn more. For me yoga, meditation and coaching are all forms of change and liberation work.
What does a typical day look like for you?
First thing is hitting the ground running by getting the kids ready for school!
Then depending on the day, I’ll start with a bit of qigong and meditation, before moving on to admin/content creation, then I’ll head off to teach and collect the kids from school. Other days it’s straight to teaching with all of the above in the evening.
Meditation and movement are non-negotiable. Sometimes it’s a 45-minute barre/strength class, others it’s 10 minutes lying on my mat!
How did your yoga journey begin and what inspired you to become a yoga teacher and life coach?
I started practicing in the early 2000s. I was volunteering at a local TV station and Rodney Yee was one of the guests. He was promoting his book, Yoga: The Poetry of the Body, which I bought and swiftly devoured. I dog-eared the sequences, and mirrored the pictures while barely looking at the instructions. I remember downdog feeling excruciating! Then I went to my first class at a local gym in Greenwich in 2005 and I never looked back.
A major turning point was in 2011, when I was on a retreat with Jean Hall, and she asked me if I’d be interested in teacher training. It felt like the sky had opened up and there were angels singing!
I took the plunge and did my first 200-hours with Jean Hall and Mimi Kuo-Deemer. Since then, I’ve completed my pre & postnatal training with Nadia Narain, 300-hours with Jason Crandell, Mindfulness Meditation with Cyndi Lee and Intermediate Trauma-Informed Yoga & Somatics with Collective Resilience.
I had my first coaching experience in 2022 with the brilliant Maisie Hill. I was so transformed by the process that in 2023 I qualified as an Integrative Change Worker through the Ethical Coaching Collective and as a certified Life Coach with the Life Coach School.
During my coaching sessions I work with the unconscious mind, use somatics, light hypnosis, and thought work. It really depends on what arises in the moment, but there’s always a change.
Whether I’m teaching a yoga & meditation class or coaching a client, I view it as a real privilege to be able to share these practices and tools for awareness and transformation.
What inspired you to specialize in your practice?
Lockdown.
On an individual, micro-level, early in the pandemic I was made redundant from my corporate job. There was nowhere to go, so I sat and meditated. I would also often sit and cry, but the steadiness of the practice helped me to overcome the pain. And in hindsight, I think it was the universe’s way of telling me it was time to move on and make change elsewhere.
On a collective, macro-level, the death of George Floyd, the BLM movement and the anti-Asian racism in the US were pivotal moments. It sounds ridiculous, but it was the first time I fully realised I was Chinese! In response to these events, I began my anti-racism studies with the non-profit organisation Off the Mat into the World and recently was part of a 9-month communal consultations program hosted by the Education of Racial Equity facilitated by Resmaa Menakem, Ja Young Ahn-Williams, Jennifer Lee Koble.
My teaching style has evolved and I now teach through a trauma-informed lens, which is really people-informed. It recognises our humanity and invites us to consider all that has shaped us. It has made me a much more compassionate teacher and coach.
How have you seen your practice benefit your students?
I’d say becoming more familiar with their breath. Remembering it as a resource that’s already within and not something they have to “go out and get”. That our breath can be like our homebase, bringing us back to the present moment.
Also they’re more embodied. Even if it’s just for the duration of class. That they’ve brought their minds back into their bodies. Building on the memory or imprint so they can keep coming back. Which can be pretty powerful as we spend so much time in our heads or on our phones, being “disembodied”.
What is your favorite quote or life motto?
“Slowing it down is a revolutionary act” by Resmaa Menakem. It was said in the context of Somatic Abolitionism and healing racialised trauma, which I feel is important to acknowledge. I remind myself of it whenever I feel the urgency and pressure of life.
Oh and can I share one more please?
“Each of you is perfect the way you are … and you can use a little improvement.” by Suzuki Roshi.
What’s coming up for you in 2024?
There’ll be more yoga & meditation workshops and retreats in the second half of 2024, but at the moment I’m focussing on my coaching business. Specifically, as a Marketing Coach for BIPOC Wellness Practitioners.
I studied Marketing and International Business in University and I’m finally getting to use what I learned to create something that feels aligned to my values. The chance to combine this knowledge with coaching to uplift and support a group of people, whose work impacts their students’ and clients’ lives, is super exciting! My hope is to help them create a ripple effect in their communities and beyond.
To spend a bit more time with me as a meditation teacher, you can download my meditation HERE.
Or if you want to experience a couple of calming techniques I use with my coaching clients, you can try them out HERE.
My website is: https://www.suecheungyoga.com/
Instagram: @suecheungyoga
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