Hotpod Yoga
Taunton

Michel Traas

Michel was first drawn to yoga in his late teens when simply going to the gym didn’t provide the fulfillment he sought. Starting with a home practice and continuing at studios across the globe, he quickly developed a passion for all things yoga.

After graduating from his teacher training in February 2019, he continued to improve his daily practice and now aims to incorporate the values of yoga into all aspects of his life.

His classes focus on challenging physical asanas combined with a meditative practice to cultivate inner awareness.

Haley Blackman

I have been practicing yoga for 18 years and over the past 6 years have completed over 900 hours worth of teacher training. I teach Vinyasa Flow because I love linking the beauty of movement to the breath through creative and innovative sequences. In addition, my fascination with both anatomy and mindfulness is evident in my love of Yin Yoga, and being able to leave you feeling that you have truly come back home to the body.

Yoga is a vehicle for healing in myriad ways. It strips away every layer until we’re left naked and exposed in our true essence – love. That is the beauty of yoga. That is why I’m so passionate about yoga.

Teachers

Jenna Owen

I’ve been teaching yoga for 3.5 years but have been practising for 6 years.

Yoga completely changed my life – I found it after I went through a really tough time years ago. I was diagnosed with a life threatening illness and yoga was my escaped and ” go to” to place when it I was facing really difficult time. Yoga helped change the way I think about my life and my body. It makes me appreciate what I have and to live in the present.

I am also a mum to two little boys. As well as yoga I love lifting weights and am slightly addicted to paddle boarding!

Patricia Chiu

Patricia is an avid believer that yoga can be a catalyst to living a fulfilling life that embraces harmony between mind, body and spirit. Having practiced yoga on and off for 10 years, she became a certified yoga instructor in the summer of 2011. In addition to being a former national hockey player for Hong Kong, Patricia is also a professional dancer and choreographer, giving her a unique insight and appreciation for the importance of developing a balance in both strength and flexibility.

Through her creative sequences, assists and theming her classes encourage the participants to play between the two extremes of dynamic power and meditative empowerment, discovering and nurturing hidden qualities they didn’t know they had. She is dedicated to creating engaging and evocative experiences for all strengthening their bodies, stimulating their minds, awakening their hearts and feeding their souls.

Cristine Vasquez-Tan

Cristine found yoga in the search of clarity and deeper connection with her body. She then took the plunge to become a Vinyasa Yoga Teacher at the beginning of the year to help her student connect with oneself and provide a strong practice that her student can take away on their daily lives.

Lena Maughan

Changing scenery from busy city life to Somerset’s lush green pastures altered Lena’s perspective on life and that’s when yoga found a place. Having benefitted from many years of yoga she realised how much she would like to share this amazing philosphy with others, and so completed her yoga teacher training. Yoga truly is for everyone, that’s why Lena enjoys teaching people with injuries and complete beginners to help improve quality of their life. She also teaches advanced classes to people who would like to deepen their practice and find new routes on their yoga path. There is a place on the mat for everyone whether it is for health benefits, physical improvements in flexibility and tone, mindfulness or spiritual depth. Mind and body are integrated in the overall holistic nature of yoga practice, enabling a deeper connection to your true nature and place in the world.

Stephen Reid-Sturrock

Stephen has been practising yoga for four years between his military career in the parachute regiment along with high-intensity sports for his hobbies, he enjoys Crossfit, strength training and endurance workouts and believes hot yoga has had a massive impact on his training – helping his body recovery not just physically but mentally. He recently qualified as a Vinyasa Yoga teacher in March and he wants to share his experience and help people achieve the physical and mental benefits he has gained through his yoga experience.