“Mina teaches from the heart, and her knowledge and skills in yoga and yoga therapy are outstanding. Mina is truly an inspirational teacher, and it's been an honour to work with such an amazing teacher.”
Paula Fox-Kirkham
"Mina is one of the most dedicated yoga teachers I have encountered in almost 20 years of practice. She has a profound interest in helping students experience yoga at its deepest and most therapeutic physical level. Supported by her substantial anatomical knowledge and her tireless spirit of inquiry, Mina's approach enables people to discover the essence of yoga postures as she deconstructs and rebuilds poses from their foundation. She constantly renews and revises her energising classes, where I experience her as a warm and engagingly challenging guide."
Peter Law
"Thank you so much for your amazing classes, they were a highlight of the time leading up to the birth and really helped me relax, deal with the pain and most importantly give me confidence during labour."
Cathy Edwards
About me and my Yoga
My early experience of yoga was Astanga Mysore practise in East London in 1998. It blew me away on so many levels. Even in my early years of yoga, I understood the system had so much to offer - discipline, purification and therapy. My Japanese upbringing helped me to appreciate the discipline side. However my life, on the whole, wasn't balanced enough to make my approach to the practice sustainable. Having some injuries forced me to look for a more structural and subtle approach to my practice. When I returned to regular Mysore practice in my 40's, I realised it had more to offer than just a physical health benefit. It makes you observe your own behaviour whilst on the mat. Astanga yoga is often misunderstood in the West for it's vigour and it often attracts many people looking only to achieve a physical benefit from their practice of it. No yoga practice should be done with aggression or an unhealthy desire to achieve something. Yoga should be practiced steadily and often, and approached calmly without attachment. It is my mission to share with people how yoga practice has longevity and can apply to people of all ages and backgrounds. Yoga is adaptable and can be modified to suit each person's needs. I would love to share with you the true benefit of yoga. I am so grateful for Sarah Litton and Hamish Hendry who work tirelessly to spread their knowledge and inspiration.
Classes, Workshops & Retreats
Due to reduced capacity in yoga centres, you should book your classes in advance!
For MinaYoga private lessons and the weekly free meditation click here
Click on these links for face to face and livestream classes at
Down To Earth NW5 2HR and TriYoga Camden NW1 7DB
For retreats, private lessons and teacher training, please contact me directly!
Workshop
Skills and Confidence Building for Yoga Teachers
@Down To Earth, Essex Road N1
DATE: TBC - Please contact me if you are interested in a small group or private one to one settings
https://downtoearthlondon.co.uk/
Due to popular demand, I am running this workshop again!
In this workshop, we explore ways to teach with a high level of care and skill while also giving you room to develop your own unique style. There will be discussions as well as practical sections during the course of the session. Questions are welcome throughout the workshop to deepen and clarify your understanding. In this friendly and supportive 3 hours, we cover the following topics.
- How to prepare for teaching - voice, body, breath and energy
- How to identify problems in one glance - then fix by using effective language, eye contacts and gestures
- How to nurture and gain trust and how to set healthy boundaries - philosophical discussion
- How and when to apply hands-on assistance - how many touches are acceptable and which part of the hands should be used
They apply to all types of yoga and will help you build your confidence and think on your feet.
This workshop is perfect for teachers who are new to teaching, still in training or have been teaching for a few years but want to deepen their understanding of what it means to teach effectively. The workshop is interactive and there will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions.
Places are limited to allow for more individual guidance.
Style of yoga
My teaching style is very much drawn from Astanga yoga. My goal in teaching is for students to establish a more regular and fulfilling practice across all ages and body types. I am always reviewing, investigating and modifying my self-practice so that I can make yoga practice more accessible to everyone. I aspire to be a good communicator to my students, importantly, a teacher who can explain yoga from both the scientific and the energetic perspective.
Yogacampus Teacher Training
I teach and mentor trainee teachers from Yogacampus. I host teacher training modules as well as act as a mentor to students assigned to me. I am their first point of contact and support throughout their training.
All teacher training programmes do their best to prepare you for the business of being a yoga teacher, but it can still be very daunting. Regardless of which teacher training programme you havre graduated from, if you need help and guidance and you think some time with me would help you on your journey, book a one-to-one online session.
Pregnancy Yoga & Doula
My Pregnancy Yoga is infused with Birth preparation. The main influence for these classes comes from studying with Michel Odent and from Liliana Lammers who helped me to become a doula. I offer explanations about the birth physiology and the behaviour of the oxytocin hormone. This is because I believe such information can influence women to take control of their own labour. I believe certain knowledge empowers expecting couples and removes the fear factors associated with childbirth. Michel and Liliana are both incredibly important to me and my family.
The Art of Teaching - Adapting To Changes
4 nights residential yoga workshop in Andalucia Spain for teachers and teacher trainees
CPD workshop
Weds 19th to Sun 23rd MAY 2021
PLEASE CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION
This retreat programme is relevant to today's world - reflecting the current reality and the outlook for yoga teaching.
I am keen to share my own experience - I've been teaching online non-stop since the day lock-down started. I actually dived into it as a new fresh challenge to embrace rather than to reject. I‘ve had my ups and downs with it and have agonised whether I am doing the right thing. I had to overcome my fear of using so much technology and I have been trying my best to see what my students are looking for in yoga. Being honest, it has been both inspiring and daunting. However, I strongly believe yoga serves people in troubled times which keeps me going.
So this retreat is about cementing our principles - let's look at how to convey yoga in this new environment as authentically as possible. We do this through our own inquiry during our practice and in the group forum over the retreat’s 4 days. I have some excellent subjects for discussion - you see the outline below.
Arrive on Wednesday 2nd September 2020. The programme will start with an evening yoga session to ease off your travel. Dinner will be served on the terrace watching the sunset. The full day programme will commence on Thursday and continue until Saturday. We say goodbye on Sunday 6th after the morning practice and breakfast.
The Venue:
This beautiful venue is set amongst olive farms in Andalucia, Spain. The hosts Sara and Upesh are my old friends.
http://www.newleafcortijo.com/
Sara and Upesh will provide you with plenty of tasty vegetarian food (vegan option available) cooked with love and care. In your spare time, please go for a walk in the endless olive groves, read a book in a hammock or rest on sun loungers by the pool. There will be an organised walk to the local gorge which is pretty wild with amazing scenery.
Social Distancing:
In terms of social distancing and hygiene, the property offers lots of space to spread out and the yoga equipments are regularly cleaned. Your accommodations will be immaculate and cleaned to a high standard prior to your arrival. If you are concerned about anything at all, please contact Sara. She will be happy to help you clarify. You can opt out of hands-on assist and paired work in workshops if you prefer. We are here to make sure you feel comfortable and your stay is enjoyable and transformative.
The price includes:
Accommodation, brunch, dinner with wine, linen, towels and all tuition. All bedrooms can be made as twins or doubles.
The nearest airport is Granada (25mins) and Malaga (1hour 50 mins ) by car. Flights are not included. Transfers can be arranged for Euro 30 from Granada, Euro 65 from Malaga. Hiring cars from Malaga airport is reasonably cheap.
Room Blanco (main house) - en-suite, 2 people sharing, twin bedroom £465 per person
Room Amarillo (main house) - en-suite, double bedroom for a couple £370 per person or single occupancy for £600
Room 1 (apartment) - en-suite, 2 people sharing, twin bedroom £465 per person with full use of the kitchen and living room
Room 2 (apartment) - en-suite, 2 people sharing, twin bedroom £465 per person with full use of the kitchen and living room
Programme:
Day 1 Wednesday
Arrive from 4pm, Yoga class 5pm-6pm
Students arrive, check in and enjoy the first class to shake off travel and get in the zone.
6.30pm-7.30pm
A welcome drink will be served on the terrace surrounded by the hills of Andalucia. We talk about the programme and check for any injuries and health challenges.
7.30pm Dinner
Day 2 Thursday
8am-10am
Morning practice to explore the key postures often taught in classes with strong focus on alignments and technique. Pranayama and meditation.
10.30am Brunch
12pm-3pm
Workshop part 1:
Discussion: Post Pandemic Yoga
Role of yoga since the pandemic - both for you personally and your students
What are the positives and negatives from a teaching perspective
How do you see yourself operating in the new environment
What are your obstacles
Free time
7.30pm Dinner
Day 3 Friday
8am-9.30am
Morning practice to explore more complex postures, investigate the structures and how to deconstruct them. This will demystify some poses which are often seen as difficult. Workshop on themes and sequencing. Pranayama and meditation.
10am Brunch
12pm-3pm
Workshop part 2:
Hands-on assist in the new environment & Effective verbal cues
(if you prefer not to participate in a practical way, you are welcome to just make notes)
When do we assist people using hands post pandemic? In terms of both group lesson and private lesson
How do you approach and ask for permission?
Which poses are appropriate for assisting - review how to assist regularly practiced poses non invasively (practical workshop)
How to communicate more effectively to reduce the need for hands on assist
Free time
7.30pm Dinner
Day 4 Saturday
8.00am-9.30am
Morning practice to cement the idea of why own practice is so important to serve and inspire others. Look at more challenging poses in terms of practicing and teaching. Pranayama and meditation.
10am Brunch
12pm-3pm
Workshop part 3:
Discussion: Seeing the big picture
This session will start with pranayama and meditation
Topics of discussion;
What do you want to teach and what is your main message through yoga
How to weave yoga philosophy into self practice, teaching and everyday life
The role of meditation - how to teach the first step
Overall reflection
Free time - There is a gorge walk, the Ruta del Gollizno, Moclin nearby which takes about 3 hours to complete amongst spectacular views.
8pm Dinner and celebration for completing the course
Day 5 Sunday
8.00am-9.00am
Shorter morning practice
9.15am Breakfast
11.30am Check out
All food are freshly prepared on site and vegetarian. We can accommodate for vegans on request. For more information and booking, please message me using the message box below.
Maximum capacity is 8 people. Returning students 10% off. A non-refundable deposit of £100 to secure your place.
I aim for people to leave my yoga classes with added clarity about what they are doing and why – to demystify yoga. I would be happy if I could motivate people to start a regular home practice because they understand the benefit to their daily life. So many of us are searching for something when we turn to yoga. I would like to be one of the teachers that helps people find their inner happiness. I try to do this by being myself, with a bit of humour and by speaking from my heart about my own experiences. I think this is the only way to reach people.
My mission
I believe if more people practiced yoga, there would be less conflict between people in the community and the world. This is because regular yoga practice, by default, makes practitioners watch themselves intimately. We become more aware of our own thought processes. After a while, we recognise our unhealthy patterns of thought. The patterns get triggered by various factors, but often result in us thinking in a negative context. People often try to justify their feelings of stress or anxiety by identifying something or someone, but actually yoga practice helps us to realise that being stressed has a lot to do with our own perceptions.
Regular yoga practice helps us to understand our own body and our patterns of thoughts. Practicing regularly highlights how we treat our bodies and how we see ourselves. Without being told what to do, regular practitioners naturally tend to modify what they eat, how they spend time and when they go to bed. Making decisions becomes less dramatic and can be made with greater clarity. This is a result of the body becoming more robust and the mind becoming sharper.
So yoga isn't simply physical exercise, it's actually an ancient method and therapy for anyone seeking peace within. It is my mission to spread yoga because the benefits are endless and the world needs it more than ever.
What I'm cooking in my kitchen
Spicy Soup Noodle
Serves 2 people, cooking time 30 minute.
Salty, spicy, tangy clear broth with home made udon noodle. See the ingredients and follow the pictures.
Ingredients
2 carrots
1 white potato
1/2 leek
A handful of mature spinach
A handful of pak choi
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 inch ginger
2 cloves of garlic
1 red chilli
2 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 sheet of dried konbu
A handful of coriander
1 table spoon of sesame oil (drizzle at the end)
1 table spoon of white miso paste
2 table spoon of mirin
1 table spoon of brown sugar
3 table spoon of soy sauce
2 tea spoon of salt
1/2 tea spoon of white pepper
Water
Egg optional
Put all the dry and wet ingredients into a
saucepan plus enough water, boil at medium
heat. Note: sesame oil, spinach, coriander
leaves and pak choi are to be added once
broth is cooked.
For udon noodle, you need 1:1 ratio of white
flour and rice flour. (use a cup to measure)
Water and a pinch of salt.
Knead it until smooth.
Add flour to avoid sticking.
Cook udon for 1-2 mins in boiling salted
water. Rinse under cold water to remove
starch.
Don't forget to taste the broth and adjust
seasoning. It needs to tase
stronger than you would
have it on its own. This is
because you will be adding
noodle. Drizzle sesame oil
before eating.
Seriously good!
Immunity Bowl
Serves 2 people, cooking time 25 minutes
Don’t be put off by the ingredients and process, it’s actually really easy and quick to cook.
It’s tasty, healthy and rewarding. You just feel so much better when you eat this, I promise!
Preparation (in advance)
*Soaking and Sprouting
This process is done once a week. Weekend is perfect for this preparation.
You can do it whilst making your morning coffee, attend again in the evening.
Sprouted seeds and soaked nuts will last for a week in fridge. Keep them in glass jars.
Soak cashew nuts for approximately 4 hours in a glass jar in your kitchen,
rinse, drain, put a lid on and store in fridge.
Soak sun flower seeds for approximately 6 hours in a glass jar, drain,
place a muslin or net over the jar with a rubber band around it.
Tilt slightly to keep water draining into a bowl, leave in your kitchen for 1-2 days,
rinse seeds once or twice a day to keep moisture.
Once sprouted, put a lid on and store in fridge.
Ingredients and cooking method
Steamed quinoa and rice
1 cup of quinoa
1 cup of basmati rice
2 cup of water - use the same cup as above
3cm white main part of leek sliced
3cm thick butternut squash cut into small cubes
1/3 firm tofu cut into small cubes
1cm ginger sliced
2cm red chilli sliced
1 dried shiitake mushroom or porcini mushroom
1 small strip of konbu sheet - use scissors and cut a small piece
1 teaspoon of salt
10 turns of black pepper
1 tablespoon of mirin
1 teaspoon of miso paste
Put all the ingredients in a sauce pan.
Bring to boil and reduce heat to low,
cover the top with tin foil and the lid.
Cook on low heat for 10 mins.
Turn the heat off after 10mins,
keep the lid and foil on and let it stand to
steam for 10 more minutes.
Ingredients and preparation
Spirulina salsa
1 teaspoon of spirulina powder
1/3 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of agave syrup or muscovado sugar
3 teaspoon of raw apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon of smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon of soy sauce
2 teaspoon of sesame oil
3 teaspoon of olive oil
2mm thinly sliced ginger chopped up finely
5mm leek chopped up finely
2 table spoon sprouted sunflower seeds *please see how to soak and spout
2 table spoon soaked cashew nuts chopped roughly *please see how to soak and spout
1 handful of coriander including stalks chopped finely
1 handful of fresh mint leaves chopped finely
3 younger leaves of cavolo nero or kale chopped finely
1/2 avocado
1/8 lime or lemon juice
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl except avocado and lime, adjust seasoning according to your preferred taste.
Assembling
Pour olive oil into the steamed grains in the sauce pan and once mixed well, spoon into a bowl.
Slice a half of avocado, place on top of grains, squeeze a small wedge of lime or lemon juice.
Spoon in spirulina salsa onto the bowl.
Drizzle a bit more olive oil and sprinkle sea salt (optional).
Eat whilst fresh!
Winter Miso broth
Serves 2 people, cooking time 25 minutes
Ingredients
1 carrot
1/2 sweet potato or 1/3 butternut squash
1 white potato
1/2 leek
1/2 celery
1 inch ginger
1 clove of garlic
1/2 inch red chilli - remove seeds
2 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 sheet of dried konbu
1/2 tofu block
A handful of coriander stalks and some leaves for garnish
A handful of spinach
1 table spoon of vegetable oil
1 table spoon of sesame oil
1 table spoon of light miso paste
2 table spoon of mirin
1 table spoon of brown sugar
1 table spoon of soy sauce
2 tea spoon of salt
1/2 tea spoon of white pepper
2 litres of water (plus more if needs)
Udon noodles for 2 people (usually found in bundles in a packet and each bundle serves one person)
Cut leek in small slices and prepare potato, carrot, sweet potato and celery into small pieces.
Grate ginger and garlic and chop chilli into small pieces.
In a large saucepan, heat oil and add chopped vegetables, ginger, garlic and chilli and stir well to combine for 10 seconds without burning.
Add water, shiitake mushrooms, konbu sheet, coriander stalks, salt and white pepper. Make sure water level is higher than vegetables. Bring to boil.
Simmer to medium heat, add mirin, soy sauce and sugar. Continue to cook for 15 minutes and in the mean time prepare tofu and noodle.
Cut tofu in slices (about 1cm thickness), pat dry with kitchen towels to remove excess moisture, lightly season with salt and white pepper.
Use a non-stick frying pan, shallow fry tofu in 2 tea spoons of vegetable oil until crisp on each side. Place a kitchen paper on a rack and rest fried tofu slices until later.
Cook udon noodle following instructions on the packet. Once cooked, wash under cold water to remove starch and set to one side in a sieve.
Remove konbu sheet and shiitake mushrooms. Place miso paste in a ladle. Lower the ladle to the surface of the broth touching the water level, using chopsticks or a folk, dilute miso slowly by breaking up the paste by adding hot broth into the ladle bit by bit. Once miso is dissolved, taste the broth, add more seasoning if necessary. If you are adding eggs, this is the time to do it - make pockets amongst the vegetables and drop eggs into them. Keep cooking on medium heat for 10-15 seconds and turn off the heat.
Run udon under hot water for a few seconds to warm up, drain quickly, and place into a large deep soup bowl.
Place tofu slices, spinach and coriander leaves on top of udon.
Pour hot broth into the bowl.
Add a few slices of red chilli if you prefer it spicy.
Drizzle a tea spoon of sesame oil before serving.
Eat it whilst piping hot. Absolutely delicious.
Spicy Tofu with Spinach and Beansprouts
This moorish quick dish hits all the right notes - tanginess, savoury flavours of tofu with crunchy beansprouts and juicy spinach complementing each other on steaming hot rice. What more do you need for a quick fix. It's accidentally vegan!
Serves 2 people, cooking time 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 block of firm tofu
1 table spoon of corn flour (or plain flour)
A pinch of salt
A pinch of turmeric
A pinch of white pepper
A table spoon of vegetable oil or coconut oil
2 cups of short grain white rice or Japanese rice
rinsed twice and drained
A large handful of mature spinach
A large handful of beansprouts
(For dressing)
2 table spoon of sesame oil
2 table spoon of soy sauce
1 table spoon of mirin
1 table spoon of agave syrup
1 tea spoon of lime juice
1 tea spoon of sea salt
A pinch of white pepper
A handful of coriander stalks chopped finely
A thumb nail size ginger peeled and chopped finely
1 inch leek (green bit) chopped finely
A pinch of chilli flakes or 1cm fresh red chilli chopped finely
3 table spoons of water
(Process)
Soak 2 cups of rice in 2 cups of water (use the same cup) for 20-30 minutes in a saucepan.
After soaking rice, bring it to boil, put a sheet of tin foil or a cloth to make it air tight and place a lid over the top. Simmer for 10 mins at low heat - don't open the lid or steam will escape and change the rice consistency. After 10 mins, switch off the heat and keep the lid on for further 10 mins - this is when rice gets fluffy.
Combine flour, salt, white pepper and turmeric on a plate, cut tofu in slices, coat each slice in the flour mix.
Heat oil in a saucepan at high temperature.
Fry tofu slices until crispy on each side.
Place tofu on kitchen towels.
Mix all the ingredients for dressing and taste to adjust flavours to your preference.
Wash spinach and beansprouts, leave in a sieve to drain.
Place fried tofu slices in a saucepan, then pour in the dressing (save a table spoon of this dressing for drizzling directly later). Cook fried tofu in the dressing on a hob with a lid on at medium heat for 5 mins, avoid tofu from sticking to the bottom by stirring gently.
Take out tofu and place in a bowl and leave some liquid in the saucepan.
Throw in spinach and bean sprouts in the same saucepan and cook in the liquid at high heat for 1 minute with no lid.
Dish out steamed rice in a bowl, place tofu, spinach and bean sprouts on the rice and spoon over some of the dressing saved earlier. Eat while hot, bon appetit!
I hope you enjoy cooking and eating these lovely food. Feel free to ask any questions about the processes.
Cooking is my way to spread LOVE.
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