Frances Hatha Yoga
Frances Hatha Yoga
Hi, my name is Frances Kelly. I am a trained and registered Hatha Yoga Teacher.
I first discovered yoga by chance at the age of 16. Curiously, I attended my first yoga class at the local community centre. I was late, and the class had already started. It was packed out, and I was directed to a small space at the back of the hall. I had suggested that perhaps I could just spectate but was told very firmly that yoga was not a spectator sport. Back then, there were no sticky mats, so my first practice was on bare floorboards. Later, I would bring a blanket along to the class. This was in the early 70s, and yoga was practised in cold and draughty community halls, school/church halls. However, it never deterred me, and I’ve been practising yoga (sometimes on and off) ever since. Initially, I was more interested in practising asana (postures) rather than breathing techniques and meditation. I loved the elegance, poise, and gracefulness of the postures—holding poses, tweaking shapes, and moving in and out of asanas. I didn’t realize at the time that we were practising BKS Iyengar style of yoga. Later, during my Yoga Scotland foundation and accredited teacher training years, the style was of TKV Desikachar and Swami Sivananda (a holistic form of classical Hatha Yoga). Both Iyengar and Desikachar were taught by Krishnamacharya, the father of modern yoga.
I studied yoga with Yoga Scotland (YS Charitable Trust). I completed the YS Foundation course in 2010/11, and then spent the next year immersing myself in my practice before successfully completing the 2012/14 YS 2-year Yoga Accredited Teacher Training Diploma. In January 2017, I made the life-changing decision to leave my career as a schools business manager and become self-employed as a professional Hatha Yoga Teacher.
Over the years, my practice has naturally evolved. I have developed a keen interest in pranayama (breathing techniques), mindfulness, meditation, and relaxation. These aspects now form the foundation of my personal practice. My approach to yoga and teaching is gentle—subtly adapting the asana to the uniqueness of the individual body, moving with and through the breath, without forcing the body into a rigid shape and resting in the awareness of the present moment .
My ongoing personal development includes physical practices like yin and yang yoga postures, as well as safety in asana (postures). I focus on mindfulness and meditation, breathing techniques, yoga anatomy and physiology, and yoga philosophy (including the Bhagavad Gita, Vedas, and Sutras). Additionally I have study various pioneering approaches to yoga, such as the Scaravelli approach, which aims to free the body to ‘set the mind free’, and the Feldenkrais method, which promotes bodily and mental efficiency through conscious analysis of neuromuscular activity. Somatic movement yoga, focusing on the internal, sensory experience of the body in slow gentle movements, enhancing body awareness releasing tension. These methods improves flexibility, coordination, and range of motion while increasing ease of movement. I also have a keen interest in Autogenic Therapy and yoga—an effective mind-body technique involving relaxation and body awareness exercises to promote mental and physical well-being.
Teaching yoga is both a privilege and a pleasure. It is deeply fulfilling to guide others on their own journey towards mindfulness, health, and well-being.
One conscious breath is a meditation.
Om Shanti – Peace
