My Story
I never set out to become a yoga teacher.
My journey began in a completely different world— the kitchens of some of the best restaurants and hotels.
They were fast-paced, unforgiving places: long hours, sharp tempers, no margin for error. Over time, that intensity became part of me. It built up, layer by layer, until I no longer recognised the person underneath.
Just before Covid, I realised something had to change.
A close friend told me—again and again—“you need to meditate.”
So I did. Ten minutes that first morning, then fifteen, then half an hour. Now, I sit every day at 5:30am for an hour. Meditation has changed everything.
It’s peeled away those layers one by one, revealing something softer, calmer, more real.
My Retreat
Yoga followed naturally.
At first it was just an extension of my meditation practice, but it quickly became something much deeper.
I was drawn to the philosophy—the Yamas and Niyamas, the Bhagavad Gita—and to the quiet discipline of daily practice. My wife designed and built a small studio in our garden, and that space has become a sanctuary for stillness, study, and growth.
Avila Yoga grew from this experience.
It isn’t about ego, perfection, or performance. It’s about presence. About carrying what happens on the mat into everyday life: being patient, being kind, showing up with awareness.
These practices continue to humble me.
They remind me that we are all works in progress. That even the smallest act—a smile, a kind word, a simple moment of attention—can transform a day.
This is my story. And perhaps, in some small way, it might help you reconnect with yours.
