Fitness and Nutrition Awards 2020

GHP / 2020 Fitness and Nutrition Awards 7 , Excellence Award for Online Yoga and Meditation Classes 2020 Yoga is widely known for having a positive effect on one’s physical health, it may not be as commonly known that yoga has also been shown to help improve mental wellbeing also. One yoga school and its exceptional instructor who really embodies this is Victoria Yoga. We profiled Victoria to discover how she creates what she described as a ‘sacred space’ for her clients, creating the opportunity for them to experience something deeper andmore meaningful. Something that separates Victoria Yoga from its competitors is the fact that it is completely flexible, Victoria informed us that “[We have] an Online Yoga and Meditation Library allowing 24/7 access to yoga and meditation anytime and anywhere.” As you can imagine this has been revolutionary for many especially during the year 2020, where many gyms have been closed. However Victoria Yoga does not stop there, on the Victoria Yoga website you can also find “Live sessions, ‘catch up’ is available for missed sessions, online courses and workshops, FREE Wellbeing Support during the pandemic, FREE Kids Yoga and Private 1 -1 sessions which includes your own private library where you can access recordings of your private sessions to review as many times as you like.” One of the reasons for Victoria’s success in this field is her ability to adapt, not only to the ever- changing world, but to people. Victoria advised us she has worked with people from all walks of life, and aside from this being one of the reasons she enjoys her job so much it has helped her to realise, “Yoga has the ability to integrate and accommodate Oct20429 all experiences and cultures and is able to evolve whilst retaining its essence. This means anyone can practice yoga regardless of age, level of health and fitness, religion or whether you can touch your toes or stand on your head. It’s a truly all-inclusive practise.” As mentioned, Victoria Yoga is not just an exercise studio where people go to burn off the extra slice of cake they had at brunch, it is a complete package that focuses on the mental benefits of yoga as well as the physical ones. This is because the woman at the head of this is someone who understands that keeping a healthy mind and concentrating time and effort into your mental wellbeing is just as important as staying active. Victoria took us back to the beginning of her story with Victoria Yoga. “I suffered a mental and nervous breakdown in my early 20’s. I was at the height of my career as a professional dancer and singer and it was like the rug got pulled out from under me and I found myself in a really dark and frightening place. Yoga was my medicine and after benefiting so much from the practise I knew I wanted to share it with others and so embarked on my teaching journey. My experiences have allowed me to guide from a space of compassion and empathy and I am passionate about helping people to overcome their mental health struggles by incorporating yoga and meditation into their everyday lives. Yoga is an ever-evolving journey and I love being able to use ancient spiritual practises for real world solutions.” With a such a caring an empathetic person at the helm, it is not hard to see why Victoria Yoga is regarded so highly. The latest from Victoria Yoga has been the advance of the online aspect of the business, Victoria advised us “I had been considering developing an online side to my business for a while allowing me to reach out globally to people that may benefit from the work I do. The pandemic certainly accelerated this process and these ideas became a reality.” However as you can imagine for a compassionate person such as Victoria this did come with its apprehensions as Victoria explained “My main concern was creating something that could support peoples emotional and mental wellbeing during the pandemic where there was a lack of physical and in-person community support. I wanted people to have access to a support system 24/7, as well as having real time sessions where people could make contact and feel accounted for.” Clearly Victoria achieved this as she is now looking into continuing this long term due to the positive feedback she has received. What comes next for Victoria Yoga? Well Victoria told us that she will not be resting on her laurels, but instead will be looking to capitalise on her ongoing success by taking on the corporate world. “I am now moving towards supporting businesses by providing bespoke company online Wellness Portals. With rising cases in anxiety, depression and stress-related illness, never has it been so important to look after employee health and wellbeing. I think it is wonderful that employers are considering solutions for wellbeing and that I have the opportunity to help using my areas of expertise.” Company: Victoria Yoga Contact: Victoria Minasi Website: www.victoriayoga.co.uk Best Community Yoga School - Essex