In your words, what is yoga?

Laughing at yourself when you accidentally fart in public.
Noticing a bug has fallen into a swimming pool and then scooping him out, before it's too late.
Spending more money on healthy food than shoes.
Moving your body a little everyday in strange ways.
Doing a happy dance because it's Monday morning and you're happy to be alive.

What teachers/teachings have impacted you the most? 

I've just read 10% Happier by Dan Harris and I loved it. Dan Harris travelled to war zones to report on the news and when he returned he developed a drug addiction to give him the same adrenaline high. After a very public melt down live on air he begins his quest to sort out his life and arrives with something he feels finally works, Buddhism and meditation. 

One of the biggest turning points in my life was doing the Buddhist meditation course, Vipassana. I found it difficult and uncomfortable too, but also effective! For me to really believe in something I have to find it helps me in some way. So the practice made perfect sense. However, I did this course a long time ago so forgot some of the subtle lessons that can make day to day living easier. That’s why I loved reading Dan’s book. It helped me relive all those great little insights that help me manage the dumbass that lives in my head.

I also enjoyed this book because Dan is just a normal person and doesn't write in fluffy language that makes claims such as, ‘this will change your life’. It’s just a very practical, ’10% happier’. Dan Harris himself wasn’t a teacher who impacted me ‘the most’, but without him I wouldn’t have remembered the teachings that did. 

What inspires your teaching?

I often look outside the realms of yoga for inspiration for my classes. I used to practice capoeira so the training that we did there often creeps into my sessions. I also go to the gym and often eye ball the body weight exercises people do as possible new drills and sequins inspiration. And as a trained Physiotherapist it’s fun adding in cool biomechanics, anatomy and physiology info-bites.

Celest is a trained dancer and martial artist with a BS in Physiotherapy, and over 10 years yoga practice. Celest completed her Yoga Teacher Training in India in 2009 and has been teaching full time since then. Celest's greatest passion is to teach Vinyasa Flow Yoga. She has classes in top yoga centers in London, such as Triyoga and Evolve and regularly takes groups to exotic locations for yoga retreats. 

Click here to take one of Celest's YogaDownload classes!