Helen Noakes
My first taste of yoga was in 1993 in Melbourne, Australia where I was introduced to the teachings of Iyengar.
My whole being was catapulted into a new world when I had the good fortune to train with Gary Carter in 2002. Discovering Yoga in the spirit of Vanda Scaravelli offered me firm grounding and gave me the courage to guide others. This changed everything along with the experience of live dissection with Julian Baker and Gary at Functional Anatomy.
I have also been privileged to study with my teacher and mentor Elizabeth Pauntz, and attended seminars with great souls such as Sandra Sabatini, Diane Long, John Stirk, Monica Voss, Sophie Hoare, Joanne Avison and for the past few years have enjoyed retreats with Angela Farmer and Victor. Malcom Manning and his teachings in Feldenkrais have also given me huge inspiration.
This has helped me get closer to the direct teaching of Vanda Scaravelli and guided me into the magic of my own physiology. I am also directly inspired by Gabrielle Roth’s 5Rhythms dance, Jo Cobbett, and Elena Tonetti’s Birth Into Being.
a little video about how I teach
https://www.ekhartyoga.com/articles/practice/what-is-scaravelli-inspired-yoga
My website with a retreat and massage course:.
Helen Noakes, tell us..........
1. How do you like to start your day?​
I normally wake up with a foot and ankle mobilisation sequence in bed called the running man/woman. It helps to keep my joints juicy. Then I stand outside on my balcony and breathe in the ocean and the birds singing. Love to jump into the ocean for a swim and enjoy the rays of the sun creating prisms of light in the seascape.​
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2. Top tip on including self care into your day?​
In the morning during my bathroom routine I LOVE to enjoy a facial massage including a focus on releasing the sinus points on the face. It's heavenly to then massage Vitamin E oil with coconut oil, or olive oil into the skin on my face with the help from my friend, the jade roller.
3. Who is one of your key inspirations and why?​
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Like Dot I appreciate Charles Eisenstein and Zach Bush who have both been a huge inspiration and support, along with Dr Jacqueline Hobbs whose message is to embody more love on this planet.
Here is a podcast with Zach and Charles which has recently touched me as its focus is how we are changing our perspectives around the birth of our children.
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4. Name a yoga pose that you love and why?
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Downward facing Dog! It's the big revealer and for me the foundation for release anywhere in the body. It's multi-dimensional as it contains inversion, flexion and extension, and you can bring in rotation, and waves in the spine and it can be modified in many ways. It shows me where I need to release, how to listen and gives me a pathway into my feelings. Genius pose, LOVE IT.
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