Here to inspire and support you
The Yoga Transformative Method
Did you know that yoga was traditionally taught in a one-to-one format rather than in groups? At The Yoga Transformative, we believe that there is something special about private yoga classes.
We’re proud to say The Yoga Transformative is the only private yoga studio in Scotland, and we’re not stopping there.
As a private yoga studio, our mission is simple. We’re here to change the way yoga is taught, and we want more people to be able to learn yoga in a way that suits their bodies and their lives.
We connect with our students so that we can support you to make step changes on your mat and in your lives.
Our Studio Team
We may be biased, but we’re pretty sure we’re the Dream Team!
I was infatuated with the concept of evolution from a really young age. I fell in love with the dynamic nature of the world. I realised early nothing is static; transformation is always possible, whether it takes one chance event or several millennia! Change doesn’t have to be positive, but it will always teach us the lesson that we need the most – if we’re ready to listen.
Although I ‘dabbled’ in yoga on and off for years, it wasn’t until 2012 when, crippled by mental health difficulties, I really discovered yoga. When I (reluctantly) stepped onto my mat I realised that something had to change. I discovered a regular yoga practice could lead the way to health and happiness. That day was pivotal for me, and I have since devoted my time to practicing yoga and living in alignment with my intuition. Yoga was, and forever continues to be, my most significant form of self care.
Within a few years I left my science life with a BSc, Masters and a decade-long career in genetics research under my belt. More significantly, I had also completed my first yoga teacher training and coaching courses. I realised that the term evolution doesn’t have to just be reserved for genetic variations and natural selection. As individuals, we can all change our own lives and experiences, through evolving our perceptions, beliefs and actions. Done with the traditional sense of evolution, I was ready to help others transform their lives too.
And that is exactly what I do. I work with incredible people like you on a 1-1 basis, blending Eastern and Western practices like yoga, meditation, high-level coaching and spiritual development to help you transform. I’m here to change your life and your relationship with it.
Are you ready to take the next step?
I am an experienced certified Yoga teacher, with an extensive background in various dance styles having run a successful dance studio for 15 years. After years of dancing and teaching dance, I fell in love with the therapeutic powers of Yoga and the supportive and non-competitive ways in which it can help any body, on any level.
Over the years, I have held classes, workshops, retreats and trainings in a range of styles including Restorative Yoga, Pregnancy & postnatal recovery, Yoga for Absolute Beginners and Vinyasa Flow. I hold specialist certifications in Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga, Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and in Yoga for Menopause, and I especially enjoy sharing these therapeutic approaches in tailored private sessions to meet clients’ specific needs.
I keep my teaching fresh and inspired through ongoing professional development and trainings with world-renowned teachers such as Donna Farhi, Sadie Nardini, Seane Corn, Gary Carter, Petra Coveney and Carrie Owerko. I really enjoy combining functional movement with traditional yoga asanas to create inspiring, safe, unique and deeply therapeutic practice.
I am the proud founder of Pay It Forward Scotland and, with a group of wonderful yogis, we organise events and donation-based classes to support and raise funds for local charities. I taught Yoga at Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Unit at the Western General Hospital,and continue to support cancer survivors with 1-2-1 classes. I also taught Restorative Yoga to cancer patients at Maggie's Centre Edinburgh for 3 years, as well as a Women-only Yoga class at Edinburgh Women's Aid for women at risk of domestic abuse.
I passionately believe that everyone can explore a yoga practice safely. I believe in customising poses to bodies using props, a solid understanding of the anatomy and alignment for each pose and a little creativity! All you need to is to come exactly as you are. Use what you have today. And do what you can.
I started practicing yoga almost ten years ago to help manage the ongoing back issues I have had since my early twenties. Most of all, yoga gave me some time-out and relief from everything that was going on in my life. A place to just be me. My yoga practice became my happy place; my safe space when everything else was chaotic where I could always find peace. Since then - through injuries, illness and life changes this peaceful, meditative quality was what kept me coming back. It has helped me transform not just my body but also my mental health and my capacity for compassion, resilience and joy.
That is why I believe in balancing respect for the yoga traditions with the latest understanding of neuroscience and anatomy. With understanding the context in which it was created and how we might need to adapt that to our times and our bodies. I have been using my practice to help me to successfully manage and reduce chronic pain for more than ten years and am fascinated with why it works. It has helped me to appreciate the wonder of my body and the amazing things it can do; with sustained, joyful effort over time, I can do things I never dreamed would be possible. It has also helped me to find some calm and some clarity in the chaos of modern life.
I love to share this practice and its transformative power. Whether Ashtanga (my first yoga love and my personal daily practice), vinyasa flow (as I have spent years sequencing and modifying for injuries including a herniated disc) or the breathing practices of pranayama or restorative yoga; there is something that can work for where you are right now.
I began practicing many years ago in Edinburgh and from my first beginners course I knew it sparked something special. At the time I worked full time in the financial sector and was balancing this with lots of fitness training/teaching. I loved to run and also taught many forms of group exercise at weekends and in the evenings. Over the years I dipped in and out of yoga and started to explore not only ashtanga yoga but also experimented with other traditions such as, hatha, Iyenger and as more and more Vinyasa styles started to emerge I played around with variations. Gradually over the years I started to phase out my running/fitness activities as I craved heading to the yoga studio in the early hours of the morning to practice. Looking back it was a natural phase out to make more time for my yoga practice.
Fast forward to 2021, I have completed various trainings and continued to practice with Senior teachers annually. I continue to teach full time around Edinburgh and I am a Senior teacher with Yoga Alliance UK, having taught now for over 12 years. I love my job and the yoga community where I have the privilege to work and practice.
My aim and intention in my teachings is to make this practice accessible to all. To welcome and teach yoga in a safe and comfortable space. I truly believe that every ‘body’ can practice yoga and experience the benefits of asana, pranayama and mediation. In my classes, workshops and trainings I try my best to encourage students to try variations of postures and find an option which allows them to experience yoga in way that works for their body.
I use my daily yoga practice to set me up for my day of teaching and family life. My personal practice gives me the tools and enthusiasm to share the practice with kindness and empathy.
My areas of interest:
Vinyasa Flow, from gentle to more power styles.
Ashtanga Yoga
Restorative Yoga
Breathwork/pranayama
Postnatal
Senior Yoga/Chair Yoga
Injury Recovery
Having a background in contemporary dance, I have always been attracted to various forms of movement. I dabbled in different styles of yoga in studios and online and with time came to realise that yoga was my favourite form of exercise and self-care—something I could never get enough of! I appreciate the practice for being an opportunity to switch off thinking and striving to achieve (something that’s an inherent part of my 9-5 as an academic researcher) and take a moment to breathe and remember that change takes time.
I’m a qualified vinyasa and yin teacher who loves surprising her students with creative transitions and introducing them to new poses. My classes are challenging, yet inclusive, as I aim to create a space where you can feel supported as you explore the limits of your practice and take small steps outside of your comfort zone. My teaching emphasises breath as integral in yoga and invites students to appreciate the tradition and science behind how we breathe in our practice and off the mat. In our sessions, you'll often hear me remind you to focus on the functional aspects of asanas (where do you feel it?) and forget about the aesthetics (does it look pretty?).
I’m also a fan of the outdoors and a dog lover, so please make sure to say hello if you see me outside the studio hiking up Arthur’s Seat with my pup, Shiver.
My areas of interest:
Vinyasa (slow and dynamic, gentle and strong)
Mandala
Skills (e.g. arm balances, inversions)
Yin Yoga
Restorative Yoga
Pranayama and the science of breath
Aoife Kane is a 23 year old final year Degree student at Performing Arts Studio Scotland. During her studies, she qualified as a Pilates Instructor with A&A Pilates and currently teaches Pilates online. Aoife has recently completed her 200hr Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) with My Vinyasa Yoga Practice and is excited to start teaching yoga with The Yoga Transformative. She believes that yoga is the relationship between the mind, body and breath and allows the creation of deep connections within yourself to help you live your life free from obstacles. Aoife believes that yoga gives you the space and time you need to make movement fun for you, every day of your life.
One of Aoife’s biggest passions is correct alignment both physically and mentally. She believes that creating links between the mind and body with correct alignment can benefit your everyday life in the smallest but most effective ways. Incorporating her knowledge of dance and Pilates, her yoga classes create a practice focused on strengthening, elongating and aligning the body. She is a firm believer that movement creates movement and hopes to inspire that in others.