Anna Ashby is a full-time yoga teacher, delivering many classes at various levels in London at the triyoga™ studios in Camden, Soho and Chelsea as well as near her home in Leicestershire. It was great to catch up with her over a cup of tea after a class at triyoga™ Camden and delve a little deeper into all things Anna Ashby.
Anna the Dancer
Anna holds a BA(Hons) in Modern Dance which she gained from Mills College in California in 1991. Anna’s yoga practice and teaching style have been influenced by her study of dance. Whist she values precise instruction, healthy alignment and intelligent sequencing, she combines these with an appreciation for flowing artful movement.
So Anna, how has your background in dance affected your yoga practice?
As a dancer, I was used to movement being all about performance. It was all about how you looked. I would force my body to do what I wanted it to do. In yoga, the body works in a different way and it was a big unlearning for me. Having been a dancer and choreographer, I still love playing with movement. I practice yoga in some way every single day, but I’m pretty flexible about what that means. After all, where does yoga stop? It’s part of everyday life and every thought process and every movement. I find a personal freedom of expression in movement that combines yoga and dance in a very special way.
Anna the Yogi
Anna has been studying and practising yoga for over 20 years. Her practice started as a dedicated meditation practice which developed into in-depth training with established, classical yoga systems when living in an ashram in upstate New York for 12 years.
So Anna, you’ve said that learning yoga is learning to be human. What do you mean by this?
I grew up in a very conservative environment in Texas and then moved to University in California, San Francisco to be precise where there were no boundaries really, no boundaries at all. I discovered meditation at that time and it gave me the tools to discover and express the essence of things. Structure to life. Meaning. Values. I felt like I was waking up to the experience of being fully alive and connected. That expanded awareness has been the foundation of my life since then.
And what do you miss from your years in an ashram?
My teacher, definitely my teacher. In every other way, I was ready to move on and to work out how to put into practice in the real world all I had learnt in the ashram. I was ready to find my own way. But in all my time there, I didn’t question, I just followed. I had complete trust in my teacher. She’s still my main teacher but I miss her physical presence in my life. The last thing she said when I left was ‘Stay connected.’ I hear those words in my life every single day.
Anna the Teacher
Anna is now recognised as one of London’s leading yoga teachers. She’s registered with Yoga Alliance USA as an Experienced Yoga Teacher (E-RYT-500) and as a Senior Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance UK, whose accreditation demonstrates the highest standard of excellence for Yoga teachers in the UK. She is a founder and senior faculty member of the triyoga™ teacher training programme, one of the most comprehensive and rigorous training programmes in Europe.
So Anna, how does it feel to be considered one of London’s top yoga teachers?
I don’t ever think that way, I really don’t. I know all too well how human I am. I allow myself to be human and not ever fall into imagining I am on any kind of pedestal. That’s a dangerous place for any yoga teacher to find themselves. Put simply, I’m here to serve the yoga, that’s all. So yes, when I’m teaching, in every class, I take the seat of the teacher. I have a responsibility to my students to teach them well. I have a role to play. I believe in delivering consistency of learning and correct alignment every time. I love teaching. I love articulating the integrity of the practice, communicating the language and the history and the philosophy.
And how does your teaching help you to keep learning and keep developing?
I’m fascinated by the role of the modern yoga teacher. It’s such a huge responsibility. Here at triyoga™, we’ve been working on a new 500 hour teacher training and it’s so stimulating and exciting. Including input from academia about the history of yoga and a psychotherapist about the student/teacher relationship. I’m learning all the time along the way.
Anna the Human
In addition to all her scheduled classes, Anna regularly teaches workshops, yoga courses, yoga retreats, yoga holidays and meditation workshops throughout the year.
So Anna, with such a busy schedule, how do you maintain a good balance in your own life?
To be honest, it’s not easy. I tend to want to say yes to everything and do too much. I’m looking at my schedule now and trying to make it more manageable. Teaching in London and in Leicestershire is tricky to manage, but this is my community here and I’ve been teaching ever since I came to the UK and I feel a real sense of commitment. I plan to get a good week off every quarter – a week completely away from it all to restore and refresh myself.
Anna the Voice
Anna is an important part of the triyoga™ team. She’s been teaching yoga in London for the last eight years.
So Anna, why is triyoga™ a good fit for you?
There’s a stability that comes from a structure that’s built on large numbers. The centres can offer such a variety of practices. Triyoga™ can provide a great platform for visiting international teachers. This is a really fragile time, a time where individuals need love and connection. I have a core of students who come to class regularly and we’re building a solid and steady relationship. That’s so important at a time when so much is changing so fast.
Talking of change, you must have seen some changes in the yoga world…
There’s been an explosion of interest in yoga, but this has been more physically driven, I think. For many, the shape is the goal. There’s a lack of articulation about the truths behind yoga which can lead to a trivialisation, but actually, yoga is now so accessible and the poses can be seen as the doorway and some will walk through that doorway into something deeper. That is surely a good thing.
We need to talk to Anna again. We need to go deeper. You get the feeling there is so much more to discover about Anna Ashby. This amazing woman lives and breathes her yoga in a strikingly authentic way. There’s a fascinating integrity about her. She’s on a lifelong journey – an honest, real life, soul-searching journey. And we would love to know more.
[…] in something new and exciting. To remind yourself of where Anna was at a year ago, have a read of ‘Anna Ashby – yogi, dancer, teacher and human’. When we heard about the new projects at triyoga that Anna Ashby’s involved with, we […]