Meet the Team
Jax Vessey
Jax is the founder of the Lotus Loft teaching Hatha Yoga and Body Method Classes. She has been teaching in Exeter since 2002 and gained her Teaching Diploma with the British Wheel of Yoga in 2008. She began her yoga journey in her teens and even at that age noticed not only the physical benefits of the practice but also the amazing sense of calm and space it provided. After moving around the UK she discovered Yoga again and attended Hatha, Ashtanga Vinyasa and Sivananda classes as often as possible. I was hooked! The effects were even more noticeable in adult life providing her with an increased of energy, focus and contentment, something I want to share with everyone. Her classes offer a range of held and dynamic postures and are suitable for all levels, encouraging a smooth flowing breath to co-ordinate movements and postures which will centre, improve vitality and increase mental clarity. Students will notice the benefits of this practice almost immediately, a direct result of stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system which reduces the heart rate, lessens muscle tension and brain activity, creating a wonderful sense of peace which is vital in our busy Western lives. Jax also teaches Body Method classes which are a combination of three disciplines; Callanetics, Pilates and Yoga designed to improve posture and core strength, isolating, strengthening then lengthening different muscle groups to help achieve a toned, firm body. These are friendly classes and a perfect introduction to the physical aspect of Yoga and suitable for all abilities and experience, even those who have had no experience of similar disciplines before and a little nervous of starting something new. The aim is for the student to become the observer finding balance between ease and effort. You can book a class via her online booking system, https://www.yogawithjax.co.uk/ or for further information email yogawithjax@gmail.com or call/Whatsapp 07989 409284
Nikki Cassap
Nikki teaches Wake Up Vinyasa on Saturday mornings and provides Yoga Teacher Training Courses a the Loft. Nikki discovered her love of yoga in 2001 and has been practising ever since. Her journey started in Ashtanga yoga, then lots of pregnancy and restorative yoga whilst having 4 children and a break from more physically challenging practise. A few years ago she came across Jivamucti Yoga where she discovered a natural love for chanting. Always keeping her practise separate from her work of group exercise and fitness classes she decided to bring the two together in 2009 and so completed a 2 year yoga diploma to take her yoga teaching and practise full-time. Teaching fitness classes in studios at gyms, Nikki noticed that many participants needed to stretch more and by taking time to stretch properly they would have a greater sense of well-being, so her yoga classes started with the idea to promote a flexible body to athletes and fitness participants. From here practise grew, delving more into the spiritual side of yoga and chanting became a keen focus in her classes. Nikki now teaches not only physical practise but chanting and breathe work to awaken the whole body’s energy. You can expect her vinyasa flow class to be a strong yet fun, awakening practise, with chanting to cleanse the spirit and asana to inspire positive change. “Yoga brings balance and calm every time I practise and for the simple love of yoga I teach to inspire this in others”. Contact Nikki on 07733 226277 or email nikkid77uk@yahoo.co.uk
Jenny Hulin
Jenny teaches term time Iyengar Courses on Friday mornings at the Lotus Loft. She has been practicing yoga for over thirty years and has been teaching Iyengar yoga for the last thirteen years. She studied in India in the 1980s and has been involved in complimentary therapies for many years and is also a reflexology practitioner. Jenny is a member of the Iyengar Yoga Association (IYA) and regularly attends workshops with senior Iyengar teachers, As well as running Spanish and Greek yoga holidays Jenny runs regular yoga classes in Sidmouth and Exeter in Devon, she brings a wealth of knowledge to her classes and is known for her friendly, caring and cheerful approach to teaching. Contact Jenny on 01395 519628 or email jennyhulin1@gmail.com
Richard Eraut
Richard teaches Hatha Yoga and Fusion Pilates on Mondays at the Lotus Loft. Movement has always played a key role in his life. Having spent years training as an ice skater and dabbling in martial arts, later his work as an artist saw him working closely with dancers and he started to explore the benefits of calisthenics. When he discovered yoga, all the pieces fell into place. His journey started with Hatha yoga classes at the Lotus Loft and continued with teacher training at the Devon School of Yoga. From there, he continued his studies with Performance Training Academy to qualify as a Pilates teacher. He has a keen interest in biomechanics, always looking to deepen his understanding of how our bodies work. Driven by a passion for movement, his goal is to help people of all abilities to feel good in their bodies, move more freely and enjoy the journey. While he always aims to make yoga accessible to absolute beginners, he also offers more challenging variations for those with a strong established practice. His classes have a mix of held postures and flowing sequences, with the breath forming a thread linking the poses throughout the practice. Always starting in mindful stillness, we build to stronger and more challenging postures, before gradually returning to that place of stillness and calm. Pilates Fusion classes are built on a foundation of traditional Pilates, but given a modern twist, occasionally borrowing from yoga, physiotherapy and other systems of movement. Richard offers modifications to many of the exercises to make the classes accessible to everyone, but with plenty to challenge those looking to work a little harder, often using equipment like resistance bands and small Pilates balls to make the exercises more targeted and effective. The emphasis is always on keeping things relaxed and fun, simply getting people moving, whatever their current level of ability. Contact Richard on 07968 444730 or r.eraut27@gmail.com
Duncan Hulin
Duncan is the principal teacher, founder and director of the Devon School of Yoga and teaches Holistic Yoga at the Lotus Loft. He is a practising yoga teacher/therapist, Shiatsu practitioner and is also qualified in Ayurvedic Foot Pressure (Chvutty Thirumal) massage. Duncan healed himself of asthma using yoga therapy and has practised yoga for thirty nine years and taught yoga for thirty three years. In the early eighties he spent three consecutive winters in South India studying with the late Dr. B.P. Pillai, former director of the Government of India recognised Yoga Therapy Foundation, Trivandrum, Kerala. Duncan brings a wealth of experience to his holistic Yoga Teaching and Courses. He has worked with teenage students with learning difficulties and has led practical stress management programmes in schools. He also teaches several weekly classes, including for major corporations. Duncan’s classes follow a traditional authentic approach coming from an holistic, eclectic base incorporating preliminary exercises, breathing kriyas, asana, pranayama, meditation and philosphy. The Devon School of Yoga offers foundation and teacher training courses, day workshops and weekend residential retreats plus post-graduate yoga therapy training for yoga teachers. For details about Duncan’s classes and the Devon School of Yoga’s comprehensive programme please visit Devon School of Yoga website or email info@devonyoga.com Alternatively you can call 01392 420573
Lisa Roberts
Lisa teaches Power Flow and Restorative Yoga on Wednesday evenings. She is also the co-founder of the Estuary Clinic in Topsham. I began practising yoga when i was 17 and couldnt believe how hard it was! My body was quite literally shaking in all the poses and i found it hard to breathe at the same time....however i then over time began to experience a great sense of calm and peace that i never knew existed. The practices of yoga have taught me to listen to my body and ultimately made me a much happier person. After studying a degree in development i moved to Cornwall and to my good fortune...Anusara teacher Bridget Woods-Kramer opened a yoga studio round the corner from where i worked. I have since enjoyed many years studying with Bridget and other great teachers such as Doug Keller, Sianna Sherman, John Friend, Jayendra Hanley and Jim and Ruthie Bernhart. I am passionate about what the practices of yoga can offer us all not just physically but emotionally and spiritually in our busy and often frantic lives. I am an Anusara-Inspired yoga teacher and teach regular classes and workshops here at the Lotus Loft. Anusara Yoga is a practice that integrates detailed alignment principles with heart orientated philosophy. Anusara means “flowing with grace,” “to be in the flow,” “follow your heart.” We are reminded to be open hearted and to look at what ever arises with freshness and freedom.' Lisa is also a fully qualified and experienced acupuncturist practising at Estuary Clinic in Topsham estuaryclinic.co.uk. Contact Lisa on 07979 372041 or email lisarobertsyoga@gmail.com
Libby Deacon
Libby is a clinical physiotherapist by day and combines her extensive knowledge of physiology and anatomy with her passion for Pilates in her term time courses on Wednesdays. Contact Libby to book or for further information. 07855 376889 libbydeacon@hotmail.co.uk
Tamsin Evans
Tamsin teaches Pregnancy Yoga on Tuesday afternoons at the Lotus Loft. She was first introduced to yoga as a child by her mother, a long-time yogi. Her own practice has evolved over the years through the Vini, Ashtanga and Vinyasa traditions. As a dancer, she was initially drawn to the physical element of yoga, and through this began to discover its deeper ability to balance and heal. After yoga helped her through a particularly difficult period in her life she decided to train as a teacher, and qualified in 2012 in Cape Town, South Africa (Yoga Alliance, 200hr, E-RYT). In 2012 she set up her own small studio in Freetown, Sierra Leone, running classes, 1-1s and retreats, and teaching at trainings and conferences. She further qualified in Pregnancy Yoga, Baby Yoga and Baby Massage, and Yoga for Children with special needs. In 2016, she graduated as a Yoga Therapist (Diploma, Yoga Campus, 350hr+) and is a registered Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council practitioner. Tamsin’s passion for yoga lies in its ability to balance and integrate the body and mind, helping to ease tensions and build physical and emotional flexibility and strength. She is interested in how yoga can bring us into a deeper and healthier relationship with ourselves. Her teaching style is creative and nurturing, and explores how yoga can support us to witness mindfully where we are on each day, emotionally and physically, and how to work with that with patience, acceptance and kindness. She is passionate about working with yoga in the field of mental health, addressing conditions such as anxiety, depression, stress and trauma. In Sierra Leone she taught patients and staff at the country’s only psychiatric hospital, and community support groups for those mental health issues and their carers. She co-wrote a self-care manual for the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone. She also worked as International Advisor and Trainer for Yoga Strength, a community-based yoga organisation which works with disadvantaged communities in Sierra Leone. Their out-reach work involved teaching classes for former child-soldiers, gang members, unemployed youth and slum-communities. Contact Tamsin on 07749 548411 or email tamsinlucyevans@gmail.com
Jules Yount
Jules teaches a variety of classes, Vinyasa Flow Yoga, Gentle Yoga and she co teaches AcroYoga with Dale Partridge. Jules offers beautiful, flowing yoga classes to sooth, revive and strengthen the body while quieting and calming the mind. Each practice is an invitation to connect deeply to the flow of your breath while encouraging greater self-awareness and well-being. She has taught yoga for over 12 years and also offers fun, playful and dynamic beginner and intermediate acroyoga classes and workshops with co-teacher Dale Partridge. Acroyoga is a blending together of the wisdom of yoga, the dynamic power of acrobatics and loving kindness of Thai Yoga Massage. For more information about Jules, please visit her website www.yogawithjules.co.uk Contact Jules on 07446-968994 or yogawithjules@hotmail.co.uk
Natasha Gerolimatos
Natasha teaches Vinyasa Flow on Sunday evenings at the Lotus Loft. Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, she first discovered yoga many years ago during a busy semester at University. she was initially drawn to the physical practice, but very quickly I discovered a deep sense of peace and freedom that she had never experienced before. She continued to practice as a student for many years, before completing her Yoga Alliance 200 hour teaching training in Vancouver in 2012. From there, she continued to explore and deepen her practice by further studying vinyasa flow, prenatal and kundalini yoga. She has had the privilege to study with many inspiring teachers globally, including Gloria Latham, Seane Corn, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa and Shiva Rea. Prior to training as a yoga teacher, she completed a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology. She has worked for many years as a counsellor in various different community settings. She loves teaching yoga alongside this work and it is truly a passion that continues to grow! She made the move to Devon in 2014 and she thoroughly enjoys continuing to grow as both a student and teacher in this new community. She is so grateful to be on this journey and it is an honour to be able to share this practice with others. Her teachers taught her to always teach from the heart and to teach what she loves - and that is a dynamic, mindful, flowing practice. She encourages students to really tune in to their bodies and to use the breath as a tool to stay present and to create space in the body and mind. She loves to use music, creative sequencing and to incorporate various different styles of yoga into her classes (ie. vinyasa/kundalini fusion). She encourages students to cultivate a balance between strength and softness, with the primary focus on staying present, honouring the body, and finding freedom through breath and movement. She believes that yoga should be accessible to everyone and her aim is to create a safe, supportive and nurturing space for students to come together to explore, connect, heal and grow. Contact Natasha on 07741 470052 or email natashayuleyoga@gmail.com
Roberta Hutchins
Roberta teaches Somatic Gentle Yoga on Wednesday mornings at the Lotus Loft. She has been working in the field of holistic healthcare since 1997 when she began her career as a Research Assistant at the Centre for Complementary Health Studies at Exeter University. Roberta’s introduction to holistic healthcare was an evening course in Reflexology which inspired her to train professionally as a Reflexologist in 1996 on an ITEC course in Precision Reflexology. This was followed by studying Herbal Medicine at University. Having gained a first class honours degree in Herbal Medicine (Phytotherapy) from Middlesex University she subsequently completed 500 hours of clinical training with the College of Phytotherapy. Roberta has been practising as a Medical Herbalist (Herbal Practitioner) in Devon since 2006.Recognising that people suffering from anxiety, depression, and many health problems related to stress were forming the backbone of her practice, she decided to train in a form of very effective Counselling & Psychotherapy. Roberta has found that it is often the case that resolving life difficulties, getting needs met and focusing on psychological well-being are the keys to getting back on track with life and feeling well again. Roberta found the Human Givens approach to be a really effective way to do this and started her Human Givens training in 2009, completing her diploma with Distinction. Throughout life Roberta has found Yoga to be of great benefit personally and she went on to start her first Yoga Teacher Training course in 2010. Passionate about Yoga and extending her knowledge and experience she has studied with top teachers worldwide – qualifying additionally as a Somatic Exercise Coach, Pre- and Post-natal Yoga Teacher and iRest Yoga Nidra teacher.Roberta’s first experience of Voice Dialogue was over 20 years ago. Having regular sessions over the years and finding the process enormously helpful in getting to know herself and dealing with some sticky life situations, she decided to embark on a 3 year professional training in Voice Dialogue so she could share this with others – both existing clients and people looking for Voice Dialogue alone. Contact Roberta on 07747 030629 or email roberta@bewelldevon.co.uk or visit www.bewelldevon.co.uk
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Saghar Amozgar
Saghar Nasrien Amozgar teaches Sivananda Yoga on Monday mornings. Saghar is Persian and in 2000, she moved to the UK after completing eight years of study in India. During her time in India, she studied Psychology and became interested in Yoga, Meditation, and Traditional Ayurvedic Massage. She was fortunate enough to study in Pune City, near the Iyengar ashram, which helped her to further her understanding of Yoga. Later, in 2004, she received her certification from the Sivananda Yoga Centre in Kerala, India, and since then, she has been teaching yoga classes for various communities, including Muslim women's community centres, children, and open classes for all. In 2004, she founded the Ayurvedic Yoga Association, where I provide treatments, Yoga classes, workshops, Training courses and well-being coaching based on Ayurvedic principles. Her passion is to share her experiences and insights gained over the years of bodywork through her therapeutic work with individuals by organizing regular workshops and training courses for practitioners to spread this ancient technique globally. She is a qualified yoga teacher, Ayurvedic yoga massage and well-being coach. For more info please contact saghar_amozgar@hotmail.com www.ayurvedicyogamassage.org.uk