Mariza

I grew up with yoga. I remember laughing at the sound of Om, loving cat pose, and sensing—even at eight years old—that yoga was something that brought people together.

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As a teenager, I kept returning to the mat. I loved the feeling of breath moving through my body and the way simple movements could create lasting change.

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In my twenties, I explored every hybrid imaginable: yogaerobics, yoga bootcamp—you name it. I still remember a class, just before I left for India, when I discovered Mula Bandha for the first time… and my pelvic floor ached for days! I went home and said to my mum, “Maybe I’ll teach yoga.”

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A chance meeting on an extended trip to India, led me to a yoga retreat in Nepal. Five days immersed in Kriya Yoga, twice‑daily practice, and ashram life opened something deep in me. I realised, with absolute clarity, that yoga wasn’t just part of my life… it was my life. And maybe, just maybe, I really could teach.

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Back in London, I stepped onto the carousel of big studio classes, corporate gigs, and the privilege of teaching countless private clients. Over six years and 1000s of yoga classes, I learned my craft: how to read a body, how to truly listen, how to bring out the best in people (and navigate the occasional worst!). I made unforgettable connections and absorbed everything I could about movement, breath and the human experience.

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And then came Chamonix—my dream home. The mountains, the sunshine, the community… and eventually, Yoga Teacher Training. What began as my wildest dream became my reality. From two people learning in my home, Teacher Training grew into multiple groups each year and now over 300 wonderful women (and three men!) have graduated the programme since 2014.

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Yoga has always called me forward. It has demanded I become the very best version of myself. It has pushed me to grow and learn and stumble and fall and pick myself back up again and keep trying a different way. 

Every chapter of my journey has deepened my belief in yoga's power to connect, transform, and guide us back to our wonderful selves.

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