About Fiona

fiona macleod yoga teacher, fiona macleod, yoga teacher, somatic movement therapy, somatic movement, somatic yoga, yoga therapy

“The body’s language is subtle, but it is the language of our being. Learning to listen to it can lead to profound transformation."

Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen

fiona macleod, yoga teacher, somatic movement, somatic yoga, yoga therapy, fiona, fiona macleod somatic movement therapy, somatic movement therapy,

The connection of breath with movement is transformative, and something I have grown to treasure. Yoga is a practice that has seen me through the best of times and the worst of times. I have been practicing for 25 years, teaching for 15, and been fortunate to connect with so many wonderful people from all over the world through yoga. I feel very lucky to be able to share the practices I have collected over the years.

Group of yoga retreat guests sitting in a circle on yoga mats having a discussion at the closing of the week. Guests were sharing their insights and learning on the retreat, and therapeutic yoga sessions.

My own practice is an inquiry, and I try to encourage this approach in classes. Guiding people through their body with curiosity and an open mind. Like my own practice, the classes I teach are breath led and slow in pace, focusing on the space, stillness and sensations within our body.

Yoga is the meeting of the body and the breath, a dance with the rhythm of life itself." – Vanda Scaravelli

Group of women practicing outdoor yoga or mindfulness on a sunny day, surrounded by trees and natural light. They appear focused and engaged.

I am currently completing a Graduate Certificate in Yoga Therapy, and studying a somatic nervous system regulation method, Embodied Processing. I completed a 500hr YTT at Byron Yoga Centre in 2009.

For 10 years I helped to set up, and manage an off-grid eco friendly retreat centre in the heart of Portugal, where we hosted many beautiful teachers and guests. We raised small children in a picturesque little valley, grew mountains of organic vegetables, and harvested litres of organic olive oil each year.

Over the years I have been lucky to study with teachers like Randall O’Leary (Swara Yoga), Uma Dinsmore-Tuli (Yoga Nidra Network, Womb Yoga), David Life and Sharon Gannon (Jivamukti), and Muz Murray (Author, teacher of mantra and vedic philosophy.

I have been influenced by teachers like Sally Kempton and Donna Farhi. I solidified my beginning years of practice at the Iyengar Institute in Maida Vale, London, and the North London Buddhist Center. More recently I have been deeply immersed in the somatic movement practices and knowledge of Bonnie Bainbridge-Cohen (Body Mind Centering).

Testimonials

  • Fiona MacLeod is a lovely teacher. Her voice is soothing, her demeanour is calm and nonjudgmental, and her yoga classes are challenging yet gentle enough that I'm not in a fever sweat after each session.

    Annie Zhu - Toronto

  • Fiona is one of the kindest people I know, her yoga classes and especially yoga nidras are deeply restful and I believe her knowledge & energy is beneficial to everyone.

    Lisa-Marie Seiter - Berlin

  • Fiona provides a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere from the off and her yoga classes are intuitive and insightful.

    Kate Price UK

  • Fiona is a remarkably experienced and informed, yet humble, teacher. I was clued into how passionate and well-educated she is through casual conversation after class, in which we would ramble over a wide range of topics. She would bring up this branch of yoga, or that immersive workshop she participated in. To talk with Fiona is to realize just how little you know about yoga, to take a look through a peephole revealing just part of yoga’s breadth and depth. I sensed a kindred spirit in her curiosity and intelligence, her grounding in research and science.

    Alden Wicker - NYC

    www.ecocult.com

  • Having practiced yoga for over 20 years and working as a teacher for ten, Fiona’s breath led practices incorporate vinyasa, asana and nidra yoga, creating a transformative trifecta. Wrapped in her warm guidance, we were taught to focus on alignment and release while honouring our limits; allowing us to abandon the ‘push it’ yoga many city-bound studios bolster, and gifting us with tools which would guide us to our goals with conscious care. Fiona is deeply rooted, sharing a sense of solidity and strength.

    Holly Rose - Canada