Maureen has been teaching for 14 years and during that time has continued her studies with many teachers most recently training as a yoga therapist with Heather Mason at the Minded Institute . She originally began her Ashtanga and Seasonal yoga teacher training in ‘2008‘ at ‘Chi Yoga School’ and since then gained extensive knowledge and experience of the Ashtanga practice and has continued her studies completing a further 200 hours with one of the world’s leading teachers John Scott.

.Her first experience of therapeutic yoga was training for anxiety , stress and depression that then led to an interest in all aspects of mental and physical health and how dependant one was on the other. Maureen has trained in Outreach Yoga and is keen to reach out to people who may find coming to regular classes a challenge

Maureen teaches a variety of classes from Dynamic Ashtanga to soothing restorative practices incorporating all aspects of yoga to offer holistic healing and nurturing for the mind body and soul.

You will find movement, breath work , chanting and and meditation woven into class with a key emphasis on the student finding their own level of practice.

Maureen Thorpe is a senior 500 RYT and has been teaching at the Yogabarn for 12 years now, during this time she undertook training as a yoga therapist with the Minded Institute, as result there is a therapeutic aspect in all her classes.

You can find Maureen in the quietness of the early morning teaching Ashtanga and also in the evenings. Mindful yoga is a key part of her teachings on Wednesday and Sundays mornings at 0930. Aside from this Maureen teaches on teacher trainings and offers one to one yoga therapy sessions.

Yoga Therapy

Welcome to Wholehearted Yoga a space dedicated to your physical, psychological and spiritual wellbeing. My journey to the creation of this space has been one of life-long learning both from lived experience and my personal path of yoga.

I have been a yoga teacher for fourteen years training initially with CYS in Glasgow as a Hatha Raja Yoga teacher and then  a further 200 hours of Ashtanga training with John Scott. My studies continued  in Ashtanga, Pranayama, meditation, Seasonal, Yin and restorative trainings. Currently I teach all of theses classes and each have their unique qualities for the practitioner. 

My first training in therapeutic yoga was for Anxiety, Depression and Stress with the Minded Institute where for the first time I was introduced to the science of how yoga worked and I was hooked.  This really explained how yoga, breath work and mindfulness can heal on every level of our physical and mental well-being and scientific evidence now backs up what the ancient yogis knew.  

I then trained in Outreach Yoga and then with the Prison Yoga Project to reach wider communities that yoga was not ready available to. I have since then worked within the BME, Refugee and the Womens Support projects communities.

I have recently undertaken pregnancy and postnatal training and have found a passion here supporting women in the most profound period of their lives as a new life grows within them.

I continued formal training as a Yoga Therapist with the Minded Institute. During this I was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer, the studying gave me a sense of meaning and purpose at what can be a bleak time. My final dissertation on Yoga Therapy for breast cancer was both a reflection on my own journey with breast cancer, but also a tribute to the many women including who face this disease on a daily basis. I was also able to use my own yoga skills and teachings to  support my cancer journey and recovery. Life truly is our greatest teacher and I believe this has helped me develop  a deeper wisdom of illness and suffering and how that can be transformational in resetting our lives to have real meaning and purpose. This one life is very precious- lets not waste it.

The in-depth training of 550 classroom hours and many more studying at home, is rigorously assessed in practical sessions, exams and written case studies throughout the course. This includes a wide range of mental health conditions and long term chronic illnesses that affect our physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. 

The role of the therapist is to work holistically with the client supporting their wellbeing and help them rediscover their own vitality and innate wisdom. We do this by applying the practical and philosophical teachings of yoga, mindfulness and self-enquiry. This can be a wonderful opportunity to reclaim time for self-care, to nourish your body and mind, and to let go of habits that may no longer support you.

My aim is to support students on their physical, emotional and spiritual well being journey to help them rediscover their own unique goodness even in the midst of chaos. Read less