about

Traditional Yoga ~ Therapeutic Approach

Ashtanga Therapy was created to provide a sustainable practice that can be enjoyed over a lifetime.
Infusing the elements of strength, grace and dynamic movement of Ashtanga Yoga with the gentle nurturing of Yoga Therapy.

The result ~ a safer seamless practice with almost endless progression
To nourish, serve and challenge each individual.
To experience and express a fuller potential, on all levels

Rachel Grey

Courses

The courses below are designed to give you a solid foundation on which to build and refine an Ashtanga Therapy Yoga self practice. This will enable you to practice safely and smoothly by yourself, whether in a group, home alone, or travelling. It also teaches you self sufficiency so that you are independently learning. Constantly building on your practice with the guidance of a highly experienced teacher, with the depth of detail rarely touched on in regular classes. At the end of both courses, you will have solid foundations of a self-practice. Even if you already practice, it will be deeply transformational as you’ll learn how to make your practice more sustainable and appropriate for your current level and know how to adapt when life’s changes and limitations inevitably occur. Your practice will be more refined, body friendly and overall more beneficial to your energy levels, mind and spiritual growth. Many who complete Basics 1 are drawn to complete Basics 2. 

The courses will be held in person in Koh Phangan Thailand
You are welcome to take additional Mysore classes before or after the course which start 8am with a flexible finish time Mon - Fri.
These morning classes can be taken by themselves without the afternoon course and pre-registration is preferable.
Please click below to register

Basics 1

5 day course

Course Dates 2022

Jan 17th - 21st
Feb 14th - 18th
Mar 14th - 18th
Apr 18th - 22nd
May 16th - 20th

Times:
Mysore Class: 8 - 10 am
Course: 12 pm - 2 pm

Mon - Fri (Wed afternoon free)

Price in USD
Early Bird discount:
(Before 1st of the month): $200
Regular price: $250

This course will give you the foundations of Ashtanga Therapy Yoga from the beginning. It will provide you with the tools for creating a balanced and therapeutic self-practice, whether you have injuries or whatever age or size you are. We will go over the fundamentals of the movements and breath as well as postures, to build a foundational sequence which you will be able to do alone or in a group once the course has finished. If you already practice, this will course will give you the foundations of a therapeutic practice which you can use to enhance your existing yoga practice or do as a stand alone practice when you are short of time or energy or to rehabilitate towards a fuller practice.

Upon completion of the course you will have learned: 

• Breathwork to calm the mind, balance the central nervous system to release body tension

• Bandhas (internal energetic lift) To support the body and energy internally

• Modifying the more strenuous parts of practice to build and gain shoulder strength gradually

• Therapeutic sequence to bring balance to the lower body, hips and lower back

• Ashtanga sun salutations, broken down step by step in detail

Yoga Consulting Services

”Yoga is best taught one on one”

With so much ‘yoga’ being advertised in the world and so many styles to choose from, it’s no wonder it has become quite confusing and perhaps a little overwhelming for someone to know where to begin. Whether starting classes for the first time, deciding on which retreat to join, embarking on a yoga teacher training course, even as a teacher setting up your own yoga classes or as a person building a retreat centre. It’s not always easy to decide on which path to take

I offer consulting services to help you navigate on your journey so that you can gain clarity in your intentions and insight on what it is that you want to achieve so you can proceed with the resources you have within your reach. Often times it isn’t clear or obvious and having the expertise of almost 25 years of experience in teaching worldwide at many different retreat centres at your disposal can be helpful so that you are directed towards the most authentic possibilities and don’t waste time with the rest

We will begin with a 30 minute call to establish your needs and you’ll be guided in the best possibilities available to you. If you are looking for online tuition, we can also establish a regular program where by you will have a call to guide you in the best practice for you, which you can then practice by yourself on a daily basis. In this case, I encourage a rest at weekends and a call on a weekly basis to make sure you are on the right track and are not practicing any mistakes and we can add more to your practice during the calls

Ashtanga Therapy Method

This method is very effective in building a strong foundation to establish your direction and practice yoga by yourself, wherever and whoever you are. It is suitable for those with a busy schedule with children etc who cannot get to regular classes, or those who travel a lot and would like the continuity of a regular self yoga practice. It is a very individual approach, so that you will be practicing and building your practice up at your own pace, which is perfect for you rather than trying to keep up with the pace of a class or being held back by one. It also stops you practicing mistakes that you may develop, which can often go unnoticed in classes

It is suitable for any age, size or level of fitness, health or otherwise. If you can breathe, you can practice yoga. The focus is very much on the breath and the details of what and how to practice so you fully understand what you are doing and we work on the framework of yoga therapy building to Ashtanga Yoga so that you can learn how to do this wonderful practice safely. Once you are at the point of doing the basics, you will be able to join an Ashtanga Mysore class anywhere in the world and do your practice within a supported group setting which is one of the best and thorough ways to continue your practice with the support of experienced teachers while working on the same system wherever you are at.

It is a lifetime journey and you will learn how to practice for your lifetime, while learning the best techniques to avoid injury and create a practice that is sustainable over your whole life well into your older years and even at times of weakness and illness you will understand how to modify your practice accordingly so that you can nourish and sustain your health, life and spiritual practice in a way that supports you and those around you, who will likely feel the benefit too !

I look forward to working with you

What are the benefits of an online session?

o Opportunity to discuss your practice and identify intentions
o Ask questions, and have them answered
o Know how to work with injuries or other limitations
o Identify obstacles you wish to overcome
o Be able to to tune into your own breath and utilise it better
o Move on at your own pace
o Build a personal yoga practice
o Become more independent and intentionally focussed
o Continue learning wherever you are at
o Receive guidance, relevant to you and your circumstances
o Build a practice suited to your needs
o Eliminate any bad habits or mistakes and avoid pitfalls
o Enjoy a relationship with your teacher

reviews

Rachel is an amazingly calm and patient teacher, her knowledge of the human anatomy and how this relates to yoga practice has really helped me to develop and grow my practice. Her classes and courses are informative yet fun, I can thoroughly recommend Rachel as a yoga teacher, and I'm very grateful to her for the help she has given me with my practice!
Alistair, UK

I came to Rachel’s Ashtanga Therapy as a beginner. My body had many ailments, and i had very little hope. Rachel was very personal and took great care of me. First she helped me in her compassionate way to become aware of the locks in the joints of my body that over time had such an adverse effect on my health. Then she encouraged me to begin the practice in the most gentle and suitable way. Rather then looking for a quick solution for my long standing ailments, i realised after a short time practicing with her that to love and believe again in myself was the first step to healing. 6 weeks later now my hips are beginning to open, my all over vitality is noticeably increased, and i have reasonable hope that thru her therapy my body may come back into alignment. Thank you Rachel, for showing me that no one part of the body can really heal unless all parts work again harmoniously together. 
Stephan, Germany

There are not enough words to thank you for everything you taught me these three weeks. Undoubtedly one of the best blessings I found in my journey is you. You definitely are an inspiration for me. I wish you all the best, a lot of love, light, peace. Keep sharing your knowledge, because you are a kind of angel in yoga. I hope our paths cross over again. Lots of love and gratitude.
Paulina, Doha

Dear Rachel, How I enjoyed your energy! Like an aum, permeating through our whole group. I feel you have access to a wealth of knowledge, and are blessed with good intuition. Thank you for sharing and caring, being strict and soft at the same time. I wish the path that you are on will bring you unprecedented joy. 
Monique, Netherlands

Thank you so much, it was a pleasure and a gift to have your presence. Your help with my practice was amazing ~ you seem to know the body so well. Your smile and energy are contagious. I really enjoyed and hope to see you again soon. Thank you again
Brittany, US

When I arrived on this teacher training I had no idea really of the impact that my life and job were having on me both physically and mentally. By Friday week one, I wasn't even sure I'd even make it to the end based on these issues. I can't thank you enough for your kind and gentle approach to not only my practice but to impact of all that was consuming me. You've been amazing, thank you for showing me that less is more and it's ok, for helping me to soften and accept that my practice will grow over time and for pointing out that to be strong from my feet upwards would make all the difference. I still have a long way to go but I know that if every time I step on my mat and listen to your advice one day my hips and back will recover. You have been a real inspiration and I hope one day I will practice with you again. Ashtanga is my love in yoga, you've inspired so much more
Lisa, UK

Yoga Therapy helped me with my back ache; L4, L5 Arthosis and stiffness which I had been suffering with for 2 years and been intensely treated by doctors in CH with little result. That was a huge surprise. Many thanks to Rachel!!! She is the best!
Yvette, Switzerland  

Yoga with Rachel was not only physically rewarding, her emotional knowledge of why we do certain physical stances with our body was very wise I came away feeling 100% happier and healthier
Maxine, Australia

One of the most fantastic things about Samahita Retreat is just how much support there is. There is no judgement if you're going through a tough time, just alot of love and understanding and not just from the course leaders, but also from the staff especially the women in the wellness centre. I would definately return.I loved the yoga, Rachel is a brilliant teacher. 
Dearbail, UK  

A fantastic experience in every aspect to meet people from all over the world, which highlights how we can get so caught up in the small box we can let ourselves slip into. Opened my eyes to how exciting life can be by just stepping out of the comfort zone to try something that you've never done before. I have grown so much as a person in one week. Thank you. Love to you all xx
Meryl, Australia  

There is alot going on in my body, mind, heart and soul at the moment... And I can feel it, yes I'm starting to feel myself again. That's only possible I guess because of the Yoga, Qui Gong and the thoughts and knowledge of Rachel and Dorien. Thank you both so much! I am sure now that I will find the right place and mission in my life to feel just happy and really good.
Birgit, Germany

I wanted to find, decide, honour, love, live - and I did. It was a true transformational week; I came in stiff, tense and shy. I found my flexibility and beauty again. My body and mind learned a lot from Rachel, amazing experience! 2 beautiful women and 10 beautiful circle members; a holiday for body, mind and spirit in a marvelous respectful environment.
Wendy, Netherlands  

When I began studying with Rachel, I had been doing Ashtanga self-practice on and off for a couple of years, but had little to show for it. Furthermore, I had restricted movement in my knees, which I had had for years and years, and this was limiting not only my practice but also other activities in my life. I had become used to skirting around the knee issue, trying not to go near it, and was convinced I had countless hours of work on hip opening and lower back flexibility ahead of me before I could hope for any improvement. I had studied on occasion with a couple of other reputed teachers, but they too had encouraged me not to put my knees to the test, thereby reinforcing my pattern of trepidation and fear regarding how I related to these joints.
Rachel was very different – rather than avoiding ‘going there’, she encouraged me to reconnect with my knees, and to learn to trust my body more. She too was of course careful to make sure I didn’t get hurt, but from day one suggested various yoga therapy exercises I could do to regain full use of my joints. In the space of just a few weeks, I have experienced a considerable opening, and improvement beyond anything I remotely expected. Also, aside from the benefits of the physical side of the therapy, it has been great to see the mental blockage I had around my knees also dissolving.
More generally speaking, Rachel encourages her students to slow down, to pay attention to each stage of getting into and out of the postures, and to not be in a hurry to move through the series. In this way she is constantly teaching one of the main principles of yoga, which is to practice without undue concern for results. But of course results do come – going more slowly may make progress seem imperceptible, but then there are breakthroughs. For me some of these came because Rachel had even taken me “backwards” a little, in order to review some basics and approach certain asana with more physical and mental integrity, and the benefits of this were not long in coming.
After Rachel’s “Foundations of self-practice” course, I said that I had really gained a lot from her teaching, and she replied that it’s a pity some people seem not to have such a great interest in foundations, even though they are fundamental. I thought for a moment, then remarked that perhaps if we go deeply enough into foundations, they in fact contain all the essential aspects of the practice. I think Rachel was glad of this comment, because she doesn’t just teach asana, or Mysore classes, therapy or modifications to suit each individual – she teaches the whole of yoga. And just as William Blake saw the world in a grain of sand, Rachel’s way of teaching points to the possibility of seeing that the essence of yoga can be experienced in a single posture, a single breath.
Jim, UK

I studied with Rachel for one month, taking her daily Mysore classes as well as Foundations 1 and 2. I found my time with Rachel to be invaluable. She has changed my practice; I am stronger and more flexible than when I first started studying with her. I also have a better understanding of my body and safer ways to practice without getting injured.
Rachel ticks all the boxes I would expect for an experienced yoga teacher:
- Deep understanding of the asanas, human anatomy, and yoga philosophy
- Gentle, confident, and accurate adjustments
- A knack for knowing exactly when I should be pushing forward in my practice
- Clear instructions for getting into asanas
Here’s what distinguished Rachel from other yoga teachers I’ve studied with:
1. Rachel provided deeply personalized instruction in the group Mysore setting. She carefully watched me in areas I had questions and gave me detailed feedback that really helped my practice. 
2. Her therapeutic approach to Ashtanga. Rachel has a deep understanding of the Ashtanga tradition. But instead of rigidly adhering to those traditions at all times, she also taught modifications that helped me strengthen or stretch particular areas of my body; these modifications made it possible for me to ultimately do the asana “normally.”
3. Her therapeutic sequence. As someone with a pelvic imbalance, I found her sequence helped me practice with greater awareness of and balance in my body. I have incorporated her therapeutic sequence into my daily practice.
Eileane, US