Our Instructors and Classes

Find out all about the instructors who practice here at Cowdray Hall below, along with how to contact them and details on which days of the week they teach.

These classes require booking in advance. Please make contact with the relevant instructor directly to book your space in a class prior to attending. Contact details can be found below. Please note that this class calendar is subject to change, and any classes booked are handled directly by the instructor.

Our Instructors

Wednesdays & Fridays

Claire Best: Iyengar Yoga

Claire Best: Iyengar Yoga

Wednesdays 6:30pm - 7:45pm, beginners class
Fridays 9:30am - 11:00am, intermediate class

Claire Best loves sharing her knowledge of yoga and holds weekly yoga classes and monthly well-being events at Cowdray Hall.

Claire has completed four years of rigorous teacher training and is a Level 2 Iyengar yoga teacher. She has over 20 years experience in teaching. Originally trained to be a classical ballet dancer, she performed with a yoga theatre company, taught thousands of yoga classes at Triyoga, a drama school, media companies and private homes in London before settling down in Midhurst with her family. She is also a qualified shiatsu therapist and is now training to be a sound healer and holds sound baths locally.

Iyengar Yoga is a safe, progressive practice that makes it accessible for all. The method focuses on the actions and extensions of the body to develop correct alignment in the postures. Pranayama breathing is the 4th limb of the 8-fold path of yoga and is practiced at the end of the month to prepare the mind for meditation.

In class, postures are demonstrated with clear instruction and excellent sequencing. Props like blocks, belts and blankets are used to help the student deepen their understanding of the posture and to support the body according to individual needs.

Claire’s class is suitable for all abilities; men, women and teenagers.

For more information email: clairenbest@hotmail.com or visit her website by clicking on the 'find out more' button below.

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Thursdays

Hannah Roberts: Slow Vinyasa Yoga

Hannah Roberts: Slow Vinyasa Yoga

Thursdays 9:15am - 10:30am

Hannah teaches vinyasa flow yoga; a system of yoga that links breath with movement in flowing sequences of postures to create a moving meditative practice.

Guided skilfully through slow mindful alignment focused flow students develop strength and self-awareness to build a safe practice which can effect real change on physical, energetic and emotional levels.

Hannah has been a passionate yogi since her early twenties and completed a 200-hour Independent Yoga Network teacher training with Yoga Like Water in 2018 and a further Art of Sequencing teacher training with Jason Crandell in 2021. Hannah teaches from the heart weaving the wisdom of yoga philosophy through a flowing asana practice, giving each student the tools and space to explore, enquire and grow. This class is suitable for mixed abilities.

Mobile: 07815 425 965
Email: hmrroberts@hotmail.com

Tuesdays

Nicky Reed

Nicky Reed

Tuesdays 10:00am - 11:00am

Nicky had been practicing yoga for many years when she was introduced to Scaravelli yoga which inspired her to become a teacher herself. Having done a teacher training course, based on the work of Vanda Scaravelli in Brighton, Nicky has gone onto teach this wonderful yoga at Cowdray Hall.

Scaravelli yoga is all about waking up the spine to carry the body and anyone at any age can benefit from this gentle but very powerful approach to yoga.

For more information or to book please contact Nicky by email nicky@firgrove-reed.co.uk

Wednesdays

Nikki Gresham-Record: Energy Clearing & Healing

Nikki Gresham-Record: Energy Clearing & Healing

Wednesdays 9:45am – 10:45am

Nikki’s ‘Subtle Energy Clearing & Healing’ class is gentle form of meditative exercise to clear and open the meridians and chakras, aiming to restore balance, harmony and coherence to the mind, body and spirit. In essence, an hour of TLC and energy maintenance.

Nikki is an intuitive and a healer and has been working in the field of counselling, energy psychology and healing since 2006. She is a Master Teacher of Reiki and teacher of Qigong, Chakra Dancing and Guided Meditation.

This class will be an intuitive flow of these practices, offering an opportunity to use the power of subtle energy and ancient wisdom to bring healing, health and well-being to those wishing to partake.

See also Chakra Dancing and Crystal Bowl monthly experiences usually on the last Friday of each month at Cowdray. For more information or to book, please contact Nikki on 07551 920788 or email nikki@nikkigreshamrecord.co.uk

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Wednesdays and Fridays

Rachel de Blaby

Rachel de Blaby

Wednesdays 11:30am - 12:30pm
Fridays 9:30am – 10:30am, 11:00am - 12:00pm

Rachel is a fully qualified Body Control Pilates teacher and is passionate about helping people to achieve the perfect balance between flexibility and strength. Through a well balanced class, Pilates targets the deep postural muscles improving posture and tone and at the same time relieving unwanted tension. Rachel’s classes will be small with an emphasis on personal, safe, bespoke care and tuition to help you achieve fitness, fulfilment and reward beyond your expectations.

For more information or to book please contact Rachel on 07889 445260 or email rdeblaby@gmail.com

Tuesdays & Wednesdays

Pauline Johnson: Yoga

Pauline Johnson: Yoga

Tuesdays 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Wednesdays 9:30am - 11:00am

Pauline is a 500hr RYT teacher, has taught regular classes and workshops at Cowdray Hall since 2011. Trained in India and Bali, her main influences are the students of Vanda Scaravelli and the Body/Mind practice of Bonnie Bainbridge-Cohen. Always honouring Krishnamacharya and his legacy of modern postural yoga.

Nobody else knows what is going on in your body the way you do. Your alignment, your balance, your body right now. This yoga is a process of trusting and making room for that in our lives. It is a deep fascination of how the body responds to gravity. Then the unfolding of tightness and old patterns can arise and every cell wakes up. Each time we come to the mat we begin. Suitable for anyone with a body.

For further information, please contact Pauline by email yogaequals@gmail.com or by mobile: 07519 647343

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Mondays

Rachel Shaw: Vinyasa Yoga

Rachel Shaw: Vinyasa Yoga

Mondays 9:30am - 10:30am

Rachel Shaw teaches vinyasa yoga, a fun fitness-based yoga that leaves you feeling strong, energised and restored. There is focus on a continuous dynamic flow, using breath to connect the poses, as well as restorative mat work leading to deep rest and relaxation to finish off the class.

Rachel’s yoga is designed to be welcoming and supportive, whilst providing challenge to the body and mind. The class aims to be as inclusive as possible to cater to all abilities, providing modifications for beginners as well as extra challenge for the more advanced.

As a keen cyclist Rachel believes that yoga is a great compliment to a broader exercise programme, as well as an essential tool for maintaining good functional movement for everyday life.

She is a huge advocate for ‘just getting on the mat’ knowing that our minds are sometimes the biggest blocker to doing exercise, but that once we’re there we always come away feeling both physically and mentally lifted and ready to tackle life.

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Mondays and Tuesdays

Sam Moor: Tai Chi & Qigong

Sam Moor: Tai Chi & Qigong

Mondays 10:00am - 11:00am, Qigong
Tuesdays 10:00am - 11:00am, Tai Chi

Sam Moor runs Sussex Tai Chi and The Internal Athlete. He has trained extensively both in UK and China and has been teaching Tai Chi full-time for the last 20 years. As a teacher he focuses on what's most useful, has a down to earth approach and a dry sense of humour.

Sam has written for a wide variety of publications on the subject of Tai Chi and internal arts over the years and has worked as a lecturer in the same vein. You can see some of his work here: www.theinternalathlete.co.uk

It is Sam’s aim to teach as well and as clearly as possible so that more people can enjoy the vast benefits and liberation that Tai Chi can offer but without the usual distractions of dogma and doctrine.

To book email or call Sam at info@sussextaichi.co.uk or 07748 113857

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Events at Cowdray Hall

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