About
Stephanie Howard
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Yoga Teacher, Wife and Mama of Four.
My yoga journey began not long after the arrival of my first two children, George and Amelia, who were born just fifteen months apart!
We had recently relocated from London to Paris and then from Paris to Chantilly. It was a ridiculously busy time. I was exhausted and overstretched. I seemed to always have a million tabs open in my head and zero time for myself.
This all changed when encouraged by a group of new mums, I started attending a yoga class run by Kari, a truly inspirational yoga teacher to whom I will be forever indebted.
I had practised yoga on and off for years but Kari’s classes buzzed with endorphins and laughter and left me with a real sense of inner peace. It’s true what they say…never underestimate the power of a great teacher! Yoga forced me to slow down. By being instructed to match my breath to my movements, yoga felt like a moving meditation and less like exercise, which was a game-changer for me.
Yoga’s magical way of developing both a strong body and a calm mind was something I kept coming back for - I had been bitten by the yoga bug! Vinyasa Yoga honestly felt a bit like coming home to me. I always felt amazing and on a yoga high after class. But the effects of the yoga practice rippled through my life. I slept better and was far more energized when I was awake. I was so much happier in my own skin and as a result, my relationships with my family improved-especially my parenting!
Pre-babies I had worked as a lawyer in London and Paris. I knew I couldn’t go back to doing this due to the long hours it entailed. The most obvious course of action was to change my career path entirely and train to become a Yoga teacher so that I could share my newfound passion with others while feeling fulfilled professionally.
Training to be a yoga teacher was one of the best decisions I ever made. I took my Vinyasa Yoga teacher training eleven years ago and went on to qualify as a Yin Yoga teacher. I have spent many hours self-studying and practicing and have attended lots of workshops with some of the best teachers in Paris.
I taught my very first yoga classes in Chantilly to the local ex-pat and French community, then, a year later, after moving to Maisons-Laffitte my classes snowballed in popularity, so much so that, in 2014 I created the Yoga Hut studio – a beautiful, welcoming space in which to practice yoga.
I wanted the studio to have an “easy breezy” feel and not to be in any way intimidating. I feel that the wonderful community of yogis we have here at the Yoga Hut reflects this approach. I am a great believer in the phrase ‘your vibe attracts your tribe’. I am extremely lucky to teach a community of people who lift me up, energize me and who I can call friends – yoga is so much better when you can practice it with people you like!
Today, I enjoy a strong and dynamic Vinyasa practice. I love playing with arm balances and going upside down. But my favourite part of the practice is the graceful, dance-like, creative sequencing. I also love a slower, more meditative Yin Yoga practice, which allows me to be softer and more receptive to everything that life has to offer.
I teach both privately and to groups at the Yoga Hut studio.
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