In August, we celebrate our fabulous register member Matt Albury.
Matt is a meditation and yoga teacher in in the South Gloucestershire area. He teaches yoga and meditation mainly around the Thornbury, Bristol and Didmarton areas, under the name ‘Little Wren Yoga: Traditional Meditation and Yoga’
We asked Matt to share some information about his business, teachings and his own meditation experience, so that you can get to know him better.
Here is what Matt told us about his own meditation experience…
“I have been regularly practicing yoga and meditation since 2003; however my meditation developed into a daily practice since 2012 when I discovered the mindfulness style of practice. I have had a daily self practice with my yoga asana; the physical movement aspect of yoga practice, since 2019.
My meditation practice alternates really but my practices are mainly Chan / Zen inspired and open awareness style practices; from yogic traditions. I do like to regularly practice Metta Meditation ‘Loving Kindness”
Matt trained with BSoM to become an externally accredited meditation teacher because…
“BSoM offered a really accessible course for me as a working parent; and it was responsibly priced as well. I really liked the content of the course”.
“At the time of starting the course I didn’t actually actually teach; as I undertook the course to learn more about meditation but Sarah Presley who was the main lecturer encouraged me to consider teaching during the time of study”.
What he loved about the training was…
“I enjoyed the getting away from work for a day and mixing with like minded people to be honest. It was inspiring listening to everyone's meditation journey and what they did and what had led them to practice. Also, I got to try different styles of meditation everytime we met”.
About Matt’s teaching and business….
Matt’s full-time job is a workplace wellbeing chaplain and he says he could see a way of integrating teaching introduction style workshops and courses to the businesses he was already supporting as a chaplain. This developed into free weekly lunchtime classes that people could just drop into. The main motivation was that he knew how much meditation helped him to cope with the stresses of life and now he could offer a practical based help, along the listening part of his job.
Matt started to run classes in the community from around 2014 and started off running regular 6-week introduction courses, which also lead to the development of the Community Meditation Group that has been running for several years.
He undertook a 250hrs Yoga Teacher Course in 2019 and then in 2021 did the 500hrs Advanced Yoga Teacher Training Course.
So, Matt’s teaching developed to offer meditation and yoga workshops, courses and Community Groups.
In 2021, he started to volunteer in HMP Bristol, the local men’s prison as a yoga teacher. Each week he offers 5 hrs a week and run classes for men in the prison and a free lunchtime yoga session for staff.
Matt says his motivation to teach is that he sees how yoga and meditation help him, and others navigate life. These ancient practices really fly in the face of modern western ideas and can help a person find a deep peace inside that nothing else can. A real sense of coming home to yourself and accepting yourself as you.
Matt currently teaches weekly yoga and meditation classes in large industry settings around Bristol area, and with the Fire & Rescue Service. This is done as part of his full-time workplace chaplaincy job. He does occasionally teach in other areas of the UK when requested.
He also has uploaded content on the app Insight Timer and Youtube.
His favourite aspect of teaching is…
“I love watching people grow through the practice and hearing how the meditation is impacting them in a positive way, such as better sleep patterns, feeling more peaceful, helping them feel grounded.
In the prison I hear things such as how for that one hour a week they feel they are not in prison, or how the meditation and yoga help them cope with being locked up for long periods of time.
I also love the aspect that we are part of a 5000 year old lineage of practicing, shaping and sharing these skills so that they keep going and help others in their experience of being human”.
How you can work with, or find out more about Matt and ‘Little Wren Yoga’.
My Website is https://littlewrenyoga.wixsite.com/my-site
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlewrenyoga/
Insight Timer: https://insighttimer.com/mattalbury