...the first time I hit a yoga mat I was sold, I went all in for yoga and never went back to martial arts
Valerie Giles And Michelle Shipley are the co-founders and owners of Mothership Yoga, a small “boutique” yoga teacher training school. They offer intimate and personal yoga experience, keeping their classes small enough to give each student as much attention as they require. While both ladies are former athletes, they came to yoga through two completely different paths and from completely different walks of life. Despite this they seem to have a fantastic relationship in business and as friends.
Valerie started yoga in the late 60s.
Valerie: Back then
you just did it on the
tv and I taught at a
local school.
Later on she began
competing in high-end sports and starting teaching dance fit and high impact. Finally after tearing her Achilles whilst competing in a triathlon she
found herself coming full circle back to yoga. Michelle first got a taste for yoga in 2004 in Toronto and was soon hooked.
Michelle: Up until then I had done kick-boxing and Martial Arts, I was almost a black-belt. I thought that was what I needed to get rid of all my excess energy, when in fact I needed the polar opposite, which is yoga! Pretty much after the first time I hit a yoga mat I was sold, I went all in for yoga and never went back to martial arts.
Within just three years she was taking her teacher training and began teaching classes and running workshops as a qualified instructor.
Casa London: How did you two meet?
Valerie: We met in 2015, I was teaching at Yoga Shack and Michelle was coming to the classes and enjoying the classes. She asked if I wanted to collaborate and do a couple of workshops together.