Bio

With over 17 years teaching experience and 22 years of practice under her belt, Sarai is a teacher's teacher. She is a YAP (accred.) Senior Yoga Teacher, Teacher Trainer and Yoga Teacher Mentor.
Over the years teaching all around London (including at Triyoga for seven years) Sarai has run a wide range of classes and workshops working with people of all different body types, conditions and ages, including special needs children, yoga for mental health, and the elderly. She also teaches privately and has run workshops and retreats worldwide. She currently teaches from her home studio in SW20.

I first came across yoga as an adolescent when my father taught me some sun salutes. Later, as a teenager, I began attending Iyengar classes with my mother and would practice at home along to one of my mother's yoga LPs. I forgot all about yoga when I moved to London as an eighteen-year-old and was busy with a Humanities degree, partying, and getting fit kickboxing and at the gym. An injury led me back to yoga, and the discovery of Ashtanga, in 1999.

I took many lengthly trips to Mysore, India between 2003 - 2011 to study ashtanga yoga at KPJAYI and am Authorised Level 2. Since 2011 I have moved away from Ashtanga towards a less rigid way of practicing, and  my primary teacher since 2011 has been Alaric Newcombe (Iyengar), who has taught me to be a creative, open minded, safe, challenging, and curious teacher. In addition I am increasingly interested in Functional Movement and Mobility Training, strength training, and playing tennis. In the words of Ido Portal "movement complexity is by far the reason why we became human".

Since 2010 I have had an interest in psychoanalysis and have an MA in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy from the University of Essex. I trained at the Tavistock Clinic (BPC) and work as a Psychotherapist within the NHS at the specialist Trauma Unit at the Tavistock Clinic. I am BACP registered (MBACP) and work in private practice in SW20. 

Qualifications and Experience

2015 - Restorative Teacher Training, London (30 hours) - Certified 
            Teacher: Judith Hanson Lasater

2013 - Granted Yoga Alliance Professionals Senior Teacher Status

2011 - Authorized Level 2, KPJAYI, Mysore, India
            Teacher: Sharath Jois

2007 - Authorized Level 1, KPJAYI, Mysore, India
            Teacher: Sharath and Pattabhi Jois 

2006 - 2007 - Assistant, Pregnancy Yoga at the Portland Hospital, London
             Teacher: Lynne Pinette

2003 - 2011 - Annual 1-3 Monthly trips to KPJAYI, Mysore, India
             Teacher: Sharath & Pattabhi Jois

2003 - 2005 - Assistant, Astanga Yoga London
             Teacher: Roberta Giannotti

2003 - Ashtanga Techniques of Teaching, Cornwall (30 hours)
            Teachers: John Scott, Lucy Crawford, David Keil

2002 - Sunra Hatha Yoga Teacher Training, London & Ibiza (200 hours)
            Teacher: Barbara Gordon

2002 - British Wheel of Yoga Foundation Course, London
            Teacher: Tara Fraser

Teaching Experience

2015 - Present day - Sarai Harvey-Smith Yoga Home Studio
            Mysore classes, Mentoring Programme (six month programme to support and develop yoga teachers of various levels of experience)

2014 - 2015 - Senior Teacher Trainer for Younique Yoga Teacher Trainings

2014 - 2016- Retreats taught:
            Huzur Vadisi, Turkey (7 days)
            Maya, Sri Lanka (10 days)  x 2

2012 - Present day - Triyoga Soho, Triyoga Chelsea, Triyoga Ealing

2011 - 2012 -  Triyoga Soho, Mysore Programme

2009 - 2011 - Astanga Yoga London, Mysore Programme (9am - 12pm)

2002 - Present day - Workshops taught:
            Beirut, Lebanon x 2
            Auckland New Zealand x 2
            Yoga Reading, UK
            Copious workshops at Triyoga, UK

2002 - Present day - 1:1 Private Yoga
           I have taught adults, children, and special needs children personalised yoga privately at their homes in London, at my home studio, and in Europe at various clients' holiday homes (gentle, hatha, alignment, vinyasa, ashtanga, Mysore self-practice, restorative).

2002 - 2004 - Hoxton Yoga
             My first yoga business venture: I hired a church hall in Hoxton and ran ashtanga beginners courses.

London Yoga Centres, gyms and community centres I have taught regular classes at over the years:
Triyoga
Astanga Yoga London
Yoga Loft London
Astanga Yoga London
The Shala
Down to Earth
North London Buddhist Centre
Indaba
Fitness First
Holmes Place
Sure Start
Sunstone

Corporations I have taught regular classes at over the years:
Lehman Brothers
Getty Images
Image Source
Virgin Media