Aoife Blake

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Hello and welcome! My name is Aoife (she/her), and I’m a yoga and pilates teacher from Ireland currently living in Melbourne, Australia with my husband, Jim.

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Movement has always been a big part of my life. When I was younger, I attended ballet, dance and majorette lessons, and thoroughly enjoyed performing on stage or dancing in parades. I was also a competitive gymnast and acrobat, but this was a very toxic and damaging environment - something I’m still dealing with and healing from today. However, my love of movement has never faded. To me, it's meditation in motion. It’s a freedom, an expression, a pure and absolute form of joy.

When I first started practising yoga, I had undiagnosed PCOS (since diagnosed and currently navigating life with symptom management. Spoiler alert - yoga and pilates really help!). Things were going haywire in my body and I had no idea how to resolve them. It truly felt like my body was my enemy and it had turned against me. Thankfully, the idea of taking up yoga really appealed to me in that low point of my life. However, I was living in an area where there were no viable studios nearby. So I simply rolled out my mat in my living room and moved in a way I knew from gymnastics and dance. I tried to learn by myself through books and DVDs, but always felt the information wasn't as helpful or educational as it could have been, especially for someone new to yoga. But I persisted and the deeper I went into my practise, the more I learned how to move my body in a way that showed it sweetness and love. I had started to be kinder to myself and my body than I had ever been, and not only did I want to keep moving further into this new mind-set, but I wanted to share that same experience with others. It was this realisation that sparked the idea to create an online platform full of informative, guided content for those stepping onto their mats outside of a studio setting. But first, I wanted to be qualified in order to safely and effectively teach.

I searched for a yoga teacher training course but there was nothing close enough. Eventually, we moved to another part of the country where I could attend a pilates teacher training. I thought it would be a great stepping stone to becoming a yoga teacher and would help me broaden my learning. I was right! It was an incredible experience and has been so beneficial to me as a teacher. I fell in love with pilates and I adore teaching pilates classes just as much as yoga. I find the styles complement each other and each one has its own lessons to teach us about ourselves and our movement habits.

My husband and I then moved to Melbourne, Australia where I’ve been spoiled for choice with yoga studios, workshops and teacher trainings. In my first year in Melbourne, I undertook not one, but two teacher training courses - one in yin yoga and another in power vinyasa - and began teaching classes in studios across the city. Once qualified, I felt it was the right time to bring together my website. I began planning this platform and most of it has been built during Melbourne's multiple lockdowns. I take all the lessons and experiences I encounter in my yoga journey to create a welcoming, informative, and encouraging space for you to expand your own practise wherever you choose to flow.

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My intent is to guide you through multiple styles of classes, taking an empathetic approach which allows you to find joy within your own movements. I believe that our bodies are all beautifully diverse and I aim to inspire self-exploration and experimentation within movement to find what works best for your body and mind in your practise that day. Where possible, I encourage and celebrate growth both on and off the yoga mat and I'm a huge believer and promoter of empowerment and self-care. Here, you will find classes to help you build strength, mobility and flexibility while also finding space to calm and refresh your mind, practise self-love and kindness, and breathe.

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Even though I'm lucky enough to now live in a place with an abundance of studios, I always prefer to return to my at-home practise. My absolute favourite way to practise after a long, draining and socially-overwhelming day is to dim the lights, put some beautifully scented oil in the diffuser, step onto my mat and connect back to myself in my own space.

In my spare time, you'll find me playing video games with my husband, exploring the city, swimming in the ocean, oil painting in my studio, and going on adventures so I can add to my travel sketchbook. You can view my artwork here.

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I'm delighted you're here and I hope to be able to guide you through your movement & meditation journey.

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Aoife x

(If you're unsure how to pronounce my very Irish name,  Aoife = E-F-AH. Like Eva, but with an F in the middle.)

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MY QUALIFICATIONS

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• Level 3 Diploma, Pilates Instructor

• 50hr Yin Yoga Teacher Training

• 200hr RYT Power Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training

I acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of Country and recognise their continuing connection to land, sea, culture and community. I acknowledge the Bunurong of the South-Eastern Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the land on which I work and live, and pay my respects to Elders past and present.