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Yoga
Tai Chi
Qigong

with Charlie Boardley

Relax, breathe, open, release and feel your way into a brighter more positive you.  

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Yoga Classes


Yoga Classes

Mapledurum Golf/Health Club - Reading RG4 7UD

Tuesdays       6.20pm  - 7.15pm

Fridays         5.00 pm - 5.55pm   

Saturdays    12.45 - 1.40pm

Panda Bear Studios - Reading RG6 1HH

Mondays 7.45 - 8.45pm

Thursday 6 - 7pm Yoga

Thursday 7 - 8pm Yin Yoga 

Caversham IST Health Club - Reading RG4 8AN

Wednesdays  10.30am - 11.30am

Castle Royal Golf/Health Club - Reading RG10 9XA

Mondays.     11.30am - 12.25pm

After School Kids Club

Manor Park Primary - Ashampsted Road, Reading

Thursdays 3.15 - 4pm

 

 

Warrior Two
Tai Chi Classes


Tai Chi/Qigong Classes

Mapledurum Golf/Health Club

Wednesdays 1.30 - 2.25pm

Fridays        4pm - 5pm

Mapledurum Hall @ The Playing Fields

Mondays      3.45 - 4.30pm

Castle Royale Golf/Health Club

Mondays 12.45 - 1.40pm

Fridays 1.30 - 2.25pm 

Tai Chi Practice Outdoors
Other Services
Yellow Rose

Also Available for:

Children's Yoga and Qigong after school clubs

"Flourish" children's Qigong and meditation workshops

Corporate classes in a group, one to one, in person or via Zoom.

Private sessions, alone or groups in your home

Residential retreats in the UK and worldwide.


Unlock Your Inner Calm

Sukhasana

Class Descriptions

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Yoga Classes

My Hatha Flow Yoga classes always begin with a period of deep relaxation and breathing techniques.  Giving ourselves the time to let go of the stresses of life, using the breath as a tool to nourish and release with the flow of yin and yang energy through the spine.


We will slowly and mindfully begin a series of asanas while lying down, taking time to focus on various aspects of our form, exploring the root of our tension and resistance, breath by breath.

The 90 minute classes include Pranayama breathing practices to maximise our lung capacity and tap into the parasympathetic nervous system, cultivating a sense of calm, focussed awareness.   By charging up our energy body with Prana or Chi (life force energy) we begin to feel an internal awakening that helps to lift us into a more dynamic sequence.


We then experience a sequence of asanas that have been choreographed to strengthen and expand all the muscle groups, alternating from strong yang asanas to softer yin asanas that allow you to relax and breathe more deeply. 


Lots of variations are given to accommodate all levels from beginners to advanced students.  Everyone is encouraged to go at their own speed and cultivate the guide within themselves.

Expect philosophy, chanting and detailed instructions on alignment and focus. 

Guaranteed to feel better by the end of the class.

Tai Chi Classes

Temple Style - Tai Chi and Qigong, moving meditation as taught by Master Waysun Liao.  The class always starts with a few minutes of Tao Yin or gentle stretching and opening exercises to warm up the body.   The practice initially focuses on single forms that help to guide the mind into a meditative state, and allow us to connect more deeply with our life force energy. Once the connection is established and the forms are familiar, we start linking together the forms into a sequence, working on a deeper awareness of flow with calm concentration.

"Flourish" - Children's Workshops in Meditation, Qigong and Tai Chi

Myself and Lucy Irvin run meditation and Qigong workshops for children that are fun and engaging and will leave your child feeling calmer, happier and with a stronger connection to who they really are.


They will learn how bringing the breath, the mind and the body together, with fun meditation techniques and animal like moves, will cultivate Chi or energy awareness which nourishes the mind and body.

We are both mothers that have experienced the value of taking time to equip children with valuable tools for life and are acutely awareness of the epidemic of poor mental health in children today.

We strongly believe that we can minimise the fall out,  if we start the journey young.


Our program helps children to navigate mental health issues and self esteem as they hit puberty and into their adult years.

We believe that tools for happiness should be up there with maths and english in the school curriculum! 

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My Yoga journey

"The MIND is the king of the senses, but the BREATH is the king of the mind."   - BKS Iyengar

My passion for Yoga started twenty five years ago, when I was living in London and stumbled upon a course in Chakra meditation.  I was fascinated by this ancient practice that connected our life force energy and the experiences in our lives and how by cultivating conscious awareness, we could heal ourselves from our past conditioning and become happier and healthier.

From that moment on, I was all in and hungry for more.  My twice weekly Yoga classes were my absolute priority and within a short amount of time my body and my mind began to change along with my goals in life.

A few years later I was devastated to lose a job that I loved, in the music industry. Feeling extremely low and despondent, I booked a flight to India and embarked on a Yoga teacher training program with The Sivananda organisation, which involved complete immersion into traditional ashram life.


The rigorous daily schedule was gruelling but life-changing. By fully immersing oneself into meditation, chanting, scriptures, asanas, pranayama and selfless service, you begin to peel back the layers of habits (samskaras) and begin to discover a higher version of yourself and create new and healthy habits for life.

Having completed the course I returned to the UK with an enthusiasm and passion to share what I'd learnt, and felt that finally I had found my true calling in life ((in Sanskrit this is called Dharma, meaning moral duty).

Yoga is such a deep and vast philosophy, I knew it would be my life's work to continue exploring its depths.   I spent the next six years in London both teaching and studying. My teachers included Tias Little, Paul Grillley, Adhil Palkavala, and T.K.V. Desikachar (at his school for therapeutic Yoga in Chennai, India).  


I studied for many years religiously, at the Iyengar Institute in London, and my teaching style developed to reflect all the schools that my heart had embraced along the journey. 


In 2007 I completed an advanced teacher training course with the Sivananda organisation and became a Yoga Acharya (Yoga Master).  I found the course so deep and transformational that two years later I completed it again, this time in Vrindivan, India.

Meditation is a key element of my daily practice and the backbone of Yoga.  I've completed three x 10 day silent Vipassana retreats, which were the hardest challenge of my life (besides childbirth).  Sitting crossed legged for ten hours per day, whilst clearing your mind is an incredibly powerful and transformational practice and one I would highly recommend if you have the stamina!

I’ve hosted many retreats around the world in Egypt, Morocco, India, Guatemala and the UK, which is a wonderful way to help students ​make deep progress in their practice and develop a daily routine.  Time away from the world, to completely immerse oneself in daily Yoga, chanting, meditation and pranayama, surrounded by beautiful natural scenery, can be a truly transformational and life changing experience.  Watch this space for dates!

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My Tai Chi/Qigong journey

"Tai Chi is a program.  If we can learn and perfect it, and if we subject ourselves to such practice a little bit at a time, it changes us.  It improves us.  It heals and restores us, physically, mentally and spiritually."

- Grand Master Waysun Liao

I first discovered the magic of Tai Chi, when I met Master Hongtao in the Himalayas in 2009. Having spent the previous ten years developing my awareness of Prana (energy) through Yogic practices I was amazed and inspired to discover a practice that took me even deeper and even more intensely into that energy flow.  From that moment, Yoga and Tai Chi became my joint daily spiritual practice.

 

I spent the next five years training daily with my teacher whilst travelling in India, Ibiza, Israel and Guatemala. In 2014 I decided to immerse myself completely into Taoist practices and become a full-time resident in a Taoist Temple at Lake Atitlan, Guatemala.  I spent the following six years practicing Qigong, Tai Chi and sitting meditation for five hours per day. 

The small group of international Temple residents followed a daily schedule, starting at 5am with an opening ceremony, followed by a 2 hour Tai Chi/Qigong class as the sun rose over the lake.  After practice, our morning was spent working on the Temple farm until noon when we stopped to sit and meditate together for one hour.  The afternoon consisted of more service for the Temple or looking after the children until sunset Tai Chi practice at 5.30pm.  Energetically these times are the strongest and most conducive to practice.

The schedule was designed to help you overcome the Self, thereby reducing selfish tendencies and negative thinking.

Communal spiritual living has been described like ‘a pot of muddy potatoes’. As you rub against each other and expose your weaknesses, you gradually begin to clean yourself from the conditioning of your life thus far. It’s not easy but it is definitely life-changing!

 

My teacher was a close student of Master Waysun Liao.  Master Liao started his spiritual training in a Taoist Temple in Taiwan at the age of 12, so the practice that I teach has been passed down from Master to student direct from the Temple.

 

Master Liao's current school in Chicago www.taichitaocenter.com has been running for over 50 years, teaching thousands of students around the world and is where I'm accredited as an international instructor.

https://taichitaocenter.com/taichi-tao-network/

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Reviews

I live in Italy and Charlie is in England. I’ve been following her classes online very regularly for a while, and I’m always amazed at how powerful her lessons are for me. Even from so many miles away her voice sounds clear and soothing, her instructions precise.
No matter how stressed or flustered I feel, even if my thoughts wander off more than usual, I always feel calmer at the end of the practice, more centred and grateful.

Dianella Speziale-Bagliacca, Italy

“Brilliant yoga instructor. A master teacher. Charlie Boardley is probably the best yoga teacher I have ever worked with. And I am a 20-year practitioner.”

Jean Fraser, Guatemala

I have been practising yoga on and off with Charlie for more than a decade. As a very busy and stressed out CEO taking this hour and a half for myself every week was absolutely vital from both a physical and mental perspective. It helps my sleep and my flexibility and keeps me calm in a challenging world. Charlie is encouraging, thoughtful and creative.

Ann Kenrick, London

I have been practicing yoga with Charlie on and off for over 15 years.  Charlie’s classes are a wonderful way to learn the postures, techniques, breathing and relaxation methods.

As someone who regularly goes to the gym and weight trains, I find Charlie's yoga to be a perfect accompaniment to my health, wellbeing and to achieve my gym goals.   I feel my muscles and body are challenged and stimulated in different ways and yoga is perfect to improve my flexibility.

If you’re looking for a stimulating and challenging class or simply a relaxing mediative beginner session, Charlie’s classes have something for everyone.

Darren Campbell, London

I love Charlie's classes. Her verbal cues are detailed and precise, and allow me to take postures deeper and with more intention. She is a very experienced teacher and through her instruction, and deep insight in anatomy I have strengthened my practice and increased my bodily awareness. During her classes she guides me to finding more space within my body, deeper breathing and better alignment. 

Charlie's transitions are seamless, and fluid. She gently builds momentum and intensity throughout the class, and always ends with a relaxing and soothing savasana. I highly recommend her classes! I'm so grateful I can continue attending via Zoom! 

Brittany Temple, USA

"Charlie is the perfect teacher.  She manages that balance of demystifying yoga for absolute beginners as well as challenging and encouraging experienced yogis"

Michelle Weeks, London

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Let’s Connect

Get in touch to learn more about classes, workshops, and making Qigong, Tai Chi and Yoga a part of your life.

Emmer Green, Reading

07719 799296

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