In the first of a series of interviews with leaders from different parts of the health and wellness world, we sit down with local yoga teacher Anna to find out what makes her tick and talk all things yoga. (5 minute read)

Hi Anna, thanks for sitting down with us. Shall we start with an easy one… What’s your name?

Anna Ravenscroft-Ward

And your occupation?

Yoga and mindfulness teacher

What did you do before becoming a yoga teacher?

I was a primary school teacher for 20 years,  I loved being a teacher and was mostly based with 4-6 year olds but I had wanted to teach yoga for a long time and we had not long moved to Exmouth close to the Devon School of Yoga which has an excellent reputation. I did my 500 hour yoga teacher training with the Devon School of Yoga over two years and loved it. I had three kids by this point and wanted to move away from the stress and demands of being a school teacher.

So you chose Yoga for the quiet life then?

Haha, not exactly…I teach lots of different classes; adult classes, online classes, beach yoga, children's yoga at the local primary school, women's circles, day retreats, one to ones. I also do yoga and mindfulness with children out of school due to autism, anxiety and other issues.

Added to which, I completed Mindfulness teacher training with the Devon School of Mindfulness in  2019 and then pregnancy and post natal training with DSY again in 2023. So it keeps me busy!

Very busy by the sounds of it! So how did you get into yoga?

I've been doing yoga on and off since I was a child - I used to go with my mum to the classes she attended, this dropped off when I was a teenager and then I picked it up again in my 20s when I became pregnant with my first child. I've continued with it ever since and it is a huge part of my life as well as being the way I make a living.

What makes yoga special?

As with a lot of people I started yoga for the physical aspect but I fell in love with it for the mental, emotional and spiritual benefits. Yoga really is about how you live your life - it has roots in Buddhism and Hinduism and I know lots of people walk away from class feeling physically better but also with a sense of wellbeing which they can't quite put their finger on. I personally think this is because yoga and mindfulness offer a reconnection to ourselves, to our breath and to the world around us. It's an opportunity to pause and check in, to reassess and take a breather.

Who is your biggest influence?

My biggest influences include my parents which sounds cheesy but they were growing their own veg, recycling and not watching TV when it wasn't cool to do so! I was a child in the late 70s and 80s and we did a lot of travelling in a bike and sidecar - mostly around Europe. They have shown me that you don't need money or belongings to be happy as well as how to show kindness to other people.

There are a lot of professionals I look up to like Jon Kabat Zinn who brought mindfulness to the western world, Gabor Mate - a trauma expert, Brene Brown an expert on shame and vulnerability, Pantajali - a Hindu and yogic philosopher and so many more. A lot of the people I look up to are my own teachers - the teachers at the Devon School of Yoga, local teachers - Dominique Preston and Dan Peppiat.

Do you have a philosophy on health?

Eat well, what you fuel your body with is incredibly important - it has been proven that gut health affects mental health without question. If you eat properly it will show in your skin, hair and how you feel. Avoid processed foods as much as possible.

Move - find a way of moving that you love and keep doing it, even better if you can find a friend who enjoys doing it too.

Meditate - pay attention to your breath, pay attention to your body - they will both tell you what they need. Pay attention to your thoughts but purely with curiosity, they don't define you - watch them come and go.

Oh and get loads of sleep and drink enough water!

What was the hardest lesson you learned?

The hardest thing I've learned is you have to wait for people to come to you. They will when they're ready. 

What have you changed your mind about recently?

Social media - I was posting every day and I've really stepped back. It's draining and time consuming and although I still keep a presence there I want to preserve my energy and direct it differently.

If you didn’t have to work, what would you do?

If I didn't have to work I would still teach yoga and mindfulness, especially the women's circles that I run. I love seeing the difference what I do makes to people on so many different levels. Maybe I'd just do it somewhere hot and sunny with lots of beautiful land surrounding me!

Do you have children?

I have three daughters - which is wonderful and challenging all at the same time!

What do you do to relax?

To relax I go to the gym! I love how lifting weights makes me feel so I do it early every morning. Being outside also really helps me to relax, walking through woodland or big green fields works best for me.

To really wind down though, I'm all about a book and a big cosy blanket or if it's sunny I'll lie outside with my book.

If pushed to give people the 3 easiest things they could do to improve their health, what would they be?

• No processed food.

• Make sure you move every day - walking with a friend is the best!

• Come to yoga! Guaranteed to feel good!

Is there anything else you’d like to state for the record?

I think we all need to slow down (probably myself included), be kinder (it's free) and spend as much time with our loved ones as possible (family and/or friends, whoever makes you feel best)

I’m sure that will strike chords with lots of our readers! Thanks Anna. Finally, where can we find you if we’d like to join your tribe of yogis?

I have a website with online booking for the classes, or I can be contacted through my Facebook or Instagram pages if you’ve got a question for me.

Great, thanks for the chat Anna. See you on the beach sometime?

Yes certainly! We’re coming into beach yoga season. Those classes book up fast though so get in there quick!