Zen Holidays

			About Zen Holidays
			Zen holidays (formerly known as agoy holidays) were established by Sacha with yoga teacher Howard Napper of agoy in 2001. Since then we have been taking groups of between 20 - 30 guests to practice yoga in a variety of unique and exotic destinations. Sacha created Zen holidays with the aim of continuing to create affordable yoga holidays that are well organised, yet relaxed and informal. We're a small friendly team who believe that our guests should not only have the opportunity to practice yoga with some of the best teachers in the UK, but that our guests should be able to have fun, eat great food and stay in clean, comfortable and attractive accommodation. Our destinations have been chosen for their location, ambience, quality of service and choice of facilities and we are pleased to have a returning customer rate of over 60%. It gives us great pleasure to see that at the end of our holidays our guests are returning to their busy lifestyles with a complete sense of well being.
			Sacha Taylor-Cox Originally from The Midlands, Sacha lived in London for 10 years and worked in the Music Business as a PR and band manager for most of that time. When she was younger Sacha spent time living and working abroad as a tour guide for a reputable holiday company in Italy, Ibiza, Austria, Paris and Holland. She started to practice yoga in 2000 and found herself on her first yoga holiday to La Gomera in 2001, here she had the most beautiful holiday experience and literally made some life changing decisions. It was on her second holiday to Gomera that she discussed the possibility of bringing her own groups to the centre. They happily agreed and on her return to England she joined forces with Howard Napper to create their first holiday there. It became a favorite choice for Zen Holidays customers for over 7 years. Using her PR skills to launch the holiday brand and then taking on the role of Operations Director Sacha has applied the experience and training she gained when working as a tour guide to all of her holiday operations. Sacha left London to work in Liverpool where she was Head Of Publicity for the funky Channel 4 TV soap Hollyoaks and now happily lives in Brighton enjoying the British seaside!
			Mark Woolford Marc Woolford's unusual but deeply effective approach to yoga is founded on the teachings of Vanda Scaravelli. Time is given to exploring the relationships between the forces of gravity operating through the body and the action of the breath. The postures can then develop from these relationships with a glorious sense of expanding out from the core of the body - 'undoing' and elongating the spine. Surprisingly challenging but suitable for all. Marc has been dedicated to this approach to yoga since 1994, working exclusively with other Scaravelli inspired teachers such as Pete Blackaby, John Stirk, Diane Long and Sophy Hoare and runs regular workshops and weekends around the UK as well as in India, France and the States. He is known for his infectious enthusiasm for the work, and through his deep understanding of the nature of movement, has developed a reputation for helping transform people's practise. He is also very clear that yoga practise is a very personal journey, and is keen to make sure that everyone feels free to work at their own level and pace.
			Suzy Bolt Suzy bolt has been teaching yoga since 1997. She trained and qualified as an Iyengar teacher and has developed a practice based on the Iyengar discipline mixed with a softer approach taken from her interest in the teachings of Vanda Scaravelli. Suzy's classes are fun. She often takes time to discuss postures and encourages learning from each other. As a result, the classes are suitable for all levels of ability and experience. suzy also works for a creative business consultancy and as a personal coach using her training in NLP, Yoga, art and theatre. She will encourage you to think about what you are doing with your mind as well as your body! www.suzybolt.co.uk
			Rishi Lintjeman Rishi Antje Lindemann, is an Integral Hatha Yoga Teacher, who has been practicing Yoga for over 10 years. She has also studied a wide range of different naturopathic ways of healing to enhance physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. As highly experienced Naturopath she uses a number of tools to help people restore and maintain good health. Out of her knowledge of the body's energy system from Acupuncture, she created a combination of Yoga exercises that are able to release blocked energies, optimise all body functions and regulate your energy potential. The focus will be on lower back, hips and regaining flexibility of the spine, with exercises to maintain your health and find your center. Rishi also combines her yoga practice with a variety of different meditation techniques.
			Kathryn McCusker Kathryn trained as a Kundalini Yoga teacher with SKY (School of Kundalini Yoga) in the UK and currently teaches at the Yoga Therapy Centre, Lotus Lifestyle and Triyoga in London. She has taught yoga and mantra workshops in Australia and Europe and her career as a professional singer and teacher of singing informs her approach to mantras which are integral to Kundalini Yoga. Kathryn is the co-founder of the yoga and music project Anjali Sisters (meaning joined hands) which is dedicated to exploring the potential of Mantras and Kundalini Yoga. She has released a healing mantra CD - Ra Ma Da Sa which is available throughout London and she has performed at Yoga Festivals in France and London. Kathryn is currently recording an album of mantras with Anjali Sisters that will be available later in the year. www.anjalisisters.com
			Sylva Sylva Huderlik is a professional Belly Dancer. She started ballet dancing at the tender age of six and progressed on to classical scenic dance. At 18 she left her home country, the Czech Republic and spent a few years exploring Europe, The Middle East and Japan. Immersing herself in Eastern and oriental cultures, six years ago Sylva fell in love with Belly Dancing. She learned from European and Arabic teachers and through the years developed her own style, finding lighthearted and easy ways to teach the basics of Oriental Dance to European students. Her teaching philosophy is to learn in a fun way which is the very essence and origin of Belly Dancing. In ancient times Belly dancers only performed among themselves for enjoyment and relaxation. They used their basic natural movements - powerful yet elegant, and most of all sensual. Their dance was not intended to be seen by men at all, but of course, once men got to know of this secret, how could they resist wanting to watch? As Sylva says: "The joy and pleasure women can receive through Oriental Dance can even make their boyfriends jealous!".