The lovely catalyst

17/03/2026

In films, when the besties go to yoga and vent/ gossip about life, the teacher and other students scowl at them and shush at them. In real life at studios it can feel like even making the floorboard creak under your feet or placing your water bottle down too loudly is a massive no no. Then there’s online yoga with me-
Here at tlc not only do we chat and have a quick catch-up at the start of class, but there’s even one class a week that is entirely talking! Every Tuesday we chat in Yoga Philosophy- a full hour of beautiful conversations, we talk life, death, grief, inspiration, positive action, difficulties and wonderful tangents.
Yoga encompasses so much about life, far beyond the movements. If you want to learn more about yoga, break the “no talking” rule and come along to Yoga Philosophy live online every Tuesday 6:45-7:45 pm UK. If you want to teach your own yoga classes your own way someday dm me “ytt” and I’ll tell you more about this year’s yoga teacher training.
https://www.thelovelycatalyst.com/classes
Photo by Susan Heaton

14/03/2026

Thank you to Held In Our Hearts for inviting me to be a part of this beautiful event. The work they do is so important and so needed. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mums

26/11/2025

From Student to Teacher: tlc’s 200 hour yoga teacher training is officially open!

Have you been thinking of training to become a yoga teacher?

It can be an overwhelming prospect! That’s why I’ve created a guide to help you understand what to look for as you choose your training. I’m always passionate about helping people so whether or not my training sounds right for you I’d still love to chat all things yoga teacher training with you and help you find the best fit for you.

For now check out this blog all about things to consider when choosing the training for YOU!

First things first, to get started, you have to get past the self-doubt. “I can’t even do crow pose or headstand. No yoga teacher training will ever accept me until I can do all the poses.”

23/04/2025

This time next month I’ll be welcoming a beautiful group to my first retreat of 2025, and I couldn’t be more excited!

Before you book, I want to be clear about who this retreat isn’t for:

It’s not for 6am intense yoga practices, we prioritise rest, starting slowly around 8 or 8:30.

It’s not for juice cleansers, our private chef keeps us well fed with hearty meals (and desserts!).

It’s not for detoxers, there will be coffee, prosecco, and a touch of whisky available for those who want them.

It’s not about being strict and serious, our yoga practices are playful, set to soul & Motown tunes with space for laughter.

And it’s definitely not for influencers, there’s no Wi-Fi on our farmstead. This retreat is about slowing down and enjoying fireside chats, books, and nature.

There are a few spots left, starting at £965. If you're looking for a retreat that’s about more joy, more food, more fun, and more rest, this is your sign.

I’d LOVE to have you there!

16/03/2025

weekly classes

At the lovely catalyst there are four very different live online yoga classes per week:

Mondays 6:15-7:15 pm UK Intermediate Flow
Probably what most people imagine when they think of a yoga class. Each month there's a new peak pose we are working towards. This class is an opportunity to challenge yourself and grow physically and mentally.

Tuesdays 6:45-7:45 pm UK Yoga School
This might be the LEAST like what people imagine when they think of a yoga class and it is downright magical! Born out of a time when I was nursing a couch to 5K injury this class is completely discussion-based. Each month there's a new theme from yoga philosophy that we chat and learn about. This class is for EVERYONE. No yoga philosophy knowledge required. I always kick off the class introducing the topic and we allow the conversation to flow from there. The regulars of this class have transformed their ways of thinking and learned so much about themselves as people. We have a mix of religions, cultures and countries on the call each week and that is what brings the depth and richness to this class.

Wednesdays 7:30-8:30 pm UK Sleepy Yoga
The benefits of this class range from: giving you better sleep, increasing your flexibility, aiding muscle recovery from your workouts, easing your body back into movement post injury/ surgery. We use pillows, cushions and blankets to give the body deep stretches and rest. (This class also seems to be a favourite amongst everyones pets as there are always dogs and cats cozying up nearby when we sign on!)

Fridays 12:15-1:15 pm UK Friday Flow
A beginner friendly class that is as dynamic or gentle as needed. We use cushions, and books as our yoga props and flow into Friday feeling calmer, lighter and ready for the weekend.

Want to give yoga a go? Start your 7 day free trial today! https://www.thelovelycatalyst.com/classes

13/02/2025

When asked, What were your biggest takeaways from the training?
Here’s what one of my trainees had to say:
“EVERYTHING!

To be myself as a teacher. Not a teacher I think I should be. This makes me cry. You taught me and your training taught me that I am OK. I am actually more than OK to be authentically me and that is what makes me a good yoga teacher.

The 8 Limbs were priceless life lessons and it’s almost like I want more and more of it on the training. I have a thirst for exploring this more which is great.

The Fire Side chats were huge take-aways for me. I think mainly due to the way I learn, but they brought up such amazing ideas, passions, and learning about humanity that I felt they were something that was unique and so so special that I took away.

That teaching Yoga is an honour and should always be considered as such!

That actually yoga teaching can bring so much to peoples lives and it is a huge responsibility to be a yoga teacher and I almost didn’t expect this realisation. It is absolutely not that I thought it was not a responsibility, but the huge responsibility and the privilege of that responsibility I really took from the training.

Thank you. I love you for every takeaway you so generously showed me.”

Tomorrow is the deadline to register for tlc’s 2025 yoga teacher training. If you are thinking about it get in touch. It’s a privilege for me to share yoga with you!

05/02/2025

Back when I was first falling in love with yoga I had this feeling that someday I wanted to teach it. I wanted to share the calm, the joy, the beauty of it with others.

Knowing that I wanted to become a teacher wasn’t the same as feeling ready to become one. In my naive view, yoga teachers were magical. They were serene almost monk-like perfect beings. They seemed to be forever calm, with vast anatomical knowledge and a green smoothie at the ready. Then there was me, anxious, stressed out with a takeaway coffee in my hand. The timeline for me becoming a yoga teacher was always on the horizon- forever just out of reach.

Then one day while working the front desk at my local yoga studio a teacher I idolised was late. When he managed to get to the studio he was understandably STRESSED. Apparently there had been terrible traffic, road works, every red light- the perfect storm of Murphy’s Law making him late. Once he went into the room to teach I said to his partner “Wow, I’ve never seen him stressed before- I didn’t think yoga teachers got stressed.” His partner laughed at this and assured me that they absolutely do. (Ben can tell you the same about me!)

In that moment I realised I could be a teacher too. I didn’t have to be endlessly calm, and unattainably perfect- I mean, perfection doesn’t exist anyway!

Seeing my teacher as a fellow human was the start of my journey. I realised that to teach, not only could I be myself, but that I had to be myself. Imperfect. Vulnerable. Real.

We are all in it together. As students, as teachers. Not a single one of us is or ever will be “perfect” but all of us can practice, all of us can grow and what a gift it is to do that together.

If you are thinking about becoming a teacher now, take this as your sign- you don’t need to wait to be something you’re not, you are enough just as you are.

Just 9 days left to register for this year’s yoga teacher training! Check the comments for more info 💛

30/01/2025

One of my lovely students was saying how fun it must be to teach yoga- and you know what? She was 100% correct!

Every day I teach I get to connect with my amazing students, see their smiling faces, help them move and stretch their bodies, give them a chance to slow down and stretch time- it’s actually pretty magical.

I also get the joy of sharing adventures with my students. On retreats we get to explore beautiful nature, experience different cultures, laugh around the(breakfast, lunch and-) dinner table. I get time to really speak with them, learn about them, it truly is a privilege.

As a teacher I’ve had the honour of volunteering my time, the fun of teaching on rooftops in the centre of London, the bliss of teaching in Scotland and the absolute joy of teaching yoga from my own home.

If you are curious about what teaching yoga would be like for you I’d LOVE to chat. Book a call with me and let’s start dreaming about your vision as a yoga teacher!

Tlc’s 200 hour ytt begins 1st of March. Registration closes 14th of February. Now is the time to ask your questions and start visualising your future.

29/01/2025

Last night in Yoga School we were discussing non-attachment. **Yoga School is the amazing weekly yoga class where the format is to talk the whole time!

The conversation was deep, and spanned from the small and silly moments of attachment to the huge global ways in which attachment is creating so much pain and suffering in our world.

On a personal note it hit me that I’ve absolutely been attaching to things and making myself miserable over it. Having been sick with a chesty cough for the last six weeks I’m not going to beat myself up about it, but I do want to shift it.

To me the easiest trick to letting go of attachment is to replace it with a commitment. Today I’d like to share my commitments to you:

At tlc as a whole-
My commitment is to positively impact the planet by funding a tree and donating 1% of all profit for every single purchase.

As a yoga teacher and retreat leader-
My commitment is to give much needed tender loving care (tlc) to my busy, big hearted students. Through smiles, check ins, stretches, personalised gifts, and my undivided time and energy.

As a yoga teacher trainer-
My commitment is to generously share my knowledge and support my trainees on their journey to become yoga teachers. Offering mentorship, encouragement and pouring my heart, soul and 12 years of teaching experience into the course.

As a human being-
My commitment is to be a force for good. It’s not always easy, but it’s what feels like home for me. Even in the overwhelm I remind myself that the tiniest of positive actions ripple outwards and they are necessary. No matter how inconsequential they may seem, all positive action matters and is worth it.

So if you are feeling a bit miserable, stuck, overwhelmed, I invite you to take a step back and see if there’s some things you’ve been feeling attached to. See if you can allow yourself to let go of them and replace those attachments with a commitment.

I’d love to hear what you all are committed to, please share in the comments. I bet there’s a lot of us with shared and overlapping commitments and it will do our hearts good to know that we are not alone.

27/01/2025

Are you thinking about doing your 200 hour yoga teacher training? If you want to know more about tlc’s hybrid teacher training why not chat with me directly? I’d love to tell you more about it and answer any questions you have. Book a call with me here:

https://calendly.com/elena-tlc/ytt-q-a

If you register by the end of January you’ll get a free month of unlimited yoga with me. Registration for this year’s ytt closes 14th of February so ask your burning questions now!

I can’t wait to speak to you soon!

Pic from last year’s immersion week

24/01/2025

It’s difficult to distill 200 hours of training into a quick social media post so here’s a snippet of what you should know about the tlc 200 hour ytt.

Are you a big hearted person? Do you love the planet, your fellow people and of course, yoga? Do you want to share your passion with others?

A 200 hour yoga teacher training is the first step to becoming a yoga teacher.

If you want to know more about this one have a swipe through and book on to the free Open House this Sunday 26th 2:30-3:30 pm to ask any burning questions. Link in bio to book!

23/01/2025

Yoga Teacher Training Open House
This Sunday 2:30-3:30 pm UK

This is an opportunity to meet, chat, ask questions and learn more about tlc’s 200 hour yoga teacher training.

Deciding to become a yoga teacher is a big choice and I’d love to support you with that decision.

If you love yoga and want to share your passion for it with others why not come along this Sunday?

Link in bio for more info on the training and to book onto to the free Open House.

See you on Sunday!