Graduating with a first class degree in Neuroscience with Psychology in 2011, Oliver began practising Ashtanga yoga in 2014, Mysore style, under the watchful eye of Sarah Durney. Still carrying the rigour and dedication of Ashtanga yoga to this day, Oliver now follows a less dogmatic approach, blending it with alternative forms including classical Hatha sequencing. In 2017 he gained his RYT 500+ hrs with Indea Yoga under the direct tutelage of Bharat Shetty with repeated visits to India across the next 7 years.

Currently teaching full time around Aberdeen city and shire, Sunday through to Friday, Oliver's  teaching has a deep focus on conscious breathing and how it affects one physically and emotionally. He also enjoys exploring the many intersections between Western Science and Eastern philosophy, connecting back to my neuroscientfic roots.

Why Charcoal Yoga?

Charcoal Yoga is not a style of yoga. I chose this name as future-proof  in case one day I end up working alongside other teachers or owning a studio. For me, Charcoal Yoga also acts as a metaphor for the way I approach my yogic practice...

Art, medicine, industrial energy, horticulture… charcoal permeates every area of life as we know it. Take some vegetation, burn it with a low oxygen supply over an extended period of time, and there you have it: solid black charcoal, which itself burns cleanly, without much smoke. So it is with the body, finely tuned through asana. Fire yourself daily on the mat, control your breath, have patience in the process and you will yield the results.