Yoga is not just exercise
“Yoga helps people to understand how to work with their bodies in a new, more intelligent and more mindful way. It’s about awareness, evolution and self-knowledge.”
Nicole Schroeter came to Iyengar yoga while seeking an outlet from a stressful job.
She found that she really loved the practice - so much so that six years later, she started teacher training.
Since 2001 Nicole has completed many Iyengar yoga training courses - not originally to go into business but to improve her own knowledge.
However, in 2006 she and her chef husband Tom, who was also referred to Nicole’s yoga teacher to seek treatment for an injury, decided it was time to quit their jobs to open a yoga studio.
“Yoga is not just exercise. It’s a philosophy as well as a psychology; a form of spiritual well-being … It can help you to discover yourself, to be aware of how you’re presenting to the world and to notice your own self-talk. It’s about self-study and self-realisation.”
NICOLE SCHROETER
They had originally purchased their Hall Street premises as a place to live in and they hadn’t planned to open a yoga studio.
Nevertheless, eleven years after moving in they decided to open Yoga Path because they wanted to share their love of yoga with the community of Newport and the surrounding areas.
“Coming up with a business name was simple,” says Nicole. “I wanted a space where I could encourage, motivate and support people to discover their own yoga path and to unlock their true potential.”
Yoga Path offers Iyengar Yoga classes for beginner, intermediate and experienced yoga students taught by Nicole and her team of dedicated, full-time professional yoga teachers.
Nicole and Tom believe their studio is unique because it’s small and very community-focused. They are able to work with small groups and the teachers are concerned about the development of each individual - not just with the physical aspects but the psychological wellbeing of each student as well.
Some of their students have been attending classes for over ten years and Nicole and Tom’s grand vision is to bring yoga to even more people.
“Yoga is not just exercise. It’s a philosophy as well as a psychology; a form of spiritual well-being,” smiles Nicole. “It can help you to discover yourself, to be aware of how you’re presenting to the world and to notice your own self-talk. It’s about self-study and self-realisation.”
Tom says “Eventually we would love to establish a holistic retreat centre that centres yoga philosophy with other elements - but for now we are content with our small studio.
We value the intimacy and the level of trust that our students place in us to care for them. Our reward is being part of the journey to help people develop and change.”
