About James Russell

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James Russell MA, Dip DSY

I'm a doctoral researcher and yoga teacher trainer. I hold a Master’s degree in Traditions of Yoga and Meditation from SOAS, University of London, where I specialised in Sanskrit and yoga history.

My yoga journey

I first became interested in yoga while backpacking in Asia in the winter of 1999/2000. I was particularly drawn to haṭhayoga and found I could experience a profound sense of peace simply by breathing deeply in a posture. I also found that chronic pain from an old injury eased significantly and eventually diminished altogether. I started practising daily, attending weekly classes, and regularly visiting India to study yoga intensely.

In 2007, I completed a British Wheel of Yoga Foundation course and travelled to India to complete a yoga teacher training diploma at Yoga Vidya Gurukul near Nasik. The same year, I began teaching, and by 2008, I had transitioned to teaching yoga full-time and embarked on a two-year teacher training diploma with the Devon School of Yoga.

My principal teacher over the years has been Duncan Hulin, whose holistic, non-dogmatic approach has deeply influenced my teaching style. In recent years, my interest in yoga's history and philosophy led me to academic study. In 2023, I completed a Master’s degree in Traditions of Yoga and Meditation at SOAS, University of London, where I focused on Sanskrit and yoga history.

I blend practical experience and scholarship to teach a holistic approach to yoga that encompasses a wide spectrum of practices and embraces the rich cultural diversity of yogic traditions.