Our Story

Twenty-nine years of teaching, training and tending a community of yoga teachers — built on depth, rigour, and the belief that yoga belongs to everyone.

29Years in South London

~2,000Students trained

12+Senior specialist faculty

RYS 200 & 300Yoga Alliance accredited

Our community

A yoga school built on decades of practice

The Shala School of Yoga evolved from decades of practice, teaching and deep immersion in yoga's transformative potential. Created in 2016 as a sister organisation to The Shala yoga centre founded in 1997, the School emerged as a place where some of the UK's most experienced teachers could share their valuable knowledge to nurture the next generation of teachers.

What evolved was not just a sharing of techniques and theory, but a catalyst for the profound shifts that happen personally when yoga practice becomes a way of living.

We advocate yoga as something far beyond physical fitness — a discipline that speaks to the whole person: body, mind, heart, and spirit. Our approach honours yoga's ancient roots while embracing contemporary understanding, creating trainings that are rigorous without being dogmatic.

Since our founding, around two thousand students have moved through our programs — some becoming certified teachers, others deepening their teaching, many coming along for the deep personal journey these trainings facilitate.

Founder Gingi Lee

Gingi founded The Shala in 1997 and The Shala School of Yoga in 2016. With nearly three decades of practice and teaching behind him, Gingi has guided generations of teachers and practitioners — anchoring the school's ethos of authenticity, humility and depth. He continues to lead both 200-hour and 300-hour trainings, teaching from the heart with compassion, love and humour.

The greatest blessings over the years of running the Shala have been the students — inspiring extraordinary people, of all ages and from all walks of life, each with their own life struggles and victories. From each I take away something and learn something new.

"The inclusivity and warmth from teachers and students is like nowhere else. The training modules are delivered with such authenticity, you feel held and supported — it's an extraordinary experience. I never want the courses to end!"

— Shala Student

What actually happens

Students share with us the same feedback over and over again: something fundamentally shifts for them during these trainings. Not just in their understanding of yoga, but in how they meet themselves and connect differently to others and the world around them.

There's a quality of openness that emerges when like-minded, open-hearted people gather and commit to this kind of learning — a willingness to be vulnerable, to question, to grow beyond the limits of what once felt comfortable.

"We don't attribute this to any magic we possess. It happens because we've created conditions where genuine, raw, open, real human connection can flourish."

Our teachers show up as real humans who never stop learning, not as gurus who have all the answers. They bring their expertise — decades of it — but also their humanity, their ongoing questions, their continued evolution. And they learn equally from the students they are training.

Transformation happens in the exchange — in honest conversation, in bodies moving together, in the alchemy of co-regulation, in the quiet moments of shared practice. In the laughter and the tears and everything else in between.

Continuous evolution

Honouring Roots

We honour the eight-limbed path, the ancient texts, the wisdom passed down through generations. The spiritual and philosophical dimensions of yoga as a way of life — we strive to keep these alive even as practice has become increasingly mainstream.

Embracing Evolution

Yoga is a living, breathing, ever-evolving tradition that must speak to the lives people are actually living — in contemporary bodies, facing present-day challenges, seeking meaning in a complex world. Modern research enriches ancient practice.

Attunement to Self

Teaching students to tune into their own needs — to challenge themselves in ways detached from striving, competitiveness and goals. We encourage practice attuned to self-nourishment, physically, emotionally and spiritually, honouring ahimsa throughout.

Nearly three decades in South London

1997

The Shala is bornOriginally known as Sangam, one of only three yoga centres in London at the time. Starting in a small warehouse in Battersea, classes filled through word-of-mouth alone.

2000s

Growing roots across South LondonOver the years The Shala moved through various South London spaces, building a devoted community around authentic, heart-centred yoga.

2014

West NorwoodThe Shala settles into its beautiful Victorian warehouse in West Norwood — a home that reflects the warmth and character of the community it serves.

2016

The School is foundedThe Shala School of Yoga is born as a sister organisation — providing a platform for some of the UK's most experienced teachers to pass on their knowledge through in-depth courses and trainings.

2026

The Shala Yoga Centre passes to new directorshipThe Shala yoga centre transitions to new directorship under Daniela Vanasco. Same place. Same team. Same ethos. New name — Vahni.

Now

A new era for the Shala School of YogaThe school steps into a new focused chapter under the continued directorship of Gingi Lee and Ella Milroy — carrying forward the ethos that has shaped it across three decades.

Senior faculty with exceptional depth

Practitioners who've dedicated years — often decades — to both personal practice and the art of teaching. What unites them is something beyond credentials: heartfelt authenticity. No performance required. Ego left at the door. Just exceptionally experienced practitioners sharing what they know with generosity.

The awareness, humility, humour, patience and generosity of teachers was consistent — teaching us the essence, ethics, magic, nuance and grace of yoga in a subtle, authentic way.
— LS, 200-Hour Graduate

Co-founder & Lead Teacher

Gingi Lee

Founder of The Shala and The Shala School of Yoga. Teaches from the heart with compassion, love and humour.

Lead Teacher Trainer – 300 hours, Yoga Nidra, Yin, Pranayama, Yoga Anatomy

Melanie Cooper

Lead trainer on both flagship programmes, with decades of practice and teaching experience.

Senior Faculty 200 & 300–hr Teacher Trainer · E–RYT 500, YACEP

Charli Van Ness

Senior teacher across both the 200 and 300-hour programmes, bringing profound depth of knowledge.

Dr Matthew Clark

YOGA PHILOSOPHY YOGA HISTORY

Norman Blair

YIN YOGA

Jennie Wadsten Sharma

PREGNANCY POST NATAL BABY & ME

Emma Landolt

ELEMENTAL MANDALA ELEMENTAL NIDRA

Students from all walks of life

Our students come from varied backgrounds and with different intentions. Some seek personal transformation. Others want to become teachers. Many are already teaching and are with us to advance their skills. Some work in caregiving professions and want to integrate yoga's tools into their existing work.

What matters isn't your background or current skill level — it's your willingness to engage deeply, honestly, and with an open heart. Our smaller group sizes (usually 15–22 students) ensure personalised attention and meaningful connection.

Our students include…

Yoga Teachers
Healthcare Professionals
School Teachers
Therapists & Counsellors
Doulas & Midwives
Life Coaches
Personal Practitioners
Anyone called to this path

Yoga Alliance-accredited training

We offer RYS 200 and RYS 300 accredited programmes alongside a full calendar of CPD courses — designed for both personal development and professional teaching excellence.

200h

Level 1 Teacher Training

A comprehensive immersion for those beginning their teaching journey or deepening personal practice. The full foundation programme.

Explore 200-Hour →

300h

Level 2 Advanced Training

For teachers with a 200-hour qualification seeking to refine and expand their offerings. Deepen practice, broaden speciality.

Explore 300-Hour →

CPD

CPD & Modules

Ongoing professional development in specialised areas — from one-day workshops to week-long intensives. Craft your own unique learning path.

View CPD & Modules →

A school open to all

We are committed to inclusivity and accessibility — values we keep front and centre as we change and evolve. Our trauma-informed teaching methods honour all bodies and backgrounds.

We offer bursaries and scholarship opportunities to ensure courses are available to those called to share yoga, regardless of financial circumstances.

There's no single "right way" to practice or teach yoga — there are many authentic paths, and we honour that plurality. Our beautiful, purpose-built studio provides an ideal setting for this work, but more important is the atmosphere we cultivate — one of safety, support, curiosity, and genuine care.

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Trauma-Informed Practice

All teaching approaches are grounded in trauma awareness, honouring every body and lived experience in the room.

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Bursary & Scholarship Pathways

Financial support is available to ensure that genuine calling — not financial circumstances — determines access.

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No Single "Right Way"

A non-dogmatic approach that embraces the richness of yoga's many traditions and diverse perspectives.

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The Ripple Effect

The more diverse our teaching community, the wider their reach into different lives and communities.

Ready to begin?

We've been doing this work for nearly three decades. We've seen what's possible when people commit to genuine practice and communities form around shared values.

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