Ali Gunning

Ali had been practising yoga for many years but awakened to the understanding that 'all life is yoga' only after a first visit to India. So every year she returns there to 'plug back in' and seek new inspiration.

Trained in the Akhanda (meaning 'wholeness') style of Yogrishi Vishvketu in Rishikesh, her teaching places a strong emphasis on breath and inner enquiry. As a holistic yoga therapist Ali works particularly with mental health and eating disorder recovery. Her personal practise continues to evolve, anchored through the years by Babaji's Kriya Yoga. Through yoga Ali feels she finally made friends with her body and discovered a blueprint for a more conscious life off the mat. She is passionate about all that the ancient streams of yoga have to offer us in facing the challenges of modern life. The journey into sacred sound began, reluctantly, through mantra; and feeling a call to go deeper she was guided to the gong, studying with leading gong masters Don Conreaux, Tom Solton and Abby delSol (Tone of Life) and Sheila Whittaker.

Home is a house boat, 'Epona' on the river Stort, where connection with nature keep her feeling grounded and alive. You can find Ali for classes, workshops and sound baths at The Well Garden in Hackney and throughout Hertfordshire - or hosting retreats in India. Ali co-created 'Resonant Retreats' with raw food chef Francesca Paz; encouraging us to connect with the seasons and connect with our authentic selves.

Writing has been a love since childhood - through a 'past life' bashing out marketing copy to today blogging about all things yoga and sound related. The writing that has most inspired her is 'I, Lalla' the poetry of Lal Ded and, of course, 'Autobiography of a yogi'.

Articles by Ali Gunning:

Kundalini Yoga
The concept of Kundalini Yoga comes from tantra but the ‘serpent power’ it awakens is recognised and reflected across many ancient traditions and cultures. The word ‘Kundalini’ comes from the sanskrit root ‘kund’ meaning that which is coiled, or pit. Which aptly describes two aspects of this ‘serpent power’: Kundalini is the...
Yoga & the Nervous System
You might wonder why after a challenging and sweaty session, stretching muscles in places you didn’t know existed, and testing your limits of focus and concentration, you can yet feel so deeply relaxed! Many of yoga’s benefits relate to its relationship with the nervous system. Here we explain how and why… Nervous system 101 So the human nervous system has two main branches: Central (CNS), consisting of the brain and spinal chord; and Peripheral, linking the structures of the body, organs and limbs with the CNS. From the spine originate motor nerves, directing our movement, while sensory nerves lead back and forth to the brain, accomplishing appropriate responses to our outer and inner environments.
The Daily Motivation to Meditate
So you’ve found your technique, bought the cushion and marked out a spot in the living room. In some ways meditation is not the hard bit; yogis tell us it is our natural state of mind to be still, present and content. No, often the hardest part is the motivation to make it part of our daily life. To just sit. We read how good meditation and mindfulness are for us, we even begin to experience it, but still sometimes the will is lacking. Take an inspiration a day as the motivation to sit, walk, breath – or however you bring yourself towards stillness.