Barefoot Yoga
with Verity Thompson
About Verity
I first started practising hatha and ashtanga yoga about 15 years ago, with two wonderful teachers in Reading - Veronika Peňa de la Jara and Cathy Paul. At a time when many parts of my life just weren’t working out as I’d hoped, yoga gave me a feeling of freedom, flexibility and strength, but also that elusive something else - a sense of peace, connection and acceptance.
Of course, it’s never quite that easy; often I couldn’t get into poses, couldn’t balance, couldn’t concentrate, or just collapsed into fits of giggles… but overall I knew that yoga was a good thing, and I’ve stayed with it ever since.
In 2007 I moved to Warwickshire and started practicing ashtanga with Digby Platt and dynamic vinyasa with Mark Freeth – both excellent teachers! Then in 2009 I trained with Mark Freeth’s Freestyle Yoga Project and with Sun Power Yoga (Yoga Alliance 200hr accredited teacher training). Since qualifying I’ve taught regular classes in Warwickshire, and irregular classes at festivals and other events. In 2021 I started working three days per week for a charity in Glastonbury... so I now spend half my time in Warwickshire and half in Somerset. It's a long commute, but at least it means I can teach in both places!
I’m committed to improving my practice and deepening my understanding of yoga, and sharing this with others, and over the years I’ve attended workshops with many renowned teachers, including David Swenson, Liz Lark, Ambra Vallo, Hamish Hendry, Danny Paradise, David Sye and Scott Johnson.
I feel very blessed to teach yoga and give thanks to all those teachers - and students - who’ve helped and inspired me along the way, and who continue to do so.
When not teaching yoga, I work as a fundraiser (my Proper job), and when I'm not doing that I can usually be found outdoors somewhere – hiking, biking or camping, or volunteering at my local organic community farm. I’m passionate about sustainability and helping people to connect with the natural world, and have helped set up a community woodland and a horticultural therapy project in Warwickshire. I also enjoy art and illustration, and have been able to create illustrations for causes that I care about, including organic growing, conservation and environmental education. See: www.sketchy.org.uk.