Meet Jane Craggs

Jane became interested in yoga in her late 20s following a 6 month recovery from glandular fever. Prior to this she had dabbled as a drama student, and had some wonderful experiences in deep states of relaxation, but couldn’t resist the lure and  excitement of life as a theatre designer and later a stand up comedian!

Like many of her students, it was when her body and mind said “no” that she realised she needed some help in finding more balance and peace. She attended regular classes whilst living in Spain, and developed a self practice to support her nomadic lifestyle working for a touring  theatre company. Eventually settling in Madrid she enrolled in a teacher training course with the intention of deepening her own knowledge and practice.

Although Jane had no intention of becoming a yoga teacher, on her return to the UK in the late 1990s Jane realised a return to the hectic world of theatre wasn’t an option anymore. As as she began further study with various teachers she realised that  she was now increasingly living her yoga practice.

Jane began training with the British Wheel of Yoga, and in 2001 opened the first independent Yoga studio in Manchester’s then edgy Northern Quarter. Yogaspace was the beginning of an inclusive yoga community which has continued to develop and grow.

Following its closure in 2004, the legendary Manchester Yoga Shala rose from its ashes. This yoga teachers collective was a wonderful “disorganisation” which provided a yoga home for a very diverse crowd of city centre dwellers. It ran for 5 wonderful years and supported many new teachers who are now experienced elders in the yoga community

Jane was fortunate to learn with some inspiring and influential yoga teachers including Sarah Powers and Donna Farhi. But it was reading a book called “Yoga for Body Breath and Mind” by A.G. Mohan, that really helped to clarify the path of yoga and the luminous photo of  a smiling A.G. and Indra Mohan convinced her that she must study with these teachers one day.

And so, in 2010, her Svastha yoga journey began in Tamil Nadu India with an amazing course called “Yoga Psychology”, a journey through the Yogasutras of Patanjali. Jane continues to study the yoga of Krishnamacharya with the Mohan family and is supported by the clarity and accessibility of their teachings.

“I have enjoyed going to Jane’s Wednesday night yoga class at St Clements for about 3 years. The yoga she teaches has allowed me to approach life with a greater strength and openness of heart and my upper back, which used to get so stiff and sore, feels much better now too.” – Anita