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Meet the teachers
​At Maya, our dedicated team of experienced yoga instructors brings the transformative power of mindfulness, yoga, and creative arts to your practice. Meet our inspiring teachers who lead our classes for both children and adults, guiding you on your journey to holistic well-being.
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Anna Mavromatidou Whyte
Founder of MAYA School of Life
Certified Yoga &
Mindfulness Teacher
I was first introduced to Yoga at the age of 12 years old. It was just a few pages of paper with hand drawn asanas and their descriptions brought back from India by one of my Mum’s colleagues, which for some unexplained reason made their way to our house, where nobody was interested in practising Yoga (apart from me, as was discovered!).
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Later in my teens I became very interested in the esoteric work of Nikolay and Elena Rerich, based on the ancient teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. It was so different, enticing ,magical and heartwarming! However, being young and full of love for classical music, I made a decision to put my esoteric endeavours aside for a while and dived deep into my music studies, which eventually brought me to Glasgow in 2000, where my interest in yoga was re-ignited.
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Since then, I’ve been training in Yoga and Mindfulness, attending and leading courses, study retreats and workshops.
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I love learning and sharing my knowledge, helping children and adults explore, enquire into, discover and embrace the kaleidoscope of experiences that make up our daily life, opening a door to a more rich understanding of what it is like to be a human.
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I believe that the opportunity to study the ancient teachings of Yoga and Mindfulness from a primary school age allows children to learn important life skills that can enhance the development of their physical, emotional, mental wellbeing.
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And since it is never too late to learn something new, our classes for adults offer similar opportunities.
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Mark Russell
Certified Yoga Teacher,
Thai Yoga Massage Therapist
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I began practising Yoga in 2007, initially to help with his triathlon training. I knew there was a deeper level to the practice and after 4 years of practice I began my first teacher training in 2011. I have been a continual student of Yoga since then.
During my first teacher training I read AG Mohan’s book on Krishnamacharya. This had a profound effect upon me and my thoughts on teaching. I went to India in 2013 to study with AG Mohan and Indra Mohan and have been a student with them for the past 10 years. I completed Mohan's own Yoga Teacher Training in early 2020.
I am a firm believer that Yoga should be adapted to the person and not the person adapted to Yoga. This person-centred approach allows lots of freedom within my Yoga classes to adapt, to rest whenever needed, to expand and to grow.
I have also studied anatomy with Gary Carter since 2014. This knowledge helps underpin how I teach and support a functional based approach to movement for the human body.
I have also practised and studied Thai Massage since 2014. This beautiful hands-on technique deepens my and the receivers understanding of movement and releasing our bodies from the daily stresses they incur.
I have completed many qualifications in Yoga, Thai Massage, anatomy and AcroYoga.
I regularly facilitate retreats both in Scotland and Europe. These are always wonderfully well-received and beautiful opportunities for individuals to rest and reset.
I believe that Yoga is available to anyone. If you breathe, you can practise. In fact, the breath has always been at the centre of my teaching, both for physical well-being and to bring mental calmness.
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Kridaka Yoga
"Movement For The Body, Stillness For The Mind."
Emma Fenwick
Certified Yoga Teacher, Shiatsu Massage Therapist
I've had an interest in yoga and meditation for over 25 years. Yoga gives me the physical,mental and emotional strength to cope with life's ups and downs. I love to share simple yoga practices that can be easily incorporated into daily routines and can make a really noticeable difference to people’s sense of well-being.
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I completed my Seasonal Yoga teacher training in May 2023 and I'm currently continuing my studies with a yoga philosophy course run by my main teacher Marit Akintewe.
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I completed my shiatsu massage training with Elaine Liechti at the Glasgow School of Shiatsu nearly 20 years ago. I was inspired to start the training without knowing much about it but with an instinct that shiatsu could balance energy and help people in a similar way to yoga.
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I've worked in various health and social care roles over many years. I volunteer at Kilbryde Hospice where I teach gentle yoga and offer shiatsu massage. I teach yoga in a gym in Motherwell and am enjoying sharing my knowledge and love of Yoga with children at MAYA School of Yoga and Mindfulness.
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I feel very fortunate to be in a position to help people through life's struggles. I'm always looking for ways to empower and inspire people to value themselves, their wellbeing and their contribution to their communities.