Yoga West is West Auckland's newest yoga studio, situated in the beautiful leafy village of Titirangi. This calming urban retreat will encourage you to stay connected to your centre and your natural presence, while in the midst of daily life.
At Yoga West, we offer a variety of yoga styles and classes and warmly welcome all students - from those seeking to try yoga for the first time, to seasoned yogis wanting to inspire a regular practice. All our teachers have undertaken the highest quality training and are passionate about sharing the healthful benefits of yoga.
We believe there is a yoga practice for everyone, and it is our hope that you can find one that changes your life into a happier, healthier and more heart-centered one!
Steph Meaden - Co-founder / Owner
When Steph first fell in love with yoga, she found it the perfect way to practice self-care in the midst of a high stress lifestyle. Through some enlightening global adventures and after completing her yoga teacher training in Bali in 2013, it became clear that there was an alternative to the fast paced way of life she was seeing around her. By sharing her vision of how to create a happy, balanced and fulfilling life, Steph supports others to align with their goals and values and create positive relationships. She is a strong advocate for incorporating yoga, mindfulness, nutrition and nature into personalised wellness recipes.
Steph's extensive clinical background in mental health, understanding of holistic wellbeing and love of motivational conversation make her an inspirational and refreshing mentor. Her therapeutic style is positive, compassionate and completely individualised. Steph is available for personalised health and lifestyle assessments, one on one therapeutic coaching and wellness workshops. She couldn’t be more excited about the creation of Yoga West and all the goodness it offers to our community.
Haidee Stairmand - Slow Flow + Yoga Basics Course
(Available for private sessions)
Haidee has been practicing Yoga for over 20 years and teaching for over 10.
She is passionate about Moving with ease, a self proclaimed Anatomy and physiology geek and brings elements of this to her teaching style. Initially trained in contemporary yoga she has gone on to study, Pregnancy Yoga, Yoga therapy, Yin yoga, Hanna Somatics, Neuro Kinetic therapy, Bio Dynamic Cranial Sacral therapy and iRest Yoga Nidra.
Haidee believes in the power of slow and the bodies intelligence to restore and bring balance through awareness. Her classes combine somatics, breathing and easeful but powerful movements. Haidees classes are great for those with injuries or limitations.
Haidee is also part of the teaching faculty of The Contemporary Yoga school of NZ. Haidee also runs a private practice clinic out of the Studio specialising in chronic health conditions, rehab and muscular skeletal issues.
Steph Leighton - Vinyasa + Yin
Steph sees yoga as a system of practices to build self awareness. Practicing yoga has provided her with a greater sense of what she is experiencing on both a physical and an emotional level.
Her classes and practise are inspired by embodied flow which brings a meditative experience of the body systems. Steph will guide you to tune into your inner landscape and to move in an integrated way.
When she’s not in the studio you will find Steph playing with her dog and exploring the wild landscapes of New Zealand.
Justyna Schroeder - Yin
Justyna discovered yoga over 18 years ago, in a very loud and chaotic centre in London. From there, yoga has been a constant throughout the many changes in her life.
Having explored many styles of yoga, it was after Justyna did a Yin yoga class several years ago that she fell in love with the deep, calming effect of Yin. Inspired to take her love of the practice further, she embarked on her 200 hour Teacher Training in Yin Therapy with a strong focus on anatomy, energy work and meditation.
Further training in Reiki as a healing modality has complimented Justyna’s approach to holistic wellness through movement, energy and stillness of the mind.
Justyna is passionate about the potential for Yin to provide a perfect counterbalance to our lives that are often busy with striving and ‘doing.’ The idea of observing oneself with compassion and non-judgement is central to her approach, where she aims to create a safe and nurturing environment for students to let go, both emotionally and physically through Yin Yoga and to support them on their own Journey.
Sophia de Fossard - Vinyasa + Mindful Meditation
Come and join Sophia for a fiery vinyasa practice! Using the yogic concept of Agni, get your inner fires burning with a strong flowing sequence using the rhythm of the breath, balanced with floor work and a final release in a long guided relaxation at the end of every class. Each class has something different and all levels are welcome.
Sophia has been practicing yoga and meditation for nearly thirty years and teaching for ten. She trained in the UK in Vinyasa flow, pregnancy yoga and traditional Yoga Nidra. Her practice is firmly grounded in the philosophy and theoretical yoga traditions, and she has trained with renowned teachers all over the world.
Sophia’s classes are challenging and fun, and she looks forward to welcoming you onto the mat.
Jo Schwenke – Ashtanga Yoga
Jo discovered yoga in 1993 and her passion and love for her practice is clearly evident in her regular Ashtanga and Hatha Yoga practice.
Jo believes Ashtanga can be used as a tool for transformative change in a range of one's life. She utilises the six limbs of yoga and interest in sports performance to cultivate a holistic approach to health and happiness. She uses daily yoga asana, yogic breathing, relaxation, nutrition and meditation to bring focus, calm and mindfulness to her teaching practice and other daily activities.
She completed her YA800 hour Ashtanga Teacher training at the Auckland Yoga Academy, and remains a practitioner at this shala today. She continues to study the philosophical and psychological insights defining yoga by studying Patanjali's Sutras to enhance her skills as a Yoga teacher and honour the essence of this 5000-year-old teaching. Jo guides her Students with the love, grace and the compassion of a dedicated yogini.
Lucy Everett - Vinyasa
Lucy is trained in Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga and also has a long career supporting talent within the creative industries. She brings a nurturing and powerful class, leaving you feeling strong, centred and invigorated. Lucy's style of practice is all about empowering you to shine.
Lauren James - Yin
I’m Lauren and I’ve been a yogi for over 20 years and been teaching since 2015. I originally trained at the Centre for Contemporary Yoga Studies and have since built on this with Yin training with Jennifer Crescenzo in Melbourne; teacher development with Vincent Bolletto and Nikki Ralston along with continual training in Australasia. I enjoy teaching all types of yoga, but have become particularly focused on teaching yin as this has brought the most balance to my life as a former athlete, constant adventurer and corporate worker and has complemented delving into work on exploring my deeper self and the divine feminine.
Parallel to my yoga and what I use to infuse my teachings, I am trained as a Life Coach with the Beautiful You Coaching Academy. I have also completed my Reiki 2; aromatherapy massage and Art of Feminine Presence Level 2.
Yoga has greatly impacted my life on all fronts. I love the deeper awareness of my body as well as connection to myself and the world around me that yoga creates. I like to integrate philosophy in a practical way in my classes and also props / uniqueness to create a mindful experience.
Looking forward to adventuring on the mat together!
Hazel Mcculloch
Hazel is new to teaching yoga but has been a yoga practitioner for many years. She began her yoga journey when living in a small town in Northern Thailand called Mae Sai. She attended a small studio where the classes were taught in Thai and fell in love with the practice, especially strong vinyasa flows. She then moved back to Dunedin (her home town) where she cleaned in a local studio in return for free classes - which she attended daily. After building a foundation Hazel was able to create her own self-practice. Yoga has guided her through many times of uncertainty in her life and she finds that the best way to re-connect to herself is to get onto her mat. Hazel sees immense benefit for both body & mind with a regular yoga practice and is excited to be able to share the traditional practice with the community Yoga West. She recently gained her 200 hour Hatha yoga teaching certification and hopes to also study to become a YIN teacher later this year.
Loren Honey - Yin
Loren has been practising yoga since 2013 when she was searching for something to calm her nervous system in the midst of her divorce. She quickly fell in love with meditation and yoga as a way to slow down and tune inwards and has explored many different types of yoga before settling into yin yoga. No that Loren has completed the Yin Culture 100 hour TT, she's stoked to be sharing this practice.
Her focus is the energetic, somatic and embodiment of these ancient teachings and this is weaved into her classes. Loren also holds women's circles, is a qualified breathwork facilitator, life coach and author of Sacred Seasons - a book delving into menstrual cycles.
Loren aims to help those sharing space with her to access their own inner GPS system - their intuition - and connect the mind with the body.
Megan Blennerhassett - Post Natal
Megan is a passionate yoga teacher and lifelong student of yoga. She lives, breathes and teaches from her own practice and experience.
She's also a kiwi blessed to live in Titirangi with her two boys where she finds the natural bush and beach environment beautiful and inspiring.
She has been teaching for around 18 years and holds a diploma in Yoga from Wellpark College along with certifications in Ayurvedic, nutrition and massage studies. She has a background in martial arts, energy healing arts and acro yoga and more recently contact improv dance. She believes in the power of yoga for healing and transformation and for discovering the joy of living a life aligned with highest Self. She loves cacao, photography and cats, playing in kids playgrounds and going on adventures especially in Nature.
You'll find her teaching Yin, YinYang, Power and Slow Flows, Restore, Post Natal, Kids and yoga Nidra across Auckland. She's one of those teachers that loves a good playlist, candles and a sprinkling of philosophy, poetry and quotes into her classes.
Sarah Robinson - Vinyasa
Sarah initially started in the Health and Wellness industry as a Group Fitness Instructor at Les Mills, where she's worked for over 5 years. Here she discovered a Yoga inspired program, which not only felt good for her body, but also helped her move through periods of depression.
As she developed her Yoga practice, she wanted to know more and get closer to the source.
She completed her 200hr Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training with Yogakoh in March 2022, which was a profound turning point in her Yoga journey.
Sarah aspires to help others through the practice of Yoga, knowing from her own experience that there is always something that someone can take away.
Dani Afflecks
Dani has been teaching in NZ and Australia for nearly 5 years, and practising for double that. It was while she was travelling overseas, spending time in ashrams and conscious communities, that she got a real taste of the yoga lifestyle and the contentment and enjoyment it offered.
She began her teacher training in 2016 with Krishna Village School of Yogic Studies in Australia, and has gained a 500hr vinyasa qualification through them. She has since gone on to study in areas such as yin, mental health, trauma informed, and yoga therapy. Her keenness to learn means she is always refining her skills.
Dani's passion lies in helping people overcome disruptive mental chatter, let go of habitual thought patterns, and reprogramme the mind, body and nervous system so that they work for us, not against us. She offers practical techniques that you can take off the mat that help deal with stress and the overwhelm that life sometimes offers.
Through mindful movement, breath awareness and a keen sense of curiosity, she guides you to arrive at a place deep within that is kind, quiet, and calm.
Alex Rangecroft - Vinyasa & Yin
Alex is an experienced and dedicated Yoga teacher (500h E-RYT) and Reiki master.
Whilst growing up in a holistic minded household in the UK, Alex was regularly taken to meditation classes and was first taught Reiki (energy healing) at the age of 14. It was here that the seed of inspiration was planted for Alex to continue to live a holistic lifestyle and to be of service in the world around her.
After years representing GB in gymnastics and then going on to gain a degree in contemporary dance, Alex found yoga when she began to look for a more sustainable and nurturing way to move, live, connect and flourish.
Teaching her first ever yoga classes in 2014 in Portugal, Alex continued to travel around the world, teaching in Switzerland, Melbourne, Sydney, and is now based here in New Zealand.
Having completed a diverse array of trainings in: Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Tantrik Hatha, Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Breathwork, Myofascial Roll and Release Technique, Dynamic Movement Therapy and PNF Stretching, Alex created her own wellness business called 'Live Align Flow' that brings a grounded and embodied sense of knowledge and wisdom to her 1:1 sessions, workshops, retreats and trainings in a relaxed, authentic and welcoming environment.
As a lead trainer on the 200h YTT (yoga teacher training) at Kawai PuraPura, Alex enjoys supporting students to walk the yogic path with a sense of openness, curiosity and compassion.
"I'm fascinated by the mind-body-soul-spirit link and how we can move more mindfully through our lives, cultivating a deeper sense of connection, purpose, love, empowerment, and joy. And yoga and Reiki are such great systems to help us to do this."
Donna Cheyne - Kundalini
Donna is living proof of the many benefits that can be received with the practice of Kundalini Yoga. A competitive horse rider for many years, Donna began Kundalini Yoga and Gong Relaxation through her personal journey searching for relief from physical painand mild depression.
Becoming passionate about passing on amazing benefits like stress relief, better sleep, improved clarity and calmness of mind, enhanced creativityand so much more. Donna completed teacher training in both Kundalini Yoga(2020) and Contemporary Yoga (2022) and became a certified Master Gong Practitioner(2019).
The unique structure of Kundalini Yoga includes mantra (chanting), mudra (hand positions), pranayama (breath work), kriya (physical postures), meditation and a gong sound bath relaxation. You may often leave a class feeling lighter, brighter, and full of energy for your day.
Donna aims to offer classes that can be practised by anyone, any age or fitness level, classes are suitable for beginners.