top of page

About

Headshot Gemma.jpg
Wholly Yoga Founder,
Gemma Conidis
Retreat Organiser, Host, Yoga Teacher and Creative Practitioner
 
  • BA (hons) and Post Graduate Certificate in Theatre & Performance
  • 200hr Yoga Teacher Training Certificate (Yoga Alliance accredited course)

I am passionate about yoga, meditation, retreats and holding space for others; bringing together talented yoga teachers, caterers and venues to create nurturing and spiritual retreats across Devon and Cornwall.  I also teach yoga classes in Plymouth.

 

Why I'm a huge fan of yoga and retreats...?  Because of the transformative benefits I gained through them myself. Yoga has been in my life for over 24 years, being first introduced to it by my big sister and later finding that it formed a foundational aspect within my theatre training.  Yoga helped me to become more self-aware, centred and grounded.  It has helped me greatly with physical and spiritual health, personal development and to calm my previously overstimulated nervous system.

Yoga was the most effective tool for me during a particular period of high stress levels. I used various self care practices to manage during this period, but the most powerful thing of all was the reset gained by being on silent retreats in the countryside, away from everything, disengaging from electronics and the responsibilities of daily life, being in nature and really tuning into my inner self and my higher self. These retreats also facilitated my most profound experiences of meditation.  Being in a group setting with the shared focused energy in meditation was very powerful and I had experiences far deeper than what I have encountered when meditating alone.

​

​

My background...?  I originally trained in the UK and Paris as a professional theatre performer, specialising in devised physical theatre and site-specific theatre. I then worked in community theatre/arts as a producer and project manager setting up, fund-raising for and facilitating projects and workshops with disadvantaged communities, young people and schools. I taught performance skills to adults and undergraduate theatre students and later moved into outreach work in both the third sector and higher education, project managing programmes and funded projects of up to £1M, developing and working within strategic partnerships, and organising and facilitating events, workshops and residential courses for under-represented groups.

Now I have the pleasure of running Wholly Yoga; organising and hosting yoga retreats across Devon and Cornwall, celebrating the fantastic, peaceful coast and countryside of the South West and the benefits of yoga, meditation, mindfulness, movement, and creativity.

I completed my Yoga Alliance Accredited 200 hr yoga teacher training with the Himalayan Yoga Institute, which proved to be a profound experience and I am honored to share these teachings with groups in my weekly classes and on retreats.

I hope you find something that resonates with or appeals to you in our schedule of events and classes, and look forward to welcoming you to them!
 


Best yogini wishes,
Gemma x

bottom of page