Meet The Team

Centre Manager
Acupuncture, Mindfulness, Yoga
Ruth Irving
BA (hons) Philosophy PGCE. Dip. Ac. MBAcC. YTT
Ruth has been a professional acupuncturist (tCM) for nearly 15 years. It's over ten years since she established Carlisle's principal centre for natural wellbeing, Carlisle Therapies. An integrative approach to health is her philosophy.
Lifestyle changes are key to a tCM (traditional Chinese Medicine) approach to maintaining best health. Ruth encourages her patients to balance their often busy lives with mindful movement, breathwork and mindfulness.
Ruth has completed over 300 hours yoga teaching training (YTT). She runs inclusive indoor weekly classes and workshops from Carlisle city at The Yoga Rooms and outdoor Kirkbride Yoga on the Turf classes - weather permitting.
In 2021 Ruth is expanding her wellbeing services to include Mindfulness. Running monthly Introduction to Mindfulness workshops.
When not managing the centre, working full time as a professional acupuncturist and teaching yoga or mindfulness Ruth can be found in the Cumbrian fells hiking or mountain biking.
Visit her professional Acupuncture and wellness website here.

Yoga & Holistic Therapies incl. Reiki
Jana Mulholland
Jana’s interest in holistic living began many years ago. She turned to yoga, meditation and holistic therapies for self-healing. It truly transformed her life and, realizing how life-changing holistic living can be, she wanted to share it.
This led her onto her own yoga teacher’s journey. Jana travelled to India 2 years later where she had studied many styles of yoga and meditation with some of the best masters gaining her 200hr Yoga and Meditation Teacher Qualification. Whilst in India, Jana has also received her Usui Reiki Level 1 and 2 attunements and became a Reiki practitioner herself.
Since her return from India, Jana teaches various styles of yoga including Hatha, Vinyasa Flow and Yin.
Jana is passionate about inspiring and empowering others to step into their full potential, she truly believes in the body’s ability to heal itself and is devoted to helping others to find this truth for themselves.

Yoga & Tai Chi
Mark Davis
Twenty-five years of learning and along the way I’ve been fortunate in meeting some of the best teaches in the world as part of my own journey. From training long hours in melting humid heat of Sri Lanka to staying in the dark caves of long dead enlightened masters in India, ashrams and mountain tops, the search always leads back to oneself. From Peruvian Shaman and secret teachings of Tibetan Lamas, all these things melt into one within the cauldron of one’s own practice and inner path.
My teaching is part of my practice, it is through this prism that I attempt to pass on what I have learned. Tai Chi, Yoga, and meditation are to me one, even though physically using a different body dynamic, but with dedication and endless practice one can glimpse the unity of one’s whole self; known as “yoga” (unification). This is the core of any true inner practise, develop the awareness and mental inner focus to control the mind, and thus seeking the potential to truly feel and be aware in ever deepening states of consciousness.
My endless journey continues with the delight of learning every day, and hopefully passing a taste of what I have found to others. The health benefits are innumerable helping to keep or rekindle the joy of life and youthful vigour.

Yoga & Tai Chi
Hilary Watson
I began with Tai Chi having seen an advertisement in the local adult education leaflet and really wanted to give it a go. This was in 2003, my teacher then said he was teaching an Ashtanga Yoga class so a few months later I started to do yoga. I could barely touch my toes but persevered.
I began to realize the more you do it the more changes begin to happen in both yoga and tai chi.I started to teach yoga in 2005 and tai chi in 2017. I really enjoy both and the many health benefits they have. My aim is to try and pass this on to anyone I teach. Improving posture and alignment and balance of mind and body. Helping people relax and have more understanding about their body. Both are the ultimate in mindfulness, movement and meditation.
I try to keep my classes friendly and relaxed so a person only goes to their limit which is different for everyone...
I have been taught by some great teachers, I go to a yoga and tai chi class every week to keep my practice going too, you are always learning something new. Through time with practice, you find your general health will improve, it helps you through the ups and downs in life. I like people to feel relaxed and rejuvenated at the end of a class. My classes are suitable for beginners. I can also teach chair yoga and I have taught children's yoga and meditation. Namaste

Qi Gong
Andi Alexander
Andi started learning tai chi in the 90's and when she also discovered Qigong. Tai chi is made up of many qigong movements put together to create a martial art form. Qigong movements are also put together to create healing forms. And this is what Andi teaches at the Yoga Rooms on Fridays at 5.30 pm.
Andi first began teaching Shibashi 1 and 2 in South Scotland in 2005. Shibashi means 18 in Chinese and describes a group of 18 qigong movements for health and flexibility so gentle and relaxing they can be performed all life long.
During lock down Andi extended her knowledge of qigong with Des Lawton, Shiatsu practitioner and Qigong Teacher and owner of Pro-Holistics, Glasgow. It is his Healing Qigong she teaches.

Hypnobirthing, Maternity Reflexology, Reproductive Reflexologist
Alison Lindsay
BSc (Hons), BMid (Hons), RM, MAR, MARR
Alison has been a practising midwife since 2012, working in varied settings including a homebirth team, community clinics, birth centres and busy labour wards.
She began teaching hypnobirthing in 2017 in order to offer new parents a more comprehensive and positive option for their antenatal courses.
Her interests in Women's Health and Fertility have since led her to expand into holistic therapies, where she specialises in reflexology for pregnancy and reproductive health. This can include support for fertility and also for reproductive disorders such as PCOS or Endometriosis.
Alison has qualified in Reproflexology and in doing so, is the only specialist Reproductive Reflexologist in Cumbria.
She works with couples to enhance their natural fertility, and can also support clients planning or going through fertility treatments such as IUI or IVF.
She is Registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and is a Member of the Associations of Reflexologists and Reproductive Reflexologists respectively.
Join Our Team
Located at 8 Chatsworth Square, Carlisle our bespoke holistic health and yoga centre is available to hire.
Our tranquil studio has bamboo flooring and dimmable lighting make this an ideal space for mat based classes such as yoga and pilates.
Capacity of 10 -12 mats (or more if mats are closely spaced)