Highway 1, my favourite drive, wrapped around the California coastline
ABOUT SHEELA
I found yoga at the University of California where
I was doing a PhD in Sociology.
Years of Experience: 20
Workshops taught in USA, Sweden & Singapore
Training:
200-HRS (Absolute Yoga, Thailand)
500-HRS (American Yoga School, Sweden)
500-HRS (Balanced Body Comprehensive Pilates Training, Club Pilates Singapore)
MY STORY: PART ONE
I never planned to be a yoga teacher.
My dream was to be a professor, spending my life reading, writing, and teaching undergraduates.
But during my first semester of a PhD in California, I fell seriously ill and was hospitalised for two weeks. Returning to my apartment at the start of a new school year, I felt utterly drained, overwhelmed by the thought of resuming full-time study and teaching.
My classmates whom I'd known all of four months, became my support system. One suggested I try yoga. I hesitated—my past experiences in Singapore had been messy and disorganised, with packed classes and unclear instruction. But I gave it a chance.
That decision changed my life.
I travel regularly to the US and make it a point to visit Julie every time I am in California. This picture was taken in her home.
Stepping into a sunlit studio, I met Julie Kimball—a tiny woman with a warm smile and sparkling blue eyes, her presence as bright as the light that poured through the windows.
She had studied with B.K.S. Iyengar in India, absorbing the essence of his method, without relying on fear or intimidation.
Her classes blended qi gong, Iyengar asanas, and personalised modifications for each student. Twice a week, we practised for three hours with a view of the Pacific Ocean. I was so weak I was unable to balance well. But she never pushed or pressured me, trusting I knew my limits.
The FIRST lesson she taught me: Yoga isn’t about the shapes we make with our bodies, but the quality of the energy we embody while making them.
No one was performing for anyone else--it was never an asana competition
When class was over, I felt simultaneously deeply calm and energised.
My yoga practice filled me with a sense of safety that I was able to rely on once I'd left the studio. Her voice stayed in my heart and reminded me of my own resilience.
Before I returned to Singapore, she asked me out for tea. I can't recall the words we exchanged that day, but I will never forget her parting gift. As we stepped out of the café into the street, she handed me a huge bag of Meyer lemons. "I know you love these," she said, with a soft smile. They were from the tree in her garden.
The SECOND lesson she taught me: The teacher makes the difference.
Anyone can memorise and recite instructions to guide a student into any asana.
But if that were enough, we could simply play a recording for every yoga class.
Her presence and energy transformed our time together, turning practice into something that soothed my nerves, renewed my spirit, and prepared me for life beyond the studio.
As she gave to me, so do I to my students.
PART TWO: HOW DID I GET INTO PILATES?
Believe it or not, I took my first Pilates class at the same California campus. My teacher was a strict, no-nonsense older woman who rode a motorbike to class in 80s-style leotards and tights.
All I remember thinking was, I hate the hundreds.
Pilates wasn’t for me, and upon my return to Singapore, I immersed myself in yoga teacher trainings, workshops, and an intensive daily practice.
Over the years, however:
-
My own pain & injuries
-
Other teachers' pain & injuries
-
Student stories of being hurt from reckless adjustments & poor instruction
-
My disillusionment with the glorification of hypermobile bodies and "pretty poses"
led me to prioritise strength-building in my yoga classes.
I returned to Pilates because it embodies core principles of strength, control, and rehabilitation—foundations that perfectly align with my teaching philosophy.
My work is rooted in healing—strengthening from the inside out—and it is this therapeutic approach that guides everything I do.
Side note: Beyond his identity as a boxer, gymnast, and bodybuilder, Joseph Pilates was also a skilled physiotherapist who dedicated himself to rehabilitating injured soldiers during World War I.
I became a yoga teacher because my teacher in California met me at a time when I was broken. Practising with her, time slowed, and my spirit felt grounded and calm.
My wish is to bring this same strength, stability, and awareness to my students, whether in yoga or Pilates.
𝘚𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘬𝘩𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘮: The posture should be steady & comfortable 💗🙏🏼