Marcus shares:
“Like many others, I came to yoga for the physical fix, but soon found the magic went deeper. After a degree in philosophy I’d spent most of my 20s exploring the good life as one half of the Loose Cannons band/DJs, remixing, recording and touring the world, living the dream.
Football was my game but I came to the mat through martial arts – enchanted by the tradition and self-discipline of ninjutsu, combined with the freedom and flow of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
The yoga came later as an attempt to recover from lingering injuries that weren’t healing like they used to. There used to be enough yoga studios in London to do the ‘intro offer’ circuit and try every flavour of yoga available.
When I landed on the ashtanga-inspired Rocket system, I knew I was home.
I went beyond feeling better. Yoga made me feel great. And when the self-study element came through, it became a complete system to me – a way of life rather than just a way of moving. “It’s the martial art you do against yourself” as Nic Gregoriades, the BJJ black belt once said. But I found you really do it with yourself and the older I get, the more I get out of it.
My first Rocket class (and teacher training) was with The Yoga People. They later introduced me to Yin Yoga, as an antidote to the up and up of Rocket (and London yang life.) With that came a deepening appreciation of meditation, stillness of mind and yoga beyond the asanas that originally got me hooked. I went on to advanced trainings with David Swenson, David Kyle and Jason Crandell.
I now run my own teacher trainings with Hannah Whittingham through the Good Life Yoga School in London and online. We have also co-written two books : ‘Greed, Sex, Intention– Living like a yogi in the 21stCentury’ on yogic philosophy in the modern era, and “How To Win at Yoga” on postures and posturing in the age of social media.
Back in 2015 we co-founded the Dead Yogis Society, a karma yoga movement designed to wipe the gloss off the lips of #instayoga and return to the rawness of real practice with real people for real causes. But that was all before Corona wiped the gloss off everything. A different time. I long for the return of the Society, to be back in the rooms, mat to mat; but thank god for Zoom and the new world of online yoga which not only kept us together through the worst times, but has connected me to so many new (and old) faces out there beyond the studio.
I have a deep gratitude and respect to all my teachers past and present, not forgetting The Yoga People – Jamie and Dulce- for introducing me to the Rocket, and Larry Schultz up there for inventing it. Last but not least, salutes to baby boy Phoenix who has thrown down the real advanced yoga life-lessons into the mix since 2017.
The Rocket is an attitude not a sequence and I try to embrace its joyful rebel spirit while respecting the path of self-inquiry it can lead us to.
The physical challenge is ever-present, but it’s the breath-focused moving meditation of the “4-Beat Vinyasa” that is the real core of the practice.
My DJing will always play an integral role, with specially mixed soundtracks laying down the rhythm and specifically attuned tempo of every class: synchronous breath, bass and movement. I understand what it is like to not feel flexible enough for yoga. That’s where I started (and still wake up most mornings) so for any yoga doubters I like to reiterate: this is what should get you onto a mat, not what keeps you off it.”
You can find Marcus teaching at our Shoreditch centre and of course online as well. See his full schedule at triyoga here.
