For Ange Knight, yoga is far more than movement; it’s a way of finding connection, healing, restoration and empowerment. Drawing on her own journey through pregnancy, birth and motherhood, Ange has created a nurturing space where women feel supported through every stage of matrescence. From gentle, mindful yoga classes to her community initiative, Parachute – a soft landing for parents, carers and little ones – she is helping parents rediscover the “village” so many long for. Here, Ange talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the experiences that shaped her business, the power of authentic connection and why she believes the simplest moments often have the greatest impact.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
My deep love of yoga lies in its transformative power as a form of healing, acceptance, empowerment and restoration. Its benefits extends beyond the ‘class’ or session. Yoga has been my anchor through distance, change, matrescence and everything in between.
As an Australian living in the UK, “home” has come to mean many things – not just within, but in the people and communities that have shaped my journey.
I aim to honour the essence of yoga, which means to yoke or join, and to inspire this sense of union from the inside out. My intention is to journey with others and share the physical, emotional and spiritual benefits of this lifelong practice that I feel privileged to share.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
Two years after completing my yoga teacher training, I signed up for pregnancy yoga teacher training whilst pregnant. Before then, I focused on vinyasa and yin yoga.
Undertaking my pregnancy yoga teacher training during pregnancy helped me prepare emotionally, physically and mentally for birth. I didn’t sweep myself away with any expectations, but I spent a lot of time dedicated to my practice and preparing for the birth that was meant for me. I was able to adjust my practice to meet my changing form – energetically and physically. This gave me a very real understanding and lived experience of pregnancy and birth.
My birth was one of the most memorable moments of my life – one in which I felt deeply connected to my inner wisdom and the power of my body. I was clear on boundaries but flexible and open to circumstances changing at any moment and the need to discern my trust – with the support of my partner.
My birth inspires my teaching today. Not based on some whimsical event – it was no walk in the park – but because it was the raw unveiling and unfolding of what I had been working towards and believed in, whilst trusting the experience that was meant for me. I am very grateful for my physiological and unmedicated birth. At the same time, I recognise that many women have very different experiences. With increasing rates of intervention and feelings of powerlessness rippling through birth circles, I take a very soft approach to reminding women of the importance of a balanced birth and listening to your body, while also having clear boundaries to ensure the safety of both you and your baby.
Enter motherhood – not quite the shift I was expecting. This led me to take a step back. It prompted me to step back from teaching for a year to journal, reflect and use my lessons off the mat and as a new mother. Those experiences became my anchor to navigate matrescence, which is very much what inspires my offering. Reflection and integration are a very big part of what I do. To this day, I continue to learn from both the people who practise with me and my own experiences to inform my teaching – and how yogic philosophy and finding connection physically, mentally and spiritually can help find calm and grounding in life’s inevitable shifts and changes as a parent.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
A big breakthrough was having the courage to pause, reflect and give myself space for 12 months, in between relocating and having to build a community from scratch. Being so far from my family in Australia meant I needed a village more than ever. I needed someone I could call on if I fell ill or unexpected events happened.
It was a relentless search for connection and the lost village, combined with years spent listening to mums and learning from my own experiences, that led a fellow mum and me to launch Parachute – a soft landing for parents, carers and their little loves. A no-frills, fuss-free and meaningful gathering to inspire connection and community. A place to grow and move alongside one another and to build a heart-led village. A space to navigate the great privilege of being caretakers – in Mother Nature’s vista. Storytime, singing, play and mindful movement.
I am building a community with mothers who are also searching for the lost connection and tired of chasing perfectionism. To celebrate messy houses, messy hair and the mess we often have to face on many levels during matrescence that no one has had a voice or the words to explain.
It has been building organically, without pressure. But it is evident that it’s something others were searching for too. That sometimes the simple things are the most powerful and comforting. That was the breakthrough.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Teamwork with my husband, open communication and being willing to have the hard conversations have been essential. I’ve also made the conscious decision to limit my use of social media and instead focus on print media, like this magazine. I realised I needed to take a stand against the constant pull of being online. As a stay-at-home mum, I want to be fully present with my daughter, rather than distracted by my phone and the demands of maintaining an online presence.
This approach is working well for me, but I have great respect for those who find their own way to balance social media with family life. I simply couldn’t find the right balance for myself, and it was hard to admit that.
