YOGA
Move without pain.
Sleep deeper.
Feel calmer.
Build strength that lasts.
At Strength & Soul in Biggar, we blend yoga therapy, Ayurveda, and hands-on treatment to help you reduce pain, restore energy, and move with confidence — no matter your age or starting point.
Hi, I’m Jo. I came to yoga through my own hip pain, and 25 years on I provide support that I needed back then: so you understand what’s going on in your body, and know what to do about it.
As a yoga therapist, bodyworker and Ayurvedic practitioner. I don’t just look at the one area thats sore. I look at how you move, sleep, eat and cope in your daily life.
We have a small group classes (6 -8 people) so I can see how you move and adapt things for your body, rather than teaching a fixed sequence and hoping it fits.
The goal isn’t advanced poses although they can be fun. It’s about movement that supports daily life It’s getting up off the floor without thinking about it, lifting the shopping, lifting your children or grandchildren sleeping through the night, and trusting your body as you get older.
Book Classes & Events
September
MARMA & DEEP REST | Thursday 3rd September, 7pm – 8.30pm | £20 · 8 spaces
Marma points are Ayurveda’s version of acupressure, improve circulation, posture, supported therapeutic movement, and deep rest for the nervous system.
October
MARMA & DEEP REST | Thursday 8th October, 7pm – 8.30pm ·
Diaphragm & Digestion. Marma point therapy, breathwork and supported rest for a tight chest, shallow breathing and an unsettled gut. Small group, all props provided, no yoga experience needed.
Morning Yoga | Saturday 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st | Drop in £12 · 8 spaces
Your bones are living tissue, and they get stronger when you challenge them (at any age). This isn’t a gentle stretch class. It’s an hour of slow, strong, deliberate movement that loads your bones from every direction, builds strength through your hips, spine and shoulders, and improves your balance. Then we finish with time to properly unwind.
November
MARMA & DEEP REST | Thursday 12th November, 7pm – 8.30pm
Moved to the 2nd week in November due to bonfire night. Marma points are Ayurveda’s version of acupressure, improve circulation, posture, supported therapeutic movement, and deep rest for the nervous system.
Drop In – £12
Can’t make the full block? Drop into a single session
Whatever series is running — lower back, hips, digestion you’re welcome to come to any individual class. Although blocks are built to build week by week. If you can only manage one class is still worth it!
Private 1:1 Yoga Therapy Consultations
A practice built for your body, and the season of life you’re in right now. Clients come to me with a niggle that won’t settle, or a hip or back pain that’s stopping you doing what you love. Maybe your body just feels different lately and you’re not sure why or you want o have a consistent practice that you can do at home.
In your first session, we’ll assess your movement along with any pain or niggles, or past injuries. We’ll look at where movement feels stuck or restricted, and talk about your goals.
We’ll talk honestly about how much time you have at home. Ten minutes a day is enough, because the practice that fits your life is the one you’ll keep doing.
From there, I create your movement prescription. Depending on what your body needs, it might include strength, stability, rest, breathwork or meditation. You’ll go home with written instructions, plus videos or audio to practise along with, so you’re never left guessing.
I’d suggest a follow-up session after 3–4 weeks to see how it’s going, talk through what’s changed, and adjust your practice as your body does.
You don’t need to be flexible or to have done yoga before. You just need to want to understand your body a little better.
55 mins | £60
This is yoga you can feel working in your real life
- Wake up without that morning ache in your back or hips
- Ease tight, stuck muscles you can’t stretch out on your own
- Feel calmer after a stressful day, and sleep more deeply
- Feel strong enough to carry, lift and move with confidence
- Handle mood swings, sleep issues or hot flushes more easily
I believe a simple and consistent yoga practice is a powerful tool to transform your health
Hi, I’m Joann Buchan
I’ve been practicing yoga for over 25 years and teaching for more than 15. I’m an Ayurveda Practitioner, bodyworker and Yoga Therapist with advanced training in hip and back recovery, women’s health, and stress-related conditions.
My approach is simple: yoga isn’t about chasing poses or touching your toes — it’s about learning practical tools that help you cope better in daily life. From easing back pain to managing stress, improving sleep, feeling more energised, or simply being able to run around with your kids and cope with the challenges of parenthood — what happens on the mat should support how you live off the mat.
Over the years I’ve studied with world-class teachers, therapists, and healers around the globe. I became fully absorbed in yoga during my own investigations into hip pain, and my focus has always been the same: helping people use yoga as medicine. In my classes you’ll find not only movement and breathwork, but also Ayurvedic tools for digestion, energy, and women’s health, plus therapeutic techniques like acupressure and myofascial release — practices you won’t find in just any yoga class.
I believe yoga should be consistent, personal, and practical. Every person deserves to feel supported and to leave class with skills they can use straight away — to reset their physical body, move with less pain, handle stress and the challenges life throws at them, and recover with more ease. Over time, this helps build not just strength and resilience, but a long, healthy life you truly enjoy.
👉 I’d love to welcome you to a class in Biggar (or online) — and show you how yoga can make life feel easier.
Contact Us
We’re real people, — when you message us, you’re messaging Jo or Kev directly. We’re often with clients throughout the day, so if we don’t aim to reply within 24 hours. We will get back to you as soon as we possibly can.
Find Us
Strength and Soul
The Steading
Elsrickle
Biggar
ML12 6QZ
Frequently Asked Questions
You don’t need to bring anything, except perhaps a water bottle. I have all the equipment you need but you might prefer to bring your own yoga mat. We provide all other equipment, such as yoga blocks, straps, blankets, bolster and eye pillows.
Yes, you must book in advance. You can sign up here.
The short answer is yes! I’m a yoga therapist, body work therapist and Ayurveda practitioner with a specialism in hip and back pain. I will observe you during class and offer any alternative that I feel are necessary.
You might want to reach out by email in advance and check the classes are suitable for you. As long as you can move up and down off the floor you’ll be fine.
Alternatively you can explore our hip and lower back program or book a 1:1 Yoga Therapy Consultation.
Yes, we offer both in-person and online classes. You can join us from the comfort of your home! Check our yoga class page or explore our membership which include live classes, recordings, programs and Ayurveda.
We understand that plans can change. You can cancel 24 hours before the class starts.
If you’ve signed up to a block of classes and you’re unable to attend, there is no refund, unless one of us can fill your space. You’re welcome to gift your space to a friend (please let us know in advance as we’ll need to complete a health form) or we can fill your space from our waiting list.
Yes. Many people come to our yoga classes in Biggar specifically for hip and lower back pain. Our approach blends yoga therapy, Ayurveda, and hands-on clinical experience to ease stiffness, reduce pain, and improve movement in daily life.
Classes take place at our Strength & Soul studio in Elsrickle (a few minutes outside Biggar) Biggar, South Lanarkshire. We also welcome students from Lanark, Peebles, Dumfries, West Linton, West Lothian and across the Borders who travel for our unique approach.
Regular yoga classes focus on general postures and sequences. Yoga therapy is personalised and therapeutic — designed for people with specific needs like injury recovery, stress, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, or long-term pain. At Strength & Soul, we offer both group yoga classes and one-to-one yoga therapy sessions in Biggar.
Not at all. Our students range from complete beginners to those recovering from injury. Yoga at Strength & Soul is about building resilience, ease, and strength in your real body — not about touching your toes.