Inner Smile
Inner Smile is an offering from the hearts and hands of Maya Gayle and Felix Fletcher-Smith, husband and wife, parents and partners in life, together we bring decades of experience to support well-being, health and community through yoga and the healing arts.
Our Understanding
At the heart of Inner Smile is the understanding that the essence of yoga and holistic health is not about achieving or ascending to a higher plane, but about revealing the inner peace and connection that is always our natural state. Influenced by the teachings of Mark Whitwell and UG Krishnamurti, we embrace the understanding that we are all unique expressions of the source of life, and our practice is a celebration of this simple truth.
Our Practices
Blending the timeless wisdom of Vinyasa Krama Yoga, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Zen Buddhism, we focus on the breath as the central axis of life and practice. We honour the five elements – Fire, Earth, Air, Water, and Space – as a powerful framework for understanding ourselves and our place in the world. Our approach respects the traditions of yoga while remaining flexible and responsive to the unique needs of each individual. We believe yoga and health is for everyone and adapt our practise to suit all ages, life stages and styles, from embryo to elderly.
Alongside yoga we offer massage, aromatherapy and life support in the form of guided inquiry and Elemental Tarot.
Maya Gayle
Maya is a strong mountain mama with a gentle and empathic approach. She brings over two decades of holistic therapy expertise to her teaching and practise, with deep experience in children’s and adults yoga, massage, acupressure and aromatherapy. Her yoga is inherently adaptable to the needs of the individual, offering core strength, stability and flowing yang energy, through to profound rest and relaxation in the long poses of yin yoga, always returning to and rising from awareness of breath and body, rooted in the traditional principles of the five elements. Maya’s path is one of nurturing sanctuary in body-heart-mind, inviting relaxation and deep inward journey, reminding us that our home is always here, right where we are now, in this present moment.
Felix
Felix’s journey in yoga, meditation, and martial arts, initiated by his father Nomad, blends modern understandings with the ancient practices of yogic movement and breath. His practise is marked by curiosity and humour, empathy, and a profound desire to support transformation and flourishing within the individual and community. His diverse qualifications, including Vinyasa Krama and Bushido Karate, contribute to his unique ability to help others naturally open to their innate power and potential. Felix is also a dedicated musician and songwriter, with a special love for devotional music, songs, chants and mantras of all kinds. Whether leading Bhajan sessions in the Yoga Shala or energizing the local bars of the Alpujarras with the tunes of Chuck Berry and Johnny Cash, Felix is often found with a guitar in hand, lost in the joy of song, accompanied by a happy, dancing crowd.
A Union of Sanctuary, Learning and Growth
Together, Maya and Felix offer a dynamic balance of yin and yang, Shiva and Shakti – inviting openness, dialogue, and transformation while fostering relaxation, receptivity, and release. Our collaborative spirit is rooted in friendship, care, and the mutual recognition of every individual as a unique expression of the source of life. Inner Smile is a living testament to our lifelong commitment to learning, community, and holistic health.
Beyond the Mat
Our homestead in the Alpujarra region of the South of Spain welcomes volunteers all year round, where we keep a market garden, olive and almond trees, and learn more every day about living in nature. Knowing that the health of the individual is always a reflection of the health of the community, we are active in various projects in our local area, supporting and encouraging the networks of friendship and mutual aid that allow for true flourishing of the whole.
