About Mark Franklin — Certified Kundalini Yoga Instructor, North Leeds
My name is Mark Franklin and I am a Level 1 Certified Kundalini Yoga Instructor based in Adel, North Leeds. I deliver men's Kundalini Yoga classes on Saturday mornings at The Old Stables, Adel, Leeds LS16 8DW — a quiet, private space in the heart of North Leeds, a short distance from the city centre.
My classes are for men of all backgrounds and fitness levels. Whether you are completely new to yoga, returning after a break, or simply looking for something different on a Saturday morning — you are welcome here.
My Kundalini Yoga Journey
I first came across Kundalini Yoga in 2014 when I moved back to Leeds from London. I was looking for a practice that would help me develop mentally, physically, and spiritually — and nothing I had tried before came close to what Kundalini Yoga gave me.
The breathwork was what drew me in first. The immediate effect of pranayama on the nervous system — the way it can shift your state within minutes — was unlike anything I had experienced. Then came the kryas, the meditation, the mantra, and the sound therapy. Each layer added something new. I was hooked.
Over the past decade I have committed to the practice, the study, and the teaching of Kundalini Yoga with everything I have — training with some of the world's leading Kundalini teachers and Gurus across multiple continents.
Training and Qualifications
Kundalini University — Level 1 Certified Kundalini Yoga Instructor
Teacher training completed with Guru Singh and Brett Larkin, qualifying in July 2022. The Kundalini University is one of the most respected Kundalini Yoga teacher training programmes in the world.
3HO Kundalini Yoga Men's Camp — Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (2017 & 2018)
Two intensive residential training camps alongside Guru Singh, Sevak Singh, and many other Master Kundalini teachers and Gurus. These experiences were transformative — both in deepening my practice and in understanding the specific application of Kundalini Yoga for men.
Blue Spirit Retreat Centre — Nosara, Costa Rica (November 2022)
An intensive week-long recovery-based Kundalini Yoga training with Tommy Rosen and Kia Miller — two of the world's foremost recovery yoga teachers. This training significantly deepened my understanding of the therapeutic application of Kundalini Yoga.
Broughton Hall, Yorkshire (Summer 2023)
Further training with Tommy Rosen — this time on home turf in Yorkshire, integrating the work done in Costa Rica with a deeper focus on the practical delivery of recovery-based yoga.
Post Graduate Diploma in Acoustics — Leeds Beckett University (2014)
My understanding of sound, resonant frequency, and acoustics informs the sound therapy element of every session I teach. Sound is intrinsically connected to Kundalini Yoga — through mantra, chanting, and the use of instruments to stimulate the vagus nerve and deepen meditative states.
Music Technology and Sound Production
A formal qualification in music technology and sound production underpins my approach to sound therapy in yoga practice.
My Teachers
I feel genuinely fortunate to have trained with some of the most respected Kundalini Yoga teachers in the world:
Guru Singh — a third generation Master Yogi from the West Coast of North America who worked alongside Yogi Bhajan from 1969. Paramahansa Yogananda was Guru Singh's first teacher. He is humble, extraordinary, and has been surrounded by yoga from birth. He remains my primary teacher.
Brett Larkin — co-founder of the Kundalini University teacher training programme, whose approach to accessible, modern Kundalini teaching has informed how I structure and deliver my own sessions.
Tommy Rosen — founder of the Recovery 2.0 programme and one of the world's leading voices on yoga and recovery. His work on the therapeutic application of breathwork and Kundalini Yoga has been a major influence on my teaching.
Kia Miller — internationally respected Kundalini Yoga teacher and co-founder of Yoga Works. Her depth of knowledge and embodied practice are an inspiration.
Sevak Singh — encountered during the 3HO Men's Camp training in Vancouver, bringing a distinctive approach to the masculine aspects of Kundalini practice.
Sound Therapy in My Classes
Sound is not an add-on in my sessions — it is integral. Mantra, chanting, and the use of instruments work at a physiological level, stimulating the vagus nerve and activating the parasympathetic nervous system — helping the body move from stress and activation into calm and presence.
My background in music, acoustics, and sound production means I bring a technical as well as an intuitive understanding of sound to every session. We use the voice, percussion, and other instruments to deepen the meditative and breathwork elements of each class.
Why Men Only?
This is a question I get asked often, and it deserves an honest answer.
Many men who would benefit from yoga — and Kundalini Yoga in particular — never try it because they feel self-conscious in a typical mixed yoga class. The male-to-female ratio in most Leeds yoga classes puts men off before they even begin.
My Saturday morning sessions provide a space where men can show up as beginners, find it difficult, ask questions, and not perform. Where masculine and feminine energies are both acknowledged and worked with — rather than one being favoured over the other.
I also believe that men have specific physical, emotional, and energetic needs that are best addressed in a men-only environment — particularly when it comes to topics like vulnerability, stress, physical pain, and self-expression. Kundalini Yoga is deeply suited to these needs, and a men-only space allows that work to happen more fully.
My classes are open to all men, and to those who identify as male.
About My Other Work
Alongside Kundalini Yoga, I am the founder of Start Recovery — a specialist addiction counselling practice also based in Adel, North Leeds. I hold a Level 4 Diploma in Alcohol and Substance Misuse Counselling, a BSc (Hons) 2:1, and have been working in addiction services since 2012. I am also a published author of Sober Days: How to Train Your Earworm and Stop Drinking Alcohol and a BBC Radio Leeds guest specialist on addiction.
The two practices — yoga and counselling — sit alongside each other naturally. Both are concerned with the same things: nervous system regulation, self-awareness, breaking unhelpful patterns, and building a life that feels worth living.
Book a Place
My next intake starts Saturday 5th September 2026, 8am–9am at The Old Stables, Adel, Leeds LS16 8DW. Sessions run for 7 consecutive Saturdays and are limited to 12 places.
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7-week course — £139
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Phone: 07305 109824
Book your place here or get in touch if you have any questions first.
Sat Nam.
My yoga sessions are currently for men and are at 8am at The Old Stables, Adel, Leeds. Consecutive Saturdays. Book now to reserve your place