Teacher Training

Teacher’s Bios: Patrick Oancia Spain/Canada/Japan Asana/Philosophy/Ethics/Self Inquiry www.yogajaya.com Patrick Oancia is the director of YogaJaya. Patrick has been immersed in practicing raja yoga since 1996. He has traveled around the world attending advanced, intensive workshops and study in several countries. He has studied various hatha yoga asana traditions including Ashtanga, Iyengar, and Sivananda as well as regularly practicing meditation (Dhyana) and breathing techniques (Pranayama). He has also studied yoga, Indian, Taoist, Sufi and Buddhist philosophy. In addition to the yoga that Patrick teaches at YogaJaya public classes in Tokyo, he also develops curriculum and writes essays based on a contemporary interpretation of yoga lifestyle, facilitates on intenational teacher training programs, and holds workshops and retreats around the world. Edward Clark London, UK Asana/Philosophy/Ethics/Self Inquiry www.tripsichore.com Edward Clark began studying yoga in 1979. He is the creator of Tripsichore yoga Theatre, and noteworthy among his teachers are Narayani and Giris Rabinovitch, but he confesses huge admiration for the Ashtanga Vinyasa, Sivananda, Iyengar and Viniyoga practices. He fuses his keen artistic vision with a deep understanding of the essential pursuit of yoga practice. With one foot in dance, one foot in Ashtanga and Sivananda he has synthesized the use of breath, asana, choreography and philosophy. His teachings are entertaining, demanding and exhilarating. Based in London, England, "Tripsichore Yoga Theatre" is one of the most extraordinary movement innovations to emerge from the yoga discipline. This contemplative style of movement theatre is a sensual exploration of spirituality that unites the mind and the body. The breath guides the body through a safe, fluid flow of postures that creates stunningly spectacular visual poetry. It is both a fun and an orthodox practice that respects the technical and safe aspects of traditional yoga. Yuiko Yasuda Japan/China Asana/Philosophy/Ethics/Self Inquiry www.namasteyoga.com.cn Yuiko has been teaching yoga since 2004. She has experimented with various styles of yoga and studied with some of the most prestigious teachers in the world. She enjoys both practicing and teaching flow vinyasa where she incorporates elements taken from various styles of yoga, dance and pilates movements. When teaching, she encourages the students with a compassionate giving them their space for introspection so that they can realize yoga as an internal process. Yuiko graduated from Wellesley College in New York with double major in Economics and Film Studies. Yuiko Was also also previously a Full Time teaching faculty at Studio Yoggy and was a teacher trainer and mentor for the company in both Tokyo and Osaka. She is currently based in Shanghai, and is teaching at Namaste Yoga Shala. Iva Drtina-Hall Canada/Czech Rebublic/Japan Asana/Philosophy/Ethics/Self Inquiry www.yogajaya.com Iva Drtina-Hall was raised in the Czech Republic and Canada and has been active in yoga, dance and self inquiry practices for over 20 years. Iva’s interests have always been in body movement. From an early age, she explored all facets of body awareness, from ballet to jazz dance, African dance, gymnastics and yoga. Her interest in health, nutrition and alternative medicine began when she studied a degree in Physiology at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Iva’s aim as a yoga teacher is to be able to help initiate the process of transformation within every student. She invites all to participate not only in asana (poses) but also in the practice of pranayama (breath control), and Dhyana (meditation). Iva hosts retreats and workshops internationally as well as facilitating on teacher training programs. Chris Kummer Australia/Germany Anatomy and Physiology www.kindayoga.com Chris is a Yoga Anatomy Teacher and certified Naturopath. He began practicing yoga over thirty years ago and is also a qualified yoga teacher. His passion is to further the understanding of yoga, movement and health in the worldwide community. From 1988 to 1998 Chris studied nursing, allopathic medicine and naturopathy in Germany and Australia. Chris’s approach to Anatomy is lively, entertaining and presented in a fun and comprehensible way. He refers to his teaching as “The Anatomy Show”! The teaching is based on the individual body and fits with a broad understanding complementing all yoga practices. Chris is co-founder and director of KindaYoga (www.kindayoga.com), with the vision to inspire the young generation to benefit from the joy of practicing Yoga. He has been teaching internationally on over thirty Registered Yoga Teacher Trainings over the past decade. He consults from clinics in Byron Bay and Sydney, Australia. Koko (Junko) Niwa Japan Sustainable Ethics www.japangreen.tv Koko's vision of the near future is a place where human beings have regained connection with the natural world. A world where all the living forms exist in harmony creating a caring earth community. Diving deep into the techno party/festival subculture, koko has experienced a free nomadic lifestyle based on travel, music, and spiritual awakening. In 2005, she completed a masters course in sustainable design at "Forum For The Future" in the UK. With her immense network of like-minded people throughout the, she has been working on various projects on different levels to spread the word creating harmony in life through a conscious and responsible approach where we place earth, society, and spirituality in the center of our lives. For the last 5 years Koko has been resident MC on the Fuji Rock Festival ego-conscious stage "Avalon". She is also active in video production and translation for environmental broadband media "green.tv" (japangreen.tv). She also worked on the production of sustainable consumption booklet with UNEP (United Nations Environment Program), creative communication support for various NGOs, production of internet streaming site "cosmosmile", and production of personal interviewing method ecoranger. Dave Dobson New Zealand/Bali Foundation Principles of Ayurveda www.hikari.com David’s introduction to Ayurveda came about as the result of a serious tropical illness in 1997. Noticing an immediate improvement in his health after following some simple recommendations from an Ayurvedic doctor, he dove deep into Ayurveda’s teachings and committed to an intense journey of self-healing and self-discovery. He has been fortunate to work with a number of excellent teachers along the way, including Dr. Vasant Lad (a leading advocate of Ayurveda in the West), and Mike MacDonald (a student of Kirpal Singh). Apart from sharing his knowledge and passion of Ayurveda in an academic context, David is also presently the managing director of "Hikari", an independent clothing label, as well as a DJ and music producer. He sees life as something we each have a choice and responsibility to consciously create for ourselves. Health and Ayurveda are a natural part of this philosophy. Lisa Booth Canada/France Yoga Therapy www.yogojaya.com For many years Lisa worked in a fast paced environment. When her highrolling, corporate lifestyle began to spin out of control, Lisa turned to yoga for balance. Her practice stimulated profound changes in her body, her attitude, and her lifestyle. Empowered by the inspiring words of Swami Vishnudevananda, "Health is wealth, peace of mind is happiness, yoga shows the way", she quit her job and went into intensive yoga practice. In 2002, she completed the Sivananda teaching certification. Since then she has experimented with many different styles ofoptimum yoga and healing modalities. In April 2006, Lisa began the process of earning a Professional Yoga Therapy 1000-hr certification with Integrative Yoga Therapy in California. Helping individuals personalize their yoga practice to further them along their own healing journey is what currently motivates her teaching style. Lisa is presently certified as an RYT 500, and conducts public classes and workshops designed around this very passion to utilize Yoga as a medium for optimum health and well being.