Teacher profiles

OUR TEACHERS

Our teachers have all been certified by a recognised teacher training program, are members of Yoga Australia and each bring their own background and experience. Each of our teachers continues to deepen their own Yoga practice via classes, study or mentoring. We welcome feedback or suggestions about our teachers and classes at anytime.

LOUISE

  • JIIVA Founder
  • Personal practice: Ashtanga Vinyasa
  • Teaches: Yoga for Mums, Dynamic Hatha, Ashtanga Vinyasa

Louise was first introduced to Yoga in 2003 whilst living in Whistler, Canada. It was here that she developed a passion for the Ashtanga Vinyasa practice and began to integrate yoga into her daily life. In 2004, Louise travelled to Goa, India and undertook two weeks of intensive Ashtanga practice at Purple Valley under the tuition of David Swenson. Developing a personal practice that fitted into her busy lifestyle became important to her and this became the basis for her Mysore style practice over the next 4 years. She made the decision to immerse herself in Yoga by undertaking Hatha Yoga Teacher Training at Qi Yoga in Freshwater, NSW in 2009. Undertaking teacher training has provided Louise with the foundations to be able to share the gift of yoga with others and has cemented her passion for Yoga. In April 2010 Louise brought her first child into the world and during her pregnancy she continued a mix of Mysore practice and Hatha yoga which she credits to her healthy and happy pregnancy. Louise founded JIIVA in 2010 as a way to share her passion & love for yoga with others

HARRIET

  • Personal practice: Power Living
  • Teaches: Yoga for Surfers, Dynamic Hatha

 

Harriet discovered Yoga 7 years ago whilst studying Architecture at university. Having always been a very physically active person Harriet found herself with next to no time for maintaining a regular physical escape. Initially her desire was to find a form of physical exercise that wouldn’t exhaust her both mentally and physically anymore than she already was. She soon discovered the overwhelming benefits her yoga practice was having on all areas of her life not just physically but mentally as well. She soon found her body becoming more comfortable during simple daily actions of sleeping, sitting, walking, running and standing and her regular practice was developing a mind/ body strength, clarity + calmness that she found both grounding and empowering. As her love for yoga developed an incredible calmness seemed to be enveloping her life and in this crazy world we live in Harriet wants to share her experience with friends and family – so come and join her! Harriet completed her Diploma in Hatha Yoga Teacher Training at Qi Yoga in Freshwater in 2009 and currently teaches for JIIVA and Qi Natural Therapies + Yoga on the northern beaches. With a personal practice of Power, Hatha Vinyasa and Ashtanga yoga, Harriet teaches a flowing, dynamic Hatha style yoga class to energise, invigorate and balance the mind, body and soul.

JOHANNA

  • Personal practice: Power Living
  • Teaches: Yoga for Surfers, Dynamic Hatha

 

Johanna has been practicing yoga for more than eight years, she began her yoga journey in Playa Negra – Costa Rica in 2004. Johanna completed the Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Diploma at Qi Natural Therapies & Yoga in 2009 and she specialises in a Hatha flow style. She has had solid experience teaching corporate yoga and one on ones, as well as general classes. By sharing her knowledge Johanna wants to help her students incorporate yoga into their daily lifes “ We live in such a hectic world that we often forget the things that really matter and make us feel good. Yoga is a powerful way of looking within ourselves and rediscovering simple things in life that make us happy. Throughout my yoga teaching I want my students to feel good, nourished & loved – I want to plant the yoga seed in people´s hearts”.

MICHELA

  • Personal practice: Hatha Yoga and all its tools
  • Teaches: Yoga for Surfers, Dynamic Hatha, Ashtanga Vinyasa, Restorative

 

Michela has been practicing yoga for 11 years and completed her 350hr Teacher Training certification at Qi Yoga in Freshwater in 2009. She completed the 500hrs Advanced Diploma of Yoga in the Krisnamacharya Tradition at the Yoga Institute in 2011 and has studied with renowned international teachers including Donna Farhi and Matthew Sweeney. Michela has undertaken in-depth studies of pranayama (yoga breathing) and yoga therapy with Sindar Kaur. Currently she is studying Sanskrit and Vedic Chant with Pamela Tyson and continuing her mentoring with Michael De Manincor. With a background in Iyengar and Ashtanga yoga, Michela’s classes integrate yoga poses, sound, meditation, pranayama and more to create a full and authentic experience of yoga. Michela is passionate for the water and loves to run summer yoga courses in her native Italy.

CLAIRE

  • Personal practice: Ashtanga Vinyasa
  • Teaches: Ashtanga Vinyasa

 

Claire’s life took an unexpected turn in 2006 when she discovered Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga. Much to her husband and friends’ surprise, she found herself waking up at 5.30am and rolling out her mat to practice before work. Yoga not only inspired her to change her life, it awakened a passion. After six years of working in the media industry she decided to share this passion with others. In December 2009 she completed her Diploma of Yoga Teacher Training at Qi Natural Therapies and Yoga and is currently deepening her understanding of the Ashtanga Vinyasa system under one of Sydney’s most experienced yoga teachers, Sam Woods. Earlier this year Claire spent two months in India immersing herself in the ancient practice of yoga and was fortunate enough to study with senior teachers of the Ashtanga Method, as taught by Sri K.P. Jois, Rolf and Marci Naujokat and Tarik Thami. She’s also studied with Sheshadri and Ajay Kumar in Mysore and attended a workshop with Shri R. Sharath in Sydney last year. Drawing from her experience, Claire teaches an Ashtanga-based vinyasa yoga, with a strong focus on helping student to reach their full potential. Having worked in the corporate world for many years she understands the power of yoga to help busy people cope with the physical and mental pressures they face these days. She believes yoga is more than just a physical practice, it’s about making positive steps and feeling great!

LAURA

  • Personal practice: Hatha
  • Teaches: Hatha, Dynamic Hatha

 

Laura has been practising Yoga for a solid 7 years, and has been able to transform her life through her practise. After experiencing first hand the profound benefits of Yoga and how it can be the greatest momentum for change in our daily lives, Laura now shares her knowledge and passion for Yoga to her students through her teaching. Having completed a Diploma of Yoga Teacher training at Qi Yoga, Laura specialises in Teaching Hatha Yoga in both a class setting and in a specialised one-on-one environment, always adapting to her students individual needs. Laura also specialises in Hatha Yoga Beginners courses, having a flare for unveiling the mysteries of Yoga to her students through her simple (yet powerful) style of teaching. Laura never ceases to wonder at the profound benefits a mindful and regular Yoga practise has on her students.

LIZ

  • Personal practice: Hatha
  • Teaches: Hatha, Dynamic Hatha, Restorative

 

Liz first discovered yoga when she moved to Manly from the UK, “One of many life-changing experiences I have Australia to thank for!” Ten years on she is an Australian citizen with two beautiful Aussies of her own. “Being a mother is truly a blessing and the desire to be the best mother I can is the reason I pursued my yoga studies.” Having deepened her yoga practice during her pregnancy, Liz took her yoga studies further and completed her Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Diploma and is now a member of Yoga Australia. Liz wants to share her love of yoga with everyone she meets; but only when they are ready! She currently teaches corporate yoga, hatha yoga and restorative classes.

MARIE

  • Personal practice: Hatha
  • Teaches: Yoga for Kids, Hatha, Ryoho

 

Marie has been enjoying the benefits of yoga for over 10 years. After an accident three years ago left her with a lasting injury she used yoga to help with her rehabilitation. This positive experience inspired her to convert her passion for yoga into a profession and in 2009 she completed her Diploma of Teacher Training course at Qi Freshwater. Marie teaches a blend of Hatha, Vinyasa flow with a Ryoho/Qi influence. Marie creates a relaxed environment where students feel confident to explore their breath and movements within the yoga practice. She brings a warmth and vitality into the yoga room that leaves the body restored and the mind refreshed.

MEG

  • Personal practice: Hatha, Power Yoga
  • Teaches: PreNatal, Yoga for Mums, Hatha

 

Meg has been practicing Hatha and power yoga for 7 years. But it was only while practicing prenatal yoga during her pregnancy that sparked an interest in teaching. Experiencing profound benefits from practicing yoga during a difficult pregnancy, inspired Meg to undertake her teacher training when her bub was just 10 weeks old. She graduated in 2009 through Qi Yoga and is currently teaching hatha, prenatal and post natal yoga. She specialises in private one-on-one prenatal sessions to guide her students through their pregnancy journey.

STEPHANIE

  • Personal practice: Ashtanga Vinyasa
  • Teaches: Ashtanga Vinyasa, Gentle Yoga, Meditation

 

Stephanie trained as a Hatha yoga teacher through Qi Natural Therapies and Yoga, and has recently returned from a trip to India where she furthered her studies at a traditional Ashtanga intensive course at Purple Valley yoga centre, and then later studied Sivananda hatha yoga and yogic practices at Sivananda ashram. Stephanie brings a strong spiritual foundation to her teaching , drawing from previous years’ experience spent studying and practising Buddhist meditation and mindfulness practices (classically vipassana meditation), at retreat centres and monasteries in India and Thailand. She aims to bring to her classes & students, a reminder that yoga should always be done with awareness and mindfulness, as a form of moving meditation – whether it be in Vinyasa flow, or a gentler traditional hatha class.

© Copyright Jiiva