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Swami Shantimurti Saraswati

There are few people around who have lived the life of a traditional yogi – living in Himalayan caves with advanced yogis and traveling with sadhus. Many of us have read stories about Himalayan masters or seen glimpses during visits to India, but most have never experienced it. It is a hard life and only serious yogis are accepted into this inner circle. Shantimurti has lived that life. He has spent extend periods with highly accomplished yogis and seen many wonders.

In yoga, experience is everything and Shantimurti has lots of it. He has managed a number of ashrams over the last 35 years and seen many of the unusual situations that sometimes come with advanced yoga practice. He has trained many sannyasins, yoga teachers and students.

Shantimurti loves to share his wisdom whether it is about the finer aspects of chakras, asanas, pranayama, or stories about the people he has met; famous teachers like the Dalai Lama, B.K.S. Iyengar, Swami Muktananda or the many unknown but exceptional yogis that he has met along the way. He also has many interesting stories about his time with his guru – Paramahansa Satyananda of the Bihar School of Yoga, India – who initiated him into sannyasa in 1976.

Shantimurti is a leader among yogis and is passionate about sharing yoga with the world. He lives at the Ohui Retreat Centre in the Coromandel and travels teaching yoga in Auckland and internationally. He is registered with Yoga Alliance as an experienced yoga teacher (E-RYT 500).

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Atma Okan
A director of Ashram Yoga. She went on to learn and study yoga with Shantimurti and Alinta after living in the Satyananda Ashram as a teenager. She has been teaching since 1992 and is an enthusiastic and popular yoga teacher. Teaching full time, conducting seminars, and continuing with her learning of yoga, she has a deep respect for how yoga leads one into greater awareness of themselves. A Yoga Alliance 500-hour experienced registered teacher.

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Devananda (Danielle Gleitman)

Dee is enthusiastic and passionate about energy work. Teaching classes, co- facilitating on training courses, as well as integrating the body work practices of Shiatsu and Thai Yoga massage continually inspire her to expand her knowledge and encourage people towards living holistically. PLAY (Physically, Learning, Active, Yoga) is the children’s yoga programme Dee has developed to instill the FUNdamental skills of yoga at an early age, in an adventurous and creative way. Dee has completed Ashram Yoga’s full teacher training programme from beginners to advanced and yoga therapy, is a qualified Shiatsu practitioner and perpetual student of yoga. A Yoga Alliance 500-hour registered teacher.

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Luciana Camargo

 Luciana’s belief in the holistic approach to life has developed from her love for Aromatherapy and Bodywork. After deepening her knowledge on these subjects, yoga was a natural addition to her skills. Having completed Ashram Yoga’s Level 1 and Level 2 teacher training in 2009, she has totally dedicated her focus to ongoing learning, and sharing her passion for yoga and holistic living. Luciana also works as a massage therapist from Ashram Yoga’s Therapy Room.

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Premajyoti (Karen Butel)

Premajyoti attended her first yoga class ten years ago and since that time she has participated in many classes, courses and Ashram Yoga events. Initially engaging in advanced meditation courses, Premajyoti then continued on to complete Ashram Yoga’s full Teacher Training (Beginners to Advanced and Yoga Therapy), Yoga Nidra, and Natal Yoga programmes. Premjyoti embraces yoga as an integral part of her lifestyle and enjoys sharing yoga knowledge and experience with students in classes and in her counselling work. A Yoga Alliance 500-hour registered teacher.

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Roselle Gould

Roselle is a nurturing and knowledgeable teacher with a diverse depth of knowledge and experience teaching yoga. She is well known around Auckland for her work and facilitation in Natal Yoga, and is now offering these classes at Ashram Yoga Parnell studio. She has completed Ashram Yoga’s full teacher training programme – from beginners through to advanced plus Yoga Therapy and is registered RYT 500-hour. Initially completing Natal Teacher Training with Ashram Yoga, Roselle continued on to complete a 30-hour Prenatal Yoga Teachers certificate training with Janice Clarfield. Along with teacher training with Judith Lasater. She also has completed Anatomy and Physiology at the N.Z College of Massage.

Roselle has been teaching general yoga classes, pre-natal yoga, meditation and yoga in schools for the last ten years. Roselle continues to be taught and inspired by her gifted teacher Shantimurti and by her family and friends.

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Alita

As a 40-something mother of two young boys, Alita began her yoga journey in 2006 as part of her desire for a more holistic lifestyle. She has developed an intense passion for yoga and it has become her buried treasure offering a wealth of benefits. In 2009 she discovered Ashram Yoga’s unique style of classes, which immediately resonated with her. She completed her Ashram Teacher Training Level 1 200-hour course in 2010 and is currently working to expand her training with additional workshops and courses. Alita is enthusiastic and grateful to be able to share her yoga passion through teaching and inspiring others to find their passions and balance in life too.

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Atmajyoti (Camille Browne)

Atmajyoti started practicing yoga in 1997 to help with her scoliosis; which has benefited her greatly. However it was through practice and benefits in other areas that has provided the ongoing inspiration. Wanting to learn how to incorporate yoga with other modalities (also a qualified naturopath and herbalist) she completed Ashram Yoga’s teacher training Level 1 in 2006. Since then has done teacher training in Yoga Nidra, Natal Yoga and Level 2 as well as travelled to India and spent time in the Satyananda Ashrams (Rikhia and Munger). With yoga having bought so much joy and depth to her life she feels honored to have an opportunity to share that with others, and feeling like a young student herself enjoys undergoing the exploration with others. Read an interview with Atmajyoti.

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Nadine Simsar

Nadine is originally from France but Auckland has been her home for the last 12 years. She has been attracted to yoga for more than a decade and the attraction turned into a passion when she attended the Ashram yoga teacher training level 1 and 2 in 2009. Since then she has been teaching, practicing and growing as a person and a teacher. She has attended many of the workshops offered at Ashram Yoga that have been real tools and insights for her and her students.

She has a strong interest in yoga therapy and wishes to pursue it by  continuing her training. She really enjoys teaching and sharing the benefits of yoga with her students, friends and anyone who will listen!

Nadine is originally from France but Auckland has been her home for the last 12 years. She has been attracted to yoga for more than a decade and the attraction turned into a passion when she attended the Ashram yoga teacher training level 1 and 2 in 2009. Since then she has been teaching, practicing and growing as a person and a teacher. She has attended many of the workshops offered at Ashram Yoga that have been real tools and insights for her and her students.