Chandrika Gibson ND, MWell, IAYT, AAYT, ANTA, AIMA, SIO, RYT500, Senior Yoga Teacher Yoga Australia

Chandrika is a naturopath, experienced senior yoga teacher, lecturer and yoga therapist. She is a member of ANTA (Australian Natural Therapists Association), Yoga Australia, Yoga Alliance, SIO (Society of Integrative Oncology), AIMA (Australasian Integrative Medicine Association), former President of the AAYT (Australasian Association of Yoga Therapists) and member of IAYT (International Association of Yoga Therapists). Chandrika has over 15 years clinical experience through her natural health business Surya Health. Her private practice of yoga therapy and naturopathy has become specialised in cancer care and she is a sought after presenter in this area. Chandrika completed a Master of Wellness degree at RMIT University in 2012 where her original research looked at the effect of yoga programs in cancer survivorship. This follows on from many years teaching yoga to people affected by cancer, and acting in a policy and research role for program planning. She continues to play a leading role in the fields of Yoga Therapy and Integrative Oncology, as well as coordinating the Living Yoga Therapy programs and being the lead presenter in Perth and Asia.

Stephen was introduced to yoga at the age of 16 and immediately felt a connection to its benefits. After some years of exploring the practice he dedicated himself to the traditional system of Ashtanga Yoga.

On his first trip to Mysore, India in 2006 he practiced with Guruji (Pattabhi Jois) before he passed in 2009. On Stephens 3rd and most recent trip to practice under Sharath Jois he delved deeper into the study of traditional chanting and sanskrit. Over this three month period his knowledge of Ashtanga Yoga deepened both in theory and practice.

Stephen is passionate about teaching Ashtanga Yoga in the traditional format as taught to him by his teachers, Guruji, Sharath and in Perth by Jean and Rob. He teaches the evening Ashtanga Led and co teaches the morning Mysore classes. He also finds Yin Yoga a complement to his daily ashtanga practice.

Stephen is registered with Yoga Australia and has completed Yin Yoga & Anatomy Teacher Training with Paul Grilley. He is currently a student of Physiotherapy at Curtin University and is very experienced in working with injuries in a Yoga context.

Sam began the practice of yoga in 2002 in the USA. She felt drawn to yoga and connected with the flow of Vinyasa practice and then later Ashtanga Yoga. She is a dedicated student in the morning Mysore program and made her first trip to the K Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute in 2010, where she studied Ashtanga Yoga, Sanskrit, Sanskrit chanting and anatomy for two months. She also has a a background in meditation and pranayama.

Having completed her Hatha Vinyasa Teacher Training at The Yoga Space, Sam qualified as a pre natal and kids yoga teacher and enjoys teaching yoga to kids, adults and families. She has also completed training with Eric Schiffman.

For Sam the most important aspect of yoga is its value off the mat, in helping her work with the ups and downs of life and live more fully in the present moment. Sam also runs ‘Pop up Yoga on Beaufort’ using interesting and diverse spaces in Mt Lawley to deliver Yoga Class.

Authorised Ashtanga Yoga Teacher (Level 2), Co-owner of The Yoga Space

B.A.Hons, Grad Dip Ed, Dip Childbirth Education, PhD.

Jean began practising yoga at the age of 19 while completing a Bachelor of Arts in World Religions and Philosophy. Her study of world religions led to an interest in yoga and meditation and she spent many years intensively studying yoga and meditation in India, Thailand, Malaysia and Australia. For many years she practiced Iyengar Yoga and was part of a dedicated Zen group.

Her academic and personal journey into Eastern philosophy and practice led her to the home of Sri K Pattabhi Jois and she became one of his students. She was blessed with  Authorisation to teach this method in 2005 by Sri K Pattabhi Jois, and recently in 2015 received Level 2 Authorisation from Sharath Jois. Jean is dedicated to sharing the transformative power of Ashtanga Yoga taught in the traditional manner. She loves working with students and carefully and safely watching the way in which both mind, body and spirit open and unfold through practicing in the traditional manner. For her, if we follow the teachings of Jois without change, without engaging in opinion or conjecture, but with faith the benefits are manifold!

Jean has lectured in Eastern philosophy at various Australian universities and has a PhD in Eastern Philosophy & Feminist Theory. She is a qualified primary school teacher, Childbirth Educator, a Yoga Alliance E-RYT500 and Registered Pre Natal Yoga Specialist Teacher, and a senior member of Yoga Australia (YA).

Jean co ordinates the YA Teacher Training course at the Yoga Space and works with trainees over the year both in class and workshops to facilitate their pathway into becoming a loving, competent and kind yoga teacher. For her this can only happen with time, and thus the Yoga Space Hatha Vinyasa Teacher Training is run over 12 months (minimum).

Jean is also an Honorary Research Fellow at UWA in Women’s Studies and co-editor of the book, Yoga in the Modern World: Contemporary Perspectives (Routledge 2008). She writes for yoga magazines, yoga websites and academically her work is published in books and peer reviewed journals. She has undertaken the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Professional Training retreat with Dr Jon Kabat Zinn and conducts Mindfulness-Based research projects.

She is mum to two beautiful boys, Jamie & Jesse, and is passionate about women’s spirituality and the benefits of yoga for pregnancy, birth and beyond. Parenting is for her the ultimate practice of taking her yoga off the mat.