Teachers
Jean Bryne
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. She then began to explore the interweaving of movement and breath in flowing vinyasa style classes.
Her academic and personal journey into Eastern philosophy and practice led her to the home of Ashtanga Yoga in Mysore, India. She was a student of Pattabhi and Sharath Jois who gave her permission to teach Ashtanga Yoga (Authorisation). Jean is dedicated to sharing the transformative power of Ashtanga Yoga – yet realises that every tradition has its limitations, so she integrates psychological sciences and movement research into her teaching practice. Her Mysore room is unique, it is not a traditional ‘top down’ teaching environment as are most Mysore style rooms. Rather it is a space in which the vertical, rather than horizontal relationally, between teacher and student can be explored. She loves working with students and carefully and safely watching the way in which both mind, body and spirit open and unfold through practicing daily.
You will also find Jean teaching Intuitive Flow and Freedom Fridays.
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).
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.
Saam Renton
Saam started doing yoga and meditation in 1991 and spent several years in Asia practicing intensively during the 90’s. He has practiced a wide range of hatha yoga styles and meditation techniques, primarily Zen and Vipassanna.
Saam has spent extensive time practicing meditation and yoga in monasteries, centres and ashrams in Thailand, Malaysia, India, Australia and California. He began teaching in 1995 and his dynamic classes incorporate yoga and meditation techniques from all of the traditions he has studied. He is particularly interested in the links between mindfulness meditation and hatha yoga.
Currently Saam is an associate professor at UWA and teaches Vinyasa classes and meditation workshops at The Yoga Space. He is a Senior Member of Yoga Australia and has 3 young children.
Stephen Byrne
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 and spent many months in Mysore, India studying with the Jois family.
Stephen is passionate about teaching Ashtanga Yoga. 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.
Elena Pinto
Elena Pinto is a long-term practitioner of Ashtanga Yoga. Her practice has evolved through motherhood and ageing and she refines the practice to suit the student she is working with.
Elena has studied with Sharath Jois both on tour and in Mysore India and besides Jean and Rob is the most long-term practitioner we have ever had on our teaching team. Each year she continues her Ashtanga studies and undertakes mentoring with Jean Byrne and Laruga Glasser to teach Mysore in a safe, inspired and supportive way. Elena also loves to teach creative vinyasa and nurturing Yin.
Find her on the mat teaching our morning Mysore program.
Emma Cory
Emma Cory is a dedicated practitioner of yoga and meditation. She has been practicing yoga for more than ten years and teaching since 2009.
She has a particular interest in women’s health and assists students in their pregnancy and birthing journey as a yoga teacher and is a certified Australian Doula. She embraces the opportunity to support women and their loved ones in their pregnancy and birthing journey.
Her own experiences in birth and as a mother of two beautiful girls influence her teachings and she warmly shares this journey with her students. Navigating pregnancy, motherhood, friendships, partnerships and careers are all part of the rich tapestry of life she lives and shares on and off the yoga mat.
Emma returned to her home of Scarborough in Perth in 2017 after spending several years living and working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where she taught yoga to western and eastern students as well as Saudi women.
One of her most powerful memories of her time her was assisting a friend and student in her birth at a Saudi Arabian hospital where women’s choices in childbirth need must be wisely navigated to honour the mother and her birthing journey.
During her time in the Gulf region Emma provided mentorship to the emerging community of female Saudi Arabian teachers as well as empowering everyday Saudi women to lead a life of purpose. She was also a contributor to the popular Yoga Life Middle East magazine.
Yoga Australia Level 2 Teacher
Yoga Alliance RYT 500 & ERYT 250 & RPYS