Dr Jean Byrne

RESEARCH FELLOW, YOGA THERAPIST & YOGA TEACHER
She/Her

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 Mysore, India. Over a period of 17 years she made 11 trips to study Ashtanga Yoga with the Jois family, receiving Level 2 Authorisation. She relinquished this teaching credential when #metoo hit the Ashtanga Community in solidarity of the victims of historical abuse in Ashtanga Yoga. Her teaching encompasses Ashtanga, Restorative Yoga, Meditation, Philosophy and Vinyasa classes. Jean is dedicated to sharing the transformative power of Yoga and loves working with students and carefully and safely watching the way in which both mind, body and spirit open and unfold through practicing steadily.

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 (RPYT), and a senior member of Yoga Australia (YA). Jean is also a certified Yoga Therapist. Jean is co-editor of the book, Yoga in the Modern World: Contemporary Perspectives (Routledge 2008). She has undertaken the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Professional Training retreat with Dr Jon Kabat Zinn, conducts Mindfulness-Based research projects and is a Provisionally registered Psychologist. She is mum to two beautiful boys, Jamie & Jesse.