Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani is the Chairman of the International Centre for Yoga Education and Research at the Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry, South India . A Fellow of the Indian Academy of Yoga, he has authored ten DVD's and six books on Yoga as well as published two dozen papers and abstracts on Yoga and Yoga research in national and international journals. He is a Gold Medalist in Medical Studies (MBBS) with postgraduate diplomas in Family Health (PGDFH) and Yoga (PGDY). He is a Carnatic Vocalist, Mridungist, Music Composer and Bharathantyam Choreographer in addition to his duties as a medical officer in the Village Health Programme of the Auroville Health Centre. He has traveled to Italy, Germany and Switzerland as the Cultural Ambassador of the International Yoga Federation and is Advisor of the World Yoga Council and Member of the International Council for Yoga Sport.

DR. MARC HALPERN

www.ayurvedacollege.com

Dr. Marc Halpern is the founder and director of the California College of Ayurveda (www.ayurvedacollege.com and a founding director of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association. He has written dozens of articles in national magazines and sits on several international advisory boards. An internationally recognized teacher Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Yoga, Dr. Halpern can be reached though the College's website

MUKUNDA STILES

www.yogatherapycenter.org

Mukunda Stiles, one of the American pioneers in Yoga Therapy, created his Structural Yoga Therapy system in 1976 following his training in Krishnamacharya's lineage of teachers; most notably Rama Jyoti Vernon, BKS Iyengar and Indra Devi. He has a BA in religious studies with a thesis on Yoga Sutras and did graduate study in kinesiology and therapeutic exercise.

His served on the staff of four ashrams under the guidance of his spiritual teacher. He is the author of the best seller Structural Yoga Therapy, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy. Mukunda trains spiritual mentors with the Claritas Institute, headed by Joan Borysenko. He is on the Board of Advisors for the International Association of Yoga Therapists. His website - www.yogatherapycenter.org  describes his offerings throughout the US and Europe.

LARRY PAYNE, PhD

www.samata.com

Larry Payne Ph.D., is the founding president of the International Association of Yoga Therapists and co-author of international bestseller Yoga for Dummies and Yoga Rx. He was selected as a Yoga expert by Web MD, The World Economic Forum, Reader's Digest, Yoga Journal and named "One of America's most respected Yoga teachers" by The Los Angeles Times. He is also Co-founder of the Yoga curriculum at The UCLA School of Medicine, and Director of the Yoga Therapy Rx certification program at Loyola Marymount University. Larry has been a student of TKV Desikachar since 1980.    

JNANI CHAPMAN

Jnani Chapman is a nurse and clinical specialist at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine. She has been a yoga teacher since 1975 and a massage/acupressure practitioner since 1986, specializing in helping people with cancer, heart disease and chronic illness. She is a senior staff member of the Cancer Help Programs at Commonweal in Bolinas, CA and the Smith Farm Center in Washington, DC. She is a past executive director for the International Association of Yoga Therapists (1995-98) and was a stress management specialist for Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease (1987-99).      

SAT BIR SINGH KHALSA, PhD

www.sleep.med.harvard.edu

Sat Bir S. Khalsa, Ph.D. has been involved in the practice of a yoga lifestyle for over 35 years and is a Kundalini Yoga instructor.  He has conducted neuroscience research for over 25 years and is currently an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and is also the Director of Research for the Kundalini Research Institute and the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health.  His current research is on the effectiveness of yoga and meditation  practices and includes studies on yoga for insomnia, music performance anxiety and public schools among others. He has traveled internationally meeting and collaborating with yoga research scientists and assists in coordinating the research component of the annual Symposium on Yoga Therapy and Research of the International  Association of Yoga Therapists.  He is the author of a comprehensive review and analysis of yoga therapy research and he also teaches an elective course at Harvard Medical School in Mind Body Medicine.

 AMY WEINTRAUB

www.yogafordepression.com

Amy Weintraub, MFA, E-RYT (500), author of Yoga for Depression (Broadway Books) and founding director of the LifeForce Yoga® Healing Institute, leads professional certification trainings in LifeForce Yoga® for Depression and Anxiety for mental health professionals and Yoga teachers. She is also a senior Kripalu teacher and Mentor. Amy is featured on the CD, Breathe to Beat the Blues and the first DVD home Yoga practice series for mood management, the award-winning LifeForce Yoga® to Beat the Blues. She leads workshops and CEU trainings throughout North America at such venues as the Psychotherapy Networker Symposium, the American Holistic Medical Association Annual Conference, the Integrative Psychiatry Conference, Kripalu Center, Omega Institute, the Crossings, Mount Madonna Center, and the LA Times Festival of Health and Fitness.

Amy was a 2007 Colloquium Speaker at the Boston University Graduate School of Psychology.

Her bi-monthly newsletter includes current research, news and media reviews on Yoga and mental health. Please visit her website to subscribe.

DEBORAH QUILTER

www.rsihelp.com

Deborah Quilter is an internationally-recognized expert in repetitive strain injury (RSI) and an author, consultant and certified yoga teacher.  She has written 2 books, The Repetitive Strain Injury Recovery Book and Repetitive Strain Injury: A Computer User's Guide, and has made many appearances in the media. 

Ms. Quilter has presented her work in both the U.S. and abroad, and has helped many people with RSI recover more use of their upper extremeity without exacerbating pain.  Ms. Quilter studied Ergonomic Guidelines for Computer Use at the Harvard School of Public Health, and the Biomechanics of Human Movement at M.I.T.  She founded a program to teach yoga to senior citizens at the Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York. This class has been featured on both the Martha television and radio shows and was given a Diversity in Teaching Yoga grant by Kripalu for for this program.  

Ms. Quilter is on the faculty of the Rocky Mountain Institute for Yoga and Ayurveda, and she teaches master classes in addition to her practice in New York City. She is currently working on another book.

NEIL PEARSON

www.lifeisnow.ca      

Neil Pearson is founder and director of life is now, a company that focuses on pain management and pain science education, through yoga, physical therapy and workshops. Neil works as a certified yoga therapist and a physical therapist, combining his extensive experience working one-on-one with people with persistent pain and working in multidisciplinary pain management clinics, with therapeutic yoga.        

Neal is a passionate and brilliant educator. His workshops include Anatomy/Physiology for Yoga as a component of yoga teacher and yoga therapist training programs, and Yoga and Chronic Pain. He is a clinical faculty member at the University of British Columbia, and he teaches post-grad courses for health care professionals in pain science, prevention, treatment and self-management. His book, Understand Pain, Live Well Again is popular with health care professionals to assist with educating their patients. Neil has also developed pain management courses for the public, titled Overcome Pain, Live Well Again. Pilot study findings, from his research team, support the effectiveness of this education for changing pain beliefs, negative thinking and self-efficacy, all of which are barriers to recovery.     

Neil is founding chair of the Canadian Physiotherapy Pain Sciences Division, provides consultation services to OrionHealth Pain Clinics in Canada, and lectures internationally. 

NICOLE DeAVILLA WHITING

www.expandinglight.org

Nicole DeAvilla Whiting has been teaching yoga for 24 years.  She was a research assistant at the Center for Sports Medicine, Saint Francis Hospital, San Francisco, and was a chiropractic physiotherapist.  She currently specializes in yoga therapy teacher training and private lessons.  She also writes and researches for publications such as IAYT Journal, AYTA, and online for iyogalife.com and its affiliates.

NINA PRIYA DAVID Nina Priya David (Priya Ma), M.A., E-RYT 500
  www.ninapriyadavid.com
  www.creativeyogatherapy.com

 Nina Priya David is founder and director of Creative Yoga Therapy (CYT)tm and
  a senior presenter at Integral Yoga Institute. Priya Ma received her spiritual
 name and foundational training from her guru, Sri Swami Satchidnanda. She is also certified in Ipsalu Tantra and has studied classical foundations of Tantra with Sri Param Eswaran in Tamil Nadu, South India. For over 25 years she has provided Healing & Creative Arts Therapies at medical, educational, community and spiritual organizations including: Beth Israel Medical Center, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Visiting Nurses of NY, Hospital for Special Surgery’s Integrative Care Center, NYC, N. CA & NEV Alzheimer’s Associations, NYC & Monroe County Boards of Education, Satchidananda Ashram, Fordham University, in private practice and  in workshops throughout the U.S.

  

LYN PRASHANT, MA, CT, CMT

www.degriefing.com

Lyn Prashant, a Certified Grief Counselor from the John F. Kennedy University's Graduate School of Professional Psychology, has over 22 years experience in the field. Her training in bereavement counseling and her knowledge of somatic health care practices as certified yoga instructor, massage therapist and teacher has led her to develop a unique and successful approach to grief counseling called "Degriefing". Unlike many existing treatment approaches, the Degriefing® process employs both verbal and physical techniques to relieve an individual's emotional distress, mental anguish, and physical discomfort.

In addition to her private practice, based in San Anselmo, CA, Lyn coordinated and still teaches in the program "Changing Paradigms in Loss and Grief" at U.C. Berkeley, toured for the University of Arizona, teaches Degriefing for Bodyworkers at Alive and Well Institute of Conscious Bodywork, in Marin County, CA. She is an approved provider of Continuing Education courses (CA) for healthcare practitioners, and is the author of the first Degriefing manual. She has spoken on radio, written and nationally published a 4-part series on Degriefing. She presents her work at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, offers 5-day Degriefing national certification trainings. She is known to be a captivating storyteller and engaging speaker to both English and Spanish speaking audiences that includes humor and light-heartedness in her presentations.

BIDYUT BOSE, PhD; Executive Director, Niroga Institute

www.niroga.org

Bidyut (BK) Bose learned Yoga from his father beginning in childhood, and later studied Yoga and Meditation with monks in the Himalayas. A teachers' teacher, his classes, workshops, and retreats are an exercise in mindfulness, facilitating deep introspection while gently enhancing health and well-being.

BK earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from UC Berkeley, and worked in Silicon Valley for many years; his research interests have shifted to the scientific application of Yoga Therapeutics for many common chronic conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis, asthma, insomnia, and stress, as well as special populations such as incarcerated youth, seniors, people battling addiction, and cancer survivors.

BK is Founder and Executive Director of Niroga Institute, a non-profit Center for Integral Health and Development based in Oakland, California.

Lisa Walford holds a senior Iyengar teaching certificate and has been teaching yoga in Los Angeles since 1982.  She is the curriculum director for the Teacher Training Program at Yoga Works and was instrumental in its development. She is on the advisory board of the International Association of Yoga Therapists and the Yoga Studies program at Loyola Marymount University.

 

Lisa is co-author of The Longevity Diet, now in its fourth printing, and The Anti-Aging Plan.

In her words: Yoga brings us from the finite to the infinite; from pain, to purpose and passion, and from dis ease to discriminative awareness. Our body gives us the most immediate and intimate tool to develop this awareness. 

 SOPHIA REINDERS, PhD, MFT, REAT

www.wisdombody.com                 

Sophia’ teaching of yoga is inspired by her training and practice as a certified Iyengar yoga teacher as well as by her work as a Jungian oriented psychotherapist and expressive arts therapist. She emphasizes the intimate interplay of the physical body with the mental-emotional-spiritual body, to bring all dimensions of embodied being into conscious, joyous belonging.

Sophia is faculty member at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, where she teaches courses and public workshops in yoga as psychospiritual practice, creativity, and Jungian psychology. 

DR. MARK SCHILLINGER

 www.markschillinger.com

 Dr. Schillinger is a chiropractic physician, performing musician, workshop
 leader, practitioner in psychoacoustics and founder of Tone Yoga, a blend of
 Hatha and Shabda yoga practices. He was initiated into Shabda Yoga in 1983 by Master Thakar Singh. In 2001, he attended the Maha Kumba Mela in India where he learned devotional singing from his teacher, Mahant Paharibaba.

Mark’s music CD, Ethereal, recharges the listener’s nervous system and is used by yoga and meditation teachers to create a restorative healing response. He developed The RIGHT Way®, a simple method that allows people to release repetitive negative thinking patterns while developing positive beliefs and productive behaviors. For the past 28 years he has combined yoga therapy counseling and sound healing modalities with his patients and students.

MAETREYII MA NOLAN, PhD
  Dr. Nolan has been a practitioner of yoga and meditation for over 39 years and
  has a deep personal understanding of spiritual emergence and how to assist
  people in the process of spiritual opening. She holds a doctorate in Transpersonal
  Psychology  and is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice. Maetreyii is
  the former director of the Spiritual Emergence Network and a founding board
  member of the Kundalini Research Network.  She is president of Ananda Seva
  Mission, a co-founder of Ananda Seva and co-director of the Guru Kula Training Institute of Ananda Seva.

ANTONIO SAUSYS

www.satyoga.com

Antonio Sausys (BA Psychology, MA Body-Oriented Psychotherapy) is a somatic health practitioner and yoga instructor specializing in one-on-one yoga therapy for people with chronic and acute medical conditions as well as emotional imbalance.

During his career, Antonio discovered a key correlation between modern body-oriented psychotherapy and ancient yoguic teachings, integrating the best practices from both worlds. He applies specific yoguic applications working with individuals to create a "Yoga Sadhana". This is a specific and personalized yoguic routine that best serves the individuals' needs and abilities, integrating mind, body and spirit to fully embrace the experience of life.

He studied with Yoga masters and teachers such as Indra Devi, , Swami Shankaradevananda, Swami Ekananda, Babashi Singh, Ram Dass,Swami Mairtreyananda and Larry Payne. He has continued his professional development with training in Foot Reflexology, Swedish Therapeutic Massage, the Degriefing Process and Reiki.

Antonio teaches and lectures at U.C. Berkeley, CIIS, Alive and Well, Institute of Conscious Body Work, College of Marin, has been a faculty member at the International Yoga College, the former Honorary Secretary of the International Yoga Federation for USA, Delegate of International Yogatherapy Association and a member of International Association of Yoga Therapy.

Antonio Sausys resides in Marin County with a thriving yoga practice throughout the Bay Area. In addition to speaking engagements and workshops, is Creative Manager for Gathering For Good, a thriving Bay Area Event Production Company and is on the Board of Directors of Fifth Sun Productions, a corporation that includes some of the most prominent event production companies in California responsible for such festivals as Earthdance, Health and Harmony Festival, May Day Festival, among others.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

We were pleased to present the impressive work of esteemed internationally-known yoga masters and yoga therapists at the 2006 & 2007 conferences. Due to scheduling conflicts, they will not be joining us in 2008, but they are still affiliated with IYTC. They included:

B.V. SUBRAHMANYAM

www.srisomanatha.org

Graduated as a Bachelor of Business Administration - Commerce in April 1985 - Hyderabad

Subrahmanyam - fondly referred to as Subbuji - started his career as an aggressive businessman successfully executing high-pressure office-interior contracts and set up computer education centers in India. Although he had tasted success early in life, he didn't feel satisfied and content. In 1999, life changed for him suddenly, when he suffered three major heart attacks that gave him a near-death experience, inducing him into a more contemplative mode about nature, life and the reason for living. After this brush with death, he decided to do meditation on doctor's advice.

Soon thereafter, he came into contact with Sri Somanatha Maharshi who taught him the powerful Manoyoga Sadhana (Application of Nature's Basic Power) technique, which enabled him to deal with the stress, anger, depression that were the major causes of his heart condition. Sri Somanatha Maharshi has researched this unique technique- Manoyoga Sadhana for over 40 years and this has been scientifically proven by various scientists and doctors.

Subrahmanyam came to realize that Sri Somanatha Maharshi is a very powerful saint and researcher and therefore decided to approach Him to cure his illness. Subrahmanyam feels that Sri Somanatha Maharshi has given him a new birth through Manoyoga Sadhana and therefore considers Maharshi as his Guru. He has decided to dedicate his life and work towards disseminating Sri Somanatha Maharshi's Manoyoga Sadhana and Philosophy through out the world. Due to many mystic experiences he had during this Sadhana (spiritual practice), Subrahmanyam developed an immense zeal for meditation and embraced it to find out the truth and the real purpose of human birth.

Representing Sri Somanatha Maharshi and Somanatha International Central Trust at the yoga conferences:

- Faculty member for yoga and Manoyoga meditation for integrated medicine conducted by Apollo Education Foundation.
- Conducts Manoyoga workshops on Stress Management in many corporate offices in India, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia.
- Teaching Memory skills using Manoyoga more than 120 schools in Hyderabad India.
- Teaches Manoyoga on the Internet and taught to more than 2000 people from about 28 countries.-

Completed various stages of Manoyoga from basic to the highest stage and plays important role in teaching Maharshi's philosophy in many retreats both in India and abroad.

  ARDEN SUNDARI PIERCE

www.yogaforwellbeing.com

Arden is a certified Structural Yoga Therapist who is passionate about helping others evolve and overcome their limits with lightness and joy. Arden was Sivananda certified to teach yoga in 1992, and in 1997 she traveled to India and began her research in yoga therapy. Since 2000, Arden has been a student of Structural Yoga TherapyTM with founder Mukunda Stiles and has authored a thesis on neck muscular pain. Based on Structural Yoga TherapyTM and Krishnamacharya lineage principles, Arden conducts specialized workshops for neck pain and several other topics. Arden also works as a birth doula and teaches prenatal and postnatal yoga programs.

ALEX THEORY, PhD

www.mysticvibration.com

Alex Theory has been using music as a tool to promote healing, spirituality and higher consciousness since moving to the Bay Area in 1992. Drawing upon extensive training in psychology, shamanic practice and sound design, he fuses ancient wisdom with cutting-edge technology. As director of the Sound Health Center at the California Institute of Psychoacoustics, he is responsible for researching and integrating new modalities in sound therapy. When he is not teaching, or conducting private therapy sessions, he can be found performing in yoga classes, workshops and music festivals. His music has received international airplay on film, radio and television commercials and he has published articles for numerous music industry magazines. Currently, Alex loves to travel and organizes a variety of sound healing retreats throughout the year to places such as Egypt, India, Russia, Hawaii and Mexico.

JANICE GATES

www.janicegatesyoga.com

Janice Gates is a longtime yoga practitioner, teacher and yoga therapist.  She has worked as a yoga therapist in both private practice and clinical settings, is President of the International Association of Yoga Therapists,  founding director of Yoga Garden in San Anslemo, California and author of Yogini, The Power of Women in Yoga. In addition to her private practice and classes, Janice teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and  leads workshops and retreats worldwide.

 DR. ROBIN MONRO, PhD

The Yoga Biomedical Trust's research programme is directed by Robin, a Cambridge-trained biochemist, who worked at the cutting edge of research into the mechanism of protein biosynthesis in the 1960s.

As a post-doc at the Rockefeller University, New York (in Fritz Lipmann's laboratory), he discovered the supernatant-ribosome-linked GTPase and resolved this from another soluble protein factor (*).

As staff member at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge (in Francis Crick and Sydney Brenner's Laboratory) and the Instituto Biologia Celular in Madrid (in David Vazquez's Laboratory), together with several other co-workers, he discovered and characterised the catalytic centre on the larger ribosomal subunit, at which the peptide bond is formed in protein synthesis. He developed a model assay system for this reaction, dependent on the presence of ethanol, which years later led to the discovery that the catalytic centre is composed of RNA, not protein (*). This remarkable finding has provided the key to what was probably one of the most crucial steps in the origination of life on Earth (the establishment of the nucleic acid/protein system, upon with the heredity and evolution of all organisms is based).

In 1969 he left research in molecular biology in order to dedicate the second half of his career to philosophical and ethical problems associated with science. After spending a year studying history and philosophy of science at Cambridge University, he joined Maurice Wilkins in the Department of Biophysics at King's College London, and spent several years developing a course for science undergraduates on the Social Impact of the Biosciences. This gave him the time to develop his interests. He became interested in Thomas Kuhn's concept of paradigms, and the way in which the dominant theories in science, at any one time, tend to exclude other forms of knowledge and experience. This seemed very apposite in relation to the way in which molecular and cell biology were coming to dominate medicine.

In 1980 he decided to go in for research into forms of medicine which were largely unrecognised by modern medicine but which were in his own experience effective. After carrying out a survey of complementary medicine (*) (it was this survey that introduced the term 'complementary medicine'), he focused specifically on yoga therapy, and founded the Yoga Biomedical Trust.

 RICHARD MILLER

www.nondual.com

Richard's teachings come out of his direct experience of living truth as echoed in the timeless teachings of nondualism found in Advaita, Zen and Chan. He is recognized as a leader in the field of nondualism, honored by Yoga Journal and featured in American Yoga and Will Yoga and Meditation Really Change My Life?

Richard is the founder and director of the non-profit Center of Timeless Being, co-founder and co-president of the Institute for Spirituality and Psychology, and co-founder of The International Association of Yoga Therapy. Richard is the author of Yoga Nidra: The Meditative Heart of Yoga as well as numerous articles including "Welcoming All That Is", in The Sacred Mirror: Nondual Wisdom and Psychotherapy.

 NISCHALA JOY DEVI

www.abundantwellbeing.com

Nischala Joy Devi is a master teacher and healer. For over 30 years she has been highly respected as an international advocate for her innovative way of expressing Yoga and its subtle uses for spiritual growth and complete healing.

 

She was graced to study wtih Yoga Masters in U.S. and Indiand worldwide and was a monastic disciple of the world renowned Yogiraj Sri Swami Satchidananda and spent over 25 years receiving his direct guidance and teachings. During her time in the monastery she began to blend western medicine with yoga and meditation.  She then offered her expertise in developing the yoga portion of The Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease where she subsequently served for seven years as Director of Stress Management. She also co-founded the award-winning Commonweal Cancer Help Program.

 

Nischala Devi produced the "Abundant Well-Being Series" CD's to allow these simple yet profound Yoga and stress-relieving techniques to reach more people. Her book "The Healing Path of Yoga," now in its sixth printing, also expresses these teachings.         

 

With her knowledge of yoga and her experience in assisting those with life-threatening diseases, she created Yoga of the Heart, a training and certification program for Yoga teachers and health professionals designed to adapt Yoga practices to the special needs of that population.

 

Nischala Devi is now directing her energies to bringing the feminine heart perspective back into spirituality and the scriptures through her new book, The Secret Power of Yoga, a woman's guide to the heart and spirit of the Yoga Sutras, Random House 2007.

 

as well as related workshops for nursing, social work, therapeutic recreation staff and family members working/living with this population.

 ANODEA JUDITH

www.wakingtheglobalheart.com 

Anodea Judith holds a doctorate in Health and Human Services, with a speciality in Mind-Body healing, and a Master's in Clinical Psychology.  Her best-selling books on the chakra system, marrying Eastern and Western disciplines, have been considered groundbreaking in the field of Transpersonal Psychology and used as definitive texts in the U.S. and abroad.  With approximately 500,000 books in print, and translations in 12 languages, her books have won her the reputation of solid scholarship and international renown as a dynamic speaker and workshop leader.

 SHERRI BAPTISTE

www.powerofyoga.com

www.yogawithweights.com

Sherri Baptiste is an inspirational teacher at the forefront of yoga training in the United States. She was born into a rich heritage and family of pioneering teachers; her parents, Magaña and Walt Baptiste, established yoga on the West Coast in the mid-1950s. Sherri has been teaching yoga since her teens and is the founder of "Baptiste Power of Yoga," a nationally recognized yoga method, as well as a yoga with weights teacher-training program and a yoga teacher certification and advancing studies program recognized by Yoga Alliance.

Sherri presents classes and workshops throughout the United States and hosts retreats around the world. She's a presenter for Western Athletics' Bay Clubs, Gold's Gym, Nautilus, Equinox, IDEA World Fitness, Body Mind Spirit, ECA, AFPA, and offers many yoga retreats, including retreats at Kripalu, Omega, Haramara, Green Gulch Zen Center, Rancho La Puerta Spa, and Feathered Pipe Ranch. A radio and television personality, she is featured in video, dvd, and cd programs that include "Power of Yoga" and "Power of Meditation". Sherri is the author of 'Yoga with Weights for Dummies' (Wiley) released nationwide Jan. 06".

 FRANK and SERPIL GOLE-ISZAK

www.silverageyoga.com

Frank was born in Hungary in 1931.  He attended University of Chemical Engineering and in 1956 he escaped from Soviet occupied Hungary. Immigrated to the US in 1957, he worked for a chemical company in Berkeley, California. After five years he switched to journalism then to publishing.

After temporary retirement he became a private investigator, still active in handling investigation of a variety of cases. He practiced and taught martial arts, earned his black belts in shotokan and kung fu. In 1994 his yoga experience began, first as a practitioner then three years later as a teacher. His lineage is Indra Devi style. He also got certified as a Pilates mat instructor, and teaches Pilates using the Reformer. He is an E-RYT500 registered teacher and director of a Yoga Alliance approved teacher training school (RYS200) called Essential Yoga Training.

He and his wife Serpil founded Silver Age Yoga Community Outreach in 2004, with a mission to deliver the benefits of gerontology based yoga practices - Silver Age Yoga - to needy seniors at no costs.

 ERIN FLEMING 

www.yogadeva.com

Erin's enthusiasm and devotion to Yoga began twenty years ago following an extensive dance career. Her instructor training was with renowned Yoga teachers Sarah Powers, Erich Schiffmann, Tias Little, Yin Yoga Master Paul Grilley and the founder of Yin Yoga, Master Paulie Zink.
 
While living in England, Erin was certified by the prestigious British Wheel of Yoga in 2000. She draws her inspiration from a blend of the essential aspects of Ashtanga Vinyasa, Iyengar, Viniyoga, Anusara, and Yin Yoga practices, as well as guided and silent meditations. Her classes are a creative, mindful synthesis of flowing postures and breath awareness.
 
Erin's specialty is Yin Yoga, a strong practice that emphasizes long-held,but passive, asanas. The results are enhanced flexibility in the Shoulders, hips and lower back as well as lightness and grace in the body. This profound and meditative practice balances all other activity, especially
the more active (Yang) styles of Yoga.
 
Erin leads customized yoga retreats and workshops nationally and internationally.

KARIN SCHOLZ GRACE, MS

Karin Scholz Grace, M.S. is a popular teacher of Somatic Yoga Therapy, a safe, gentle style of yoga focused on inward sensing and conscious rebalancing of the body. Based in Sausalito, California, Karin is a certified Hanna Somatics practitioner, working with individuals and groups to release fixations and restore balance of the body, mind, and spirit. Having used Somatic Yoga Therapy to recover from her own debilitating spinal injury, Karin embodies this healing practice from a place of personal experience and deep compassion.

Trained in dance, yoga, herbalism, anatomy, and neurophysiology, Karin holds an MS from Stanford University. Karin's classes offer a safe and inspiring space for personal exploration and transformation; each client is empowered with the tools to make dramatic shifts within his own musculature and his own being. Karin can be reached at 415.331.9950, or at karin@marinhealingarts.com.

CAROL HINCE, MSPT, RYT

www.yogahereandnow.com

Carol Hince, MSPT, RYT, has over thirty years experience as a physical therapist, and as such has also taught in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, S.F.City College, and at UCSF. In addition to her regular yoga classes, she is now teaching numerous workshops and seeing private clients where she combines physical therapy with yoga. She has taught the use of the Neti cup in various settings and is always pleased to introduce it to new people, this time along with asanas and more emphasis on breathing techniques.

 DR. GARETT SMITH, MD

Garrett A. Smith, MD, graduated from Stanford University, where he designed his undergraduate degree, "The Bio-Social Aspects of Cancer," and kindled a passion for cancer care and treatment. During his residency and fellowship training at UCSF, he learned and understood the motivation of his cancer patients to add Complementary & Alternative Medicine to their traditional treatment.  Many patients came to him hoping to incorporate acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and nutritional supplements with conventional chemotherapy.

Obstacles had to be overcome, including skeptical physicians, conservative medical establishments, and the typical disconnect between health care providers from different medical cultures.  To this end, Dr. Smith has created the Golden Gate Center for Integrative Cancer Care in San Francisco. During chemotherapy treatment, patients can now receive acupuncture and massage, and consult with a cancer nutritionist.  He has also partnered with Western Athletic Clubs to design a personalized fitness program to facilitate recovery following surgery, and to improve strength and endurance during treatment.

The Golden Gate Center has also developed key relationships with practitioners of Complementary Medicine, including The Pine Street Clinic in Marin County, and the Institute of Health and Healing in San F Francisco. To date, experience with this integrative approach has demonstrated reduced toxicity from chemotherapy, a shorter time to recovery, and an overall favorable experience. Research studies are planned to define the extent of this beneficial effect. The goal is to optimize all aspects of health during the cancer journey, with an emphasis on treating the person, not the tumor.